Service charges/tips

[Blackmac]

Had a nice meal out last Friday and the card machine had the facility for selecting a tip. I'm always happy to tip and most of my family and friends reckon I am too generous, but I was shocked to see that the options were 20%, 17.5%, 15%, 10% and no tip. The obvious suggestion being that 10% is the lowest tip possible. I asked for the manager and made it quite clear that I thought it was completely inappropriate to expect a 20% tip in a country where the staff are all likely getting at least the minimum wage. Without a hint of embarrassment his answer was that the 20% options were there for Americans who didn't understand the wage situation in the UK. I told him that was a shocking explanation and he would be ashamed of himself.
Also seems to be coming more and more normal to see service charges getting added in bars where you are going up to get your own drinks.
Typical American culture, f#cking it up for everyone else.

[Slick]

Yup, noticed in the last few months that all the coffee shops around us give a tip option even if you are standing waiting for them and taking away. To be fair most of the staff are suitably embarrassed and advise you to press X

[SaintK]

I eat out a lot in London (expensive hobby!!) and the average "service charge" post pandemic is now at 15%.
The one thing that truly pisses me off are those places that include service then try to get you pay an additional service charge on the credit card machine

[Dogbert]

One of the main issues is that moving effectively to a cashless society, the lowest paid are hit the hardest., effectively tipping has fallen out of favour.

While cash tips have always been protected, that has not always been the case with contactless

If tips or service charges are paid out through a payroll then they are subject to taxes and national insurance and are considered part of the minimum wage.

No one tips in pubs anymore. People would say that they didn’t tip in pubs, but you did – you’d pay in cash and tell the barman to keep the change, or buy a pint for the staff behind the bar.

Cashless has been great for speed of service and transaction, but those little bits of extra cash have gone to zero.

SumUp, a company that makes contactless payment devices, reported that the average value of tips given to cafés, restaurants, hairdressers and other small businesses that use its payment system had plunged from £4.65 in August 2022 to just £2.85in August 2023.

That would suggest that we are just grippy cunts for people who are barely getting by on minimum wage.

[Blackmac]

One of the main issues is that moving effectively to a cashless society, the lowest paid are hit the hardest., effectively tipping has fallen out of favour.

While cash tips have always been protected, that has not always been the case with contactless

If tips or service charges are paid out through a payroll then they are subject to taxes and national insurance and are considered part of the minimum wage.

No one tips in pubs anymore. People would say that they didn’t tip in pubs, but you did – you’d pay in cash and tell the barman to keep the change, or buy a pint for the staff behind the bar.

Cashless has been great for speed of service and transaction, but those little bits of extra cash have gone to zero.

SumUp, a company that makes contactless payment devices, reported that the average value of tips given to cafés, restaurants, hairdressers and other small businesses that use its payment system had plunged from £4.65 in August 2022 to just £2.85in August 2023.

That would suggest that we are just grippy cunts for people who are barely getting by on minimum wage.

When I was in Dublin earlier in the year for my son in laws stag I bought a few barmen a pint, often with my first visit to the bar as it gets you in their good books. Most were absolutely astonished and didn't appear to know how to handle it.

[Dinsdale Piranha]

One of the main issues is that moving effectively to a cashless society, the lowest paid are hit the hardest., effectively tipping has fallen out of favour.

While cash tips have always been protected, that has not always been the case with contactless

If tips or service charges are paid out through a payroll then they are subject to taxes and national insurance and are considered part of the minimum wage.

No one tips in pubs anymore. People would say that they didn’t tip in pubs, but you did – you’d pay in cash and tell the barman to keep the change, or buy a pint for the staff behind the bar.

Cashless has been great for speed of service and transaction, but those little bits of extra cash have gone to zero.

SumUp, a company that makes contactless payment devices, reported that the average value of tips given to cafés, restaurants, hairdressers and other small businesses that use its payment system had plunged from £4.65 in August 2022 to just £2.85in August 2023.

That would suggest that we are just grippy cunts for people who are barely getting by on minimum wage.

This bit is incorrect.

https://www.gov.uk/tips-at-work.

I generally tip generously at places I plan on going back to regularly. It pays off over time.

[Enzedder]

I noticed this in cafes and restaurants in the tourist rip-off places in the South Island but never availed myself of it Thankfully, I have never seen it up here in civilisation.

I am happy to leave a few bucks on the table if the service has been better than expected but I am not giving it as of right.

[Blackmac]

One of the main issues is that moving effectively to a cashless society, the lowest paid are hit the hardest., effectively tipping has fallen out of favour.

While cash tips have always been protected, that has not always been the case with contactless

If tips or service charges are paid out through a payroll then they are subject to taxes and national insurance and are considered part of the minimum wage.

No one tips in pubs anymore. People would say that they didn’t tip in pubs, but you did – you’d pay in cash and tell the barman to keep the change, or buy a pint for the staff behind the bar.

Cashless has been great for speed of service and transaction, but those little bits of extra cash have gone to zero.

SumUp, a company that makes contactless payment devices, reported that the average value of tips given to cafés, restaurants, hairdressers and other small businesses that use its payment system had plunged from £4.65 in August 2022 to just £2.85in August 2023.

That would suggest that we are just grippy cunts for people who are barely getting by on minimum wage.

This bit is incorrect.

https://www.gov.uk/tips-at-work.

I generally tip generously at places I plan on going back to regularly. It pays off over time.

Yes, tips and things like overtime payments do not count towards the minimum wage. Has to be in addition.

[Blackmac]

One of the main issues is that moving effectively to a cashless society, the lowest paid are hit the hardest., effectively tipping has fallen out of favour.

While cash tips have always been protected, that has not always been the case with contactless

If tips or service charges are paid out through a payroll then they are subject to taxes and national insurance and are considered part of the minimum wage.

No one tips in pubs anymore. People would say that they didn’t tip in pubs, but you did – you’d pay in cash and tell the barman to keep the change, or buy a pint for the staff behind the bar.

Cashless has been great for speed of service and transaction, but those little bits of extra cash have gone to zero.

SumUp, a company that makes contactless payment devices, reported that the average value of tips given to cafés, restaurants, hairdressers and other small businesses that use its payment system had plunged from £4.65 in August 2022 to just £2.85in August 2023.

That would suggest that we are just grippy cunts for people who are barely getting by on minimum wage.

I don't think it's being grumpy. Our bill was £120, as a matter of course I would have added £15. The waitress was lucky if she spent more than 5 minutes of her night dealing with us, bringing us two courses and a bottle of wine, she was functional but far from exceptional, so I think that is more than enough, but by their reckoning that didn't even meet their expectations of their 2nd lowest tip. As we all know tipping is not that readily accepted in the UK so them trying to unnecessarily force US standards on us will often piss people off and result in no tip at all.

[Margin__Walker]

Had a similar experience the other day out for coffee.

Went to settle up at the counter. Came to 17.50 and I said to round it up to 20. She said, sure you can do that on here, handed me the terminal and it gave options of 0%, 15% (Good Service), 20% (Very Good Service) or 25% (Great Service!) with cute progressively happier smiley faces. Selected the 15% which came to just over £20 and went on my way. Not the fault of the staff, but whoever developed that functionality and implemented it can go fuck themselves. 15% just shouldn't be a minimum tip amount in the UK for those with no change on them. I half get it in the States where everything is backward in hospitality and the tips are the wage, but over here it's taking the piss.

[Dogbert]

One of the main issues is that moving effectively to a cashless society, the lowest paid are hit the hardest., effectively tipping has fallen out of favour.

While cash tips have always been protected, that has not always been the case with contactless

If tips or service charges are paid out through a payroll then they are subject to taxes and national insurance and are considered part of the minimum wage.

No one tips in pubs anymore. People would say that they didn’t tip in pubs, but you did – you’d pay in cash and tell the barman to keep the change, or buy a pint for the staff behind the bar.

Cashless has been great for speed of service and transaction, but those little bits of extra cash have gone to zero.

SumUp, a company that makes contactless payment devices, reported that the average value of tips given to cafés, restaurants, hairdressers and other small businesses that use its payment system had plunged from £4.65 in August 2022 to just £2.85in August 2023.

That would suggest that we are just grippy cunts for people who are barely getting by on minimum wage.

This bit is incorrect.

https://www.gov.uk/tips-at-work.

I generally tip generously at places I plan on going back to regularly. It pays off over time.

Yes, tips and things like overtime payments do not count towards the minimum wage. Has to be in addition.

My Bad , that is now quite right , happy to be corrected.

However - with the move away from cash , effectively you now pay tax on them ( but not NI ) - The other issue is that of that £15 tip - that doesn't necessarily mean that that waitress will see the £15 ( after tax is taken off) - the restaurant have complete discretion as to how tip monies are divided among frontline staff.

How people pay tips if any , are up to the individual - but the fact is that people ( on a whole) have taken the the opportunity to reduce the cash to a poorly paid section of society

[Uncle fester]

Was in Wales last October and noticed that a lot of food places don't really do service anymore. You either order and pay at your table with your phone or go up to the till and pay there. They then drop the food down to your table.

Still tacked on a "tip" on the bill that I made a point of removing.

The food was also shit and expensive.

[Camroc2]

Always tip in cash; the Maitre'd/Senior front of house person will ensure all staff get their cut to a pre-determined formula. Card payments go through the owners bank and sticky fingers can take a hell of a lot of it before it gets to actual staff.

I normally subtract the cost of the wine, and then tip 10 -15% on the food depending on how expensive the food was.

And I have no problem with shite service/food means a shite tip.

[sockwithaticket]

I don't think it's being grumpy. Our bill was £120, as a matter of course I would have added £15. The waitress was lucky if she spent more than 5 minutes of her night dealing with us, bringing us two courses and a bottle of wine, she was functional but far from exceptional, so I think that is more than enough, but by their reckoning that didn't even meet their expectations of their 2nd lowest tip. As we all know tipping is not that readily accepted in the UK so them trying to unnecessarily force US standards on us will often piss people off and result in no tip at all.

I don't really eat out much, but when I do I always wonder 'what exactly am I expected to tip for here?'. Wait staff generally do their jobs of taking an order and bringing it to you all the while being civil, which is great and all, yet it doesn't really seem worthy of being tipped. Most people work positions where they don't get tipped at all for doing their job, not even if they go above and beyond (and what does that even look like in a dining context). Some might be eligible for an end of year bonus or something, but it's not that common and certainly different to being tipped each shift.


Going off onto a tangent about the machines, I've noticed since covid that almost all touring bands have shifted over to using them and there was a period where the American ones would ask you to tip, but they seem to have cottoned onto Europeans and Brits not having an appetite to tip for a 10 second interaction at a merch booth/table where you simply get handed the t-shirt you pointed at and have started telling us to ignore it and swipe past that screen when paying.