Tipping?? Is it just me or is this appalling

[midori1999]

It is much more common to tip in the USA, but tipping in the UK is fairly culturally normal for certain services, such as waiting staff, hair stylists and taxi drivers, for example. I always tip these services and my babysitter too.

I used to work as a hairdresser and really appreciated my tips, although never expected them. Most people do tip though. I pay a lot at my hairdressers now, but I always leave her £10, because what I pay goes to her boss, not her. I am very fussy about my hair (not least due to having been in the trade) and find it really hard to find a good stylist, so I want her to know I appreciate her. In turn, she always remembers me and will try and fit me in for appointments even when she is busy.

 

[Tiff]

Midhurst, just past the Georgian mall, but I work on Bryne!

Funny! My parents live in Midhurst actually. Small world! There's a bunch of us that get together from time to time who live in the general area. You should come sometime!

On topic:

Definitely more common to tip over here for sure. I think I'd be the same in the sense that if it was cultural norm to NOT do it, then I wouldn't. But if it was cultural norm to do so, then I do.

For the person who asked about going away and tipping: We've been to Mexico twice on an all-inclusive plan. Generally 15% of what we've spent goes towards gratuities but there are A LOT of people who work in the resorts we've stayed at so it doesn't end up being very much.

We tend to tip regardless (not much mind you, far less than I would here). I'd tip 100 pesos (less than $1 CDN) each time a waiter/waitress would bring a round of drinks for us. Even with it being that little they were incredibly grateful. Then at the end of the week I tipped a bit more to the people who had gone out of their way to make our stay special, and to the housekeeping staff who cleaned our rooms each day.

Not saying that everyone SHOULD do it that way, it's just how we chose to do it while down there.

 

[Fizzyfefe]

Off topic, but Tiff, I have visited two of the all-inclusive Palace resorts: Beach Palace and Cancun Palace. Hubby and I will be going to Sun Palace this spring for our honeymoon. Where did you stay?

 

[Sarahrei]

Midhurst, just past the Georgian mall, but I work on Bryne!

Funny! My parents live in Midhurst actually. Small world! There's a bunch of us that get together from time to time who live in the general area. You should come sometime!

I'd love too! You should message me and let me know details

 

[AimeeM]

As a hairdresser, I feel uncomfortable being given a tip and people seem to get offended when you turn them down.

 

[steph.]

In australia people dont tend to tip, whereas when i lived in Scotland i always felt obliged to tip in a restaurant, unless service was appalling.

I've just come back from Brazil, and there they sometimes automatically add 10% to the bill. I got really bad service in a restaurant (disorganised service,food took ages, wrong bill, 45mins to get right bill) and i refused to pay the 10%. The waiter then had the cheek to get mad at us! I think regardless of culture tipping should be at the discretion of the customer.

 

[Tiff]

Off topic, but Tiff, I have visited two of the all-inclusive Palace resorts: Beach Palace and Cancun Palace. Hubby and I will be going to Sun Palace this spring for our honeymoon. Where did you stay?

We stayed at Hacidenda Tres Rios for our honeymoon. It was incredible! It is on a 326 acre nature park. 10 cenotes on site, just amazing!

I didn't like Cancun as much as the Mayan Rivera. We are more beach goers than partiers, Cancun was all about the club's... at least how it seemed to us.

Have fun when you go, I'm jealous!

 

[Pixelle]

I generally tip in restaurants, unless I've had bad service. Usually around 10%. Same for hairdressers (not that I ever go, these days).I never take taxis but if I did I'd let them keep the change, i guess.

 

[Dezireey]

I’m sorry to say but I think the culture of tipping in America and the way it’s done in a lot of places is just greedy and insane. I lived in California and Wisconsin a few years back and it drove me crackers! I was expected to tip people that I asked for directions in the street (and that happened twice! so it was not a one off) you know, like you stop your car and you are lost and you ask a person in the street where to go? These people both put their hands out to us after they gave us directions?? And one looked like a normal, 50 year old professional woman, not a homeless person or someone who looked destitute. What is wrong with actually giving someone information or help without always wanting to be paid for it?

I also remember going out for a meal with a group of friends and e.g. the whole meal cost us about $60 and we ended up paying more or less the same as that again in tips….. WTF? So the meal was really worth $120 on the menu actually, wasn't it?

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adored America and I love Americans and how the majority of them are so sweet and kind. But where is the sincerity in it all? Almost every time I was living there I was reminded by friends 'don't forget to tip' Tip who? what? that person who just gave me a paper bag to put my booze in?? In restaurants, how on earth do you know that the person who is providing excellent service is just doing it out of the goodness of their heart or not?. The fact is you don’t. It is so ingrained in the US’s culture that you just do it automatically without thinking of the purpose of tipping. I also had a friend who was a server at Red Robin and he made good tips as he was a very likeable character (genuine in this instance) so he always got good tips. But he made more money in a week than his best friend did in a whole month in a regular administration job. So I also think this thing about ‘topping up a poor wage’ is also a ruse to make the poor public pay up every time. Tipping should just and only be about getting a good service over and above what you expected at anywhere you see fit as a member of the public. It is not as it is in the US, just a way to add some sort of tax to someone. You might aswell just add the money onto every single bar bill, hairdresser bill etc etc. I think it’s so unfair and makes going out of an evening or staying in a hotel etc totally ‘money, money, money’ orientated and stresses people out (especially tourists).

 

[robinator]

I just got my hair done at the school and tipped 10%

I can't help it!!!!!

 

[Andypanda6570]

I just got my hair done at the school and tipped 10%

I can't help it!!!!!

LOL

 

[smokey]

Being a waitress myself im very strict on the service I get, if its not up to par with the service I would give then I can get a bit funny about tipping.
99% of the time I will leave at least 10% or if its been excellent service I will leave 15%-20%
Only twice have I ever refused to tip and one of those times was actualy at my own work place to one of my colleagues, his service was discusting, we waited 20 mins to order a drink then never saw him again untill he brought the bill over at the end, it was one of the managers that took our order after I went and complained.
The other time was a waiter that put my sons youghurt under heat lamps and left it there and it was off when it got to us and the steak wasnt cooked how we wanted it but when we spoke to the waiter he just grunted at us and said "and?" and walked away.

I certainly dont expect a tip off of my customers, its nice to get one but I get paid to do my job.
When I do get tips its normaly around 5-10% as is normal for this country unless I have a south african or American customer then its normaly about 15%

What I do get extremly annoyed with though is the places that automaticaly put 10% onto the bill when they bring it over, it realy infuriates me because a tip should be a bonus if you think the service has been very good not compulsory.
I normaly tell them to take the bill away and take it off and that I will leave what I feel is warrented and if I get a filthy look or nonsense about its policy then thats their tip gone.

There deffinatly is a massive differance between US and UK though as they dont get minimal pay as we do (even we didnt till about 2 years ago)
If you are going to leave a tip here though always ask the waiter if they actualy do get the tip as the last place I worked at the owner kept all the tips and we saw nothing of them, completly illegal but it happens more often then you realise.

 

[Rainbow82]

Over the last ten years or so I have felt more and more pressured to tip in the uk, especially in restaurants, I don't mind tipping but don't like feeling like it has to be a certain percentage, I base it on the service instead. The waiter/esses in the uk eat at least minimum wage so arnt really relying on tips and when I was a student I had lots of min. Wage jobs, waitressing was probably the easiest so I only leave a large tip if tge service has been really really good.

I also always decline when restaurants add it on to the bill and as I'd rather leave it on tge table as I feel there is more chance if tge staff getting it. I have worked in two places (one which added service charge to tge bill) which never passed tips on to staff and another place where all the staff had to put tips into a big jar that was supposed to be shared each month but since the till was always down due to a thief on the staff tge tips always went into the till instead.

 

[susan_1981]

I never tip my hairdresser! She charges me over £130 for 2 hours work. I think that's enough money spent in there, without adding on a tip!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I have never tipped a hairdresser in UK either

 

[DragonflyWing]

Here in the US, servers in restaurants have a lower minimum wage than other professions...I think most get less than $5 an hour, so their tips make up most of their pay. I never tip less than 15% unless I've had abyssmal service. If I've had great service, I'll tip 20% or more. Hairdressers and manicurists get 10-15%. I was shocked the other day because I got drive-up service at the supermarket (they put the bags in your car for you), and the guy told me they're not allowed to accept tips. I had been digging frantically in my purse because I would have been so embarrassed if I didn't offer a tip.

 

[socitycourty]

i guess I'm a huge softy but i always tip any time we eat out, order pizza, get a haircut, pedicure, etc.

I also tip when I get a massage too.

If the service is bad I don't tip. Otherwise it's just a habit for me.

 

[mrs_park]

Here in Australia we don't tip. The price is what it is. I think it is becoming a little more popular in restaurants to 'round up' your bill eg, if your bill was $47.50, you'd offer to pay an even $50. But this isn't done all that often (that I'm aware of) and it's certainly not expected.

The whole concept of being forced to tip seems quite bizzaire to me.

 

[Chezzz]

My sister is a hairdressing apprentice - she gets paid £2.50 an hour (this is legal for an apprentice although minimum wage for a 17 year old is actually £3.75ish)
She makes a fair amount in tips but doesn't relie on the them. She uses them for things like her lunch. Although she does earn fair amount in tips so she manages to live on pretty much just tips while saving her wages!
She doesn't expect tips from anyone ad it's usually the older ladies who tip. She has two gypsy clients with super long thick hair who love her washing and drying their hair ( they come in and specifically ask for her) and they normally tip her £5-£10 each because they like her so much & she managed their long thick hair lol!
In restaurants I normally tip whatever change I have in my purse.
Don't tip taxi drivers as don't use them. And don't tip my sister todo my hair if she does it at the salon. If she does it at home I pay her though x

 

[Jess137]

I’m sorry to say but I think the culture of tipping in America and the way it’s done in a lot of places is just greedy and insane. I lived in California and Wisconsin a few years back and it drove me crackers! I was expected to tip people that I asked for directions in the street (and that happened twice! so it was not a one off) you know, like you stop your car and you are lost and you ask a person in the street where to go? These people both put their hands out to us after they gave us directions?? And one looked like a normal, 50 year old professional woman, not a homeless person or someone who looked destitute. What is wrong with actually giving someone information or help without always wanting to be paid for it?

I also remember going out for a meal with a group of friends and e.g. the whole meal cost us about $60 and we ended up paying more or less the same as that again in tips….. WTF? So the meal was really worth $120 on the menu actually, wasn't it?

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adored America and I love Americans and how the majority of them are so sweet and kind. But where is the sincerity in it all? Almost every time I was living there I was reminded by friends 'don't forget to tip' Tip who? what? that person who just gave me a paper bag to put my booze in?? In restaurants, how on earth do you know that the person who is providing excellent service is just doing it out of the goodness of their heart or not?. The fact is you don’t. It is so ingrained in the US’s culture that you just do it automatically without thinking of the purpose of tipping. I also had a friend who was a server at Red Robin and he made good tips as he was a very likeable character (genuine in this instance) so he always got good tips. But he made more money in a week than his best friend did in a whole month in a regular administration job. So I also think this thing about ‘topping up a poor wage’ is also a ruse to make the poor public pay up every time. Tipping should just and only be about getting a good service over and above what you expected at anywhere you see fit as a member of the public. It is not as it is in the US, just a way to add some sort of tax to someone. You might aswell just add the money onto every single bar bill, hairdresser bill etc etc. I think it’s so unfair and makes going out of an evening or staying in a hotel etc totally ‘money, money, money’ orientated and stresses people out (especially tourists).

That's the thing though - the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. However, employers of workers who get tips only have to pay $2.13 per hour! (That is unless the state they are in has a higher rate.) So unfortunately they really do depend on tips for most of their pay. I definitely think that they should still be giving good service, but I never tip waiters less than 18% and usually tip between 20-25%.