Tipping in bars

Algarveaddick

se9addick said:

bobmunro said:

lordromford said:

The issue for most people when they go to the US though is that they find there’s an expectation of at least 20%, but often more like 25-30% That, to me is a ludicrous amount.
When I lived there I’d always tip like a local, but it annoyed me. I was always of the opinion that I’d prefer if the restaurants paid their staff more and charged me more on the menu. Then I could tip sensibly if the service was good.

The US is a fascinating place to live but some of the cultural quirks are just so bizarre, and tipping culture is right up there.

Some restaurants in the US are trialing moving away from the tipping culture and paying their staff a living wage - their prices are increased but strictly no tips. It won't catch on though as low wage plus tips is such an ingrained culture over there. Owners of bars/restaurants trialing it are also seeing a drop in trade and staff less motivated to go above and beyond. Staff are not keen anyway as they can earn more with low wage/high tip remuneration.

Interestingly there is a move in the UK to remove discretionary tipping altogether and instead have a mandatory service charge of up to 15%. Some establishments have been doing that for years of course but I'm not sure I like that - would much rather tip based on the service received.

Yeah I went to a place in Kentucky in July and in bold on their menu they explicitly told you that they don’t accept tips because they pay their staff a proper wage. Shame because the service was excellent but the waitress told us she couldn’t accept a tip even if we wanted to pay pay one, 

hadn’t seen that in the States before.

Dirty Candy in NYC operate the same policy. They are proud that they pay their staff at least the New York living wage.

As someone who has been in the civil service, been in retail, commerce, sales and been in the pub game - so kind of seen most aspects of business - I think tips need to be earned. But by that I mean just by being efficient and courteous, that's how all catering staff should be. If they go above and beyond I may tip a bit extra.

If I am in a pub all night and the service has been okay, I'll give one of the staff a fiver at the end of the night and, making sure they are in front of another member of staff, ask them to put it in the tips jar.   

PragueAddick

What do people do about tips in hotels? If someone helps you with luggage to the room, thats an easy one to tip, at least it goes directly to the person involved, but then again, its often their job. As for the rest, if you leave a cash tip, it´s hard to know if it goes to the staff who most impressed you.

Alwaysneil

PragueAddick said:

What do people do about tips in hotels? If someone helps you with luggage to the room, thats an easy one to tip, at least it goes directly to the person involved, but then again, its often their job. As for the rest, if you leave a cash tip, it´s hard to know if it goes to the staff who most impressed you.

If you are going to tip in cash, better to try and put it in the hand of the person you are trying to tip. 

Pelling1993

Went with a few mates to Chicago & Louisville in 2019 as our mate lives in Louisville. We all used Monzo on the trip and were doing our tips on the receipt thinking it would just be taken from monzo at a later date. Turns out none of them worked and we must’ve saved hundreds each between us 😂

O-Randy-Hunt

PragueAddick said:

What do people do about tips in hotels? If someone helps you with luggage to the room, thats an easy one to tip, at least it goes directly to the person involved, but then again, its often their job. As for the rest, if you leave a cash tip, it´s hard to know if it goes to the staff who most impressed you.

Then its probably best to give it to the one that most impressed you imo.

msomerton

I am old fashioned, you do not tip in pubs. When i worked behind the bar if you got on with the regulars they might offer to buy you drink, some times a stranger on band night might doit, then you would say thanks I will have one latter , knowing every one knew you would take it as money at the end of the night, of course easy then when cash crossed the counter.

Plaaayer

Chunes said:

I worked as a chef for a number of years and you made far less than the bar and waiting staff, despite being on the same base wage, because you didn't make tips. 

Well, the FoH staff were supposed to give you 15% of their tips, but they rarely reported the real amounts that they were making. 

At the last restaurant I worked at, we knew the waiting staff were killing it because we worked in an open kitchen and the customers were sat in front of us. We saw what they left the waiters. Every month our 'cut' of that killing was around £7-15. The Executive Chef went mental a few times, but ultimately nobody could stop it from happening. 

I just have a problem with these weird rules about who gets the tip and who doesn't. Baristas don't, but bar staff do? Chefs don't, but waiters do? Personally I'd think the people sweating in the kitchen deserve the tip more than the people carrying the food or pouring the drinks. But maybe I'm biased. 

I’ve got a friend that’s created an app where you can tip specific people in the restaurant. So if the food was particularly good you could specifically tip the chef or the same for the waiter, called URocked. He’s just sold it for 7 figures, so would expect it see it rolled out more over the next few years. 

IdleHans

Did the buyers give him an extra 12.5% on top?

Chunes

Plaaayer said:

Chunes said:

I worked as a chef for a number of years and you made far less than the bar and waiting staff, despite being on the same base wage, because you didn't make tips. 

Well, the FoH staff were supposed to give you 15% of their tips, but they rarely reported the real amounts that they were making. 

At the last restaurant I worked at, we knew the waiting staff were killing it because we worked in an open kitchen and the customers were sat in front of us. We saw what they left the waiters. Every month our 'cut' of that killing was around £7-15. The Executive Chef went mental a few times, but ultimately nobody could stop it from happening. 

I just have a problem with these weird rules about who gets the tip and who doesn't. Baristas don't, but bar staff do? Chefs don't, but waiters do? Personally I'd think the people sweating in the kitchen deserve the tip more than the people carrying the food or pouring the drinks. But maybe I'm biased. 

I’ve got a friend that’s created an app where you can tip specific people in the restaurant. So if the food was particularly good you could specifically tip the chef or the same for the waiter, called URocked. He’s just sold it for 7 figures, so would expect it see it rolled out more over the next few years. 

Ekins always was a smart lad. 

gringo

Alwaysneil said:

PragueAddick said:

What do people do about tips in hotels? If someone helps you with luggage to the room, thats an easy one to tip, at least it goes directly to the person involved, but then again, its often their job. As for the rest, if you leave a cash tip, it´s hard to know if it goes to the staff who most impressed you.

If you are going to tip in cash, better to try and put it in the Cleavage hand of the person you are trying to tip. 

or maybe thats just me, and the places I frequent.

Jints

PragueAddick said:

What do people do about tips in hotels? If someone helps you with luggage to the room, thats an easy one to tip, at least it goes directly to the person involved, but then again, its often their job. As for the rest, if you leave a cash tip, it´s hard to know if it goes to the staff who most impressed you.

Usually leave a fiver for the cleaner 

AddicksAddict

Off_it said:

I love it when you go up to a bar to get your own drink and the surly person behind it barely makes eye contact, let alone speaks, and then they ask you - via the screen of course, they are mute - for a tip.

Absolutely love it. It's one of my favourite things in life.

My tip is, "you're not suited for the hospitality business sunshine".

A shit cab driver in the states who was using his phone whilst driving and using his left foot on the brake failed to understand the sarcasm in the two tips I gave him. Learn to drive properly and don’t endanger your passengers by phoning whilst driving. 

PragueAddick

Jints said:

PragueAddick said:

What do people do about tips in hotels? If someone helps you with luggage to the room, thats an easy one to tip, at least it goes directly to the person involved, but then again, its often their job. As for the rest, if you leave a cash tip, it´s hard to know if it goes to the staff who most impressed you.

Usually leave a fiver for the cleaner 

Was thinking about exactly this…you cannot be sure it will be the same cleaner who comes in and cleans after you’ve gone.

AddicksAddict

R0TW said:

ElfsborgAddick said:

2.30 Kempton Park

Think you would need to elaborate on that.
The winning horse would help.

It’s where and when he wants to meet you

AddicksAddict

The worst example I’ve experienced was two service charges added at a pub on the river at Rotherhithe, I think it was called the Angel.

I told them to remove both, left the waitress a tip in cash, and was given filthy looks by the management as we left.

I do wonder if they saw the damning review I left them on TripAdvisor.