Question.
Is it better to tip at the table or on a credit card.

Anyone work in a restaurant etc ?
We went for a meal yesterday and I usually leave a tip on the table when I've paid the bill but yesterday I had no change so I put the tip on the credit card. How does it work. Do the staff still get tips if they're included in the credit card payment or does the company get them and not share the money out ?

Cols
we have friends who work in the restaurant trade and always tell us to leave the tip on the plate never with the CC as the management keep it as their own when it goes through the till, and in a lot of places it's only the tips that make the job worth doing as the wages are so poor.
owdlad.

I dislike putting the tip on the plastic because I prefer to see it go to the person who served me wherever possible.

I also check to see whether the 'service charge' is included in the bill, and if it is then no tip!

Joe

Joe
what do you do if the service is poor and there's a service charge, do you leave it or deduct it from the bill ?

Interesting point!

There have been two occasions when the service / food was pants as far as I can remember but on both occasions the service charge wasn't included (and in one case I got the meal for free).

I'd LIKE to think that were the service that poor I'd deduct and pay the balance, but as I usually go for the quiet life I'd probably be a spineless wonder and pay up...:-(

It's a crap practice by the restaurants for that reason.

Joe

Why doe some restaurants add a service charge if there is a party of more than a certain size? We got stung like this because we were in a group of 11 - the restaurant adds a service charge if there is a group of more than 10.

Any other business would give a group discount - only a restaurant would get away with charging more. :confused:

I guess that it's harder to coordinate the reasonably timely arrival of ten main courses than two!

Ready cash left on the table is the only method I would use.

If I get bad service - no tip
If I get good service - 5/10% of the bill.
If I get excellent service - 15% of the bill or more

on the table as well, so the staff who served me actually get it.

I worked in a restaurant until recently.

The service charge is OPTIONAL. You do not have to leave a tip, especially if you thought your service was not as good as it should have been.

The standard amount that you should always leave is 10% as it is on the continent.

The restaurant that I was working in had a system where tips were distributed equally among all staff each evening.

If the tip was paid by credit card etc. then the cash was taken from the till and put in a tip box, so the staff suffered no loss.

Most customers tipped but large parties never tipped as they always assumed someone else would. This was always considered a little rude as the work involved with a party booking is considerably more than other bookings. Parties generally bring some kind of cake too which means they are not buying deserts. It all adds up to extra work, crockery to clean, and quite a big mess afterwards.

A lot of restaurants now add a service charge onto the bill of parties of 8 or more in light of these facts.

Waiters/waitresses get basic wage for a lot of hard work and late nights so tips make the job worth the while.

Something to consider when eating in restaurants is that usually you are asked if yur meal is ok just after you have started eating. If there is a problem with your meal say so at this point and it will be rectified or the charge reduced or moved if you are being genuine. If you are not happy and continue to eat the meal you really do not have any cause to complain and should pay the full price.

A lot of people eat their meal then complain, leaving the restaurant a little confued as to how they managed to finish something that later is described as poor or inedible.

If it is a good restaurant they are more than willing to put things right for you if you are also fair and honest.

Damn, i always thought it was 20%! D'oh!

Originally posted by Snook
Damn, i always thought it was 20%! D'oh!

I bet you get special treatment next time you go to those places.

Originally posted by bonny
I bet you get special treatment next time you go to those places.

I always get special treatment. ;)

Originally posted by bonny

The standard amount that you should always leave is 10% as it is on the continent.


So what about if the service was good, but not THAT good? Or conversely if it was so good it deserved more?

I don't know why service charges exist anyway. A waiter/waitress is paid to wait tables by the restaurant, so why should the customer have to pay them again? You wouldn't tip a shop assistant for going to loads of effort to find an item for you, and they're paid equally badly or worse. One obviously has to leave a tip to not look tight, but it is definitely something I resent.

I've refused as the organiser to pay a group service charge that was added because the service was so bad.
It was extremely slow, we were never asked if we wanted drinks and we had to as about 6 times before we got any jugs of water, then they brought 2 between 18 of us.
The bill was about £300 anyway and they'd added 10% for service. I had to argue, but they didn't get it.

Normally I tip around 10%, more if the company is covering it (but then it has to be on the plastic).

Originally posted by t020
So what about if the service was good, but not THAT good? Or conversely if it was so good it deserved more?

I don't know why service charges exist anyway. A waiter/waitress is paid to wait tables by the restaurant, so why should the customer have to pay them again? You wouldn't tip a shop assistant for going to loads of effort to find an item for you, and they're paid equally badly or worse. One obviously has to leave a tip to not look tight, but it is definitely something I resent.

It's all about courtesy., it wouldn't kill you to leave a couple of quid's tip to reward waiters/waitresses for good service, on their poor wages it's often their main source of income....

Don't be such a tight git.

Originally posted by Rich
It's all about courtesy., it wouldn't kill you to leave a couple of quid's tip to reward waiters/waitresses for good service, on their poor wages it's often their main source of income....

Don't be such a tight git.

But 10% often isn't just a couple of quid, and as I said shop assistants and other service workers are on equally low wages yet don't expect tips. Waiters/waitresses are paid purely to wait tables, hence the title. The restaurant pay them to do this already, so I resent having to pay them again, but like I said I do anyway to avoid remarks like "tight git".

Originally posted by t020
But 10% often isn't just a couple of quid, and as I said shop assistants and other service workers are on equally low wages yet don't expect tips. Waiters/waitresses are paid purely to wait tables, hence the title. The restaurant pay them to do this already, so I resent having to pay them again, but like I said I do anyway to avoid remarks like "tight git".

It's simply etiquette.

Originally posted by bonny
It's simply etiquette.

But WHY?! Why is it etiquette to tip a waiter but not a shop assistant? Why should waiters be paid twice to wait your table? Forget the tradition and what has been forced upon us as the social norm and look at it objectively.. why are we paying them twice for the same job?

Originally posted by t020
But WHY?! Why is it etiquette to tip a waiter but not a shop assistant? Why should waiters be paid twice to wait your table? Forget the tradition and what has been forced upon us as the social norm and look at it objectively.. why are we paying them twice for the same job?

This is especially for you:

http://people.howstuffworks.com/tipping1.htm

As for etiquette. Who sets the rules for etiquette? I would have thought that someone of your self assumed "class" would be a big believer in etiquette.

Etiquette =

The forms required by good breeding, or prescribed by
authority, to be observed in social or official life;
observance of the proprieties of rank and occasion;
conventional decorum; ceremonial code of polite society.

I know it IS etiquette, and I respect that, I just don't see WHY it is etiquette. And again.... why waiters but not shop assistants?

Originally posted by t020
I know it IS etiquette, and I respect that, I just don't see WHY it is etiquette. And again.... why waiters but not shop assistants?

But you don't want to tip anyone so why worry?? I wouldn't go to the same restaurant twice though.....lol

Originally posted by t020
I know it IS etiquette, and I respect that, I just don't see WHY it is etiquette. And again.... why waiters but not shop assistants?


Because in places like America they aren't even paid minimum wage, they sometimes get as little as $2 an hour by the restaurant. They get around it because the staff earn their wages through tips, and it means that they can charge amazingly little for the food. We have never really done that here, which is why tipping has never really been the done thing.

That's also why you almost always get better service in America, because they depend on tips.

Hate to point out an obvious fact but we live in the UK, not the USA, and our waiters are paid at least the minimum wage to serve tables.

Bonny - as mentioned twice before, I do tip, I just don't fully agree with it.

Originally posted by t020
Hate to point out an obvious fact but we live in the UK, not the USA, and our waiters are paid at least the minimum wage to serve tables.

Bonny - as mentioned twice before, I do tip, I just don't fully agree with it.

I agree, which is why i have no problem with tipping in America, but it often seems pointless here, especially as the service is never as good in my experience, but it doesn't have to be because they have nothing to lose. It does also seem unfair that other people on minimum wage don't get tipped.

Yes it is unfair. A shelf stacker on minimum wage may go out of his/her way to show someone where the tinned tomatoes are but won't get a tip. A waiter on the minimum wage (at least) serves food to your table like they're paid to and expect you to top up their pay and pay them twice over.

Originally posted by t020
Hate to point out an obvious fact but we live in the UK, not the USA, and our waiters are paid at least the minimum wage to serve tables.

Bonny - as mentioned twice before, I do tip, I just don't fully agree with it.

Ok, you do tip but you resent it. So don't tip, don't conform, be the person you want to be.

Waiters and waitresses are not "purely paid to wait tables" either. They are paid to clean up mess, clean toilets, windows, pots etc. If you have a cleaner do you pay him/her the minimum wage or do you give a little extra as a thankyou. I know I have given a little extra in those circumstances.

Waiting staff are usually doing the job as they have other commitments during the day and can only work at night. I don't know many waiting staff who do not have to get up at 7am after getting home at 3.30am. All for £4.50 per hour.

Originally posted by t020
Hate to point out an obvious fact but we live in the UK, not the USA, and our waiters are paid at least the minimum wage to serve tables.



Have I mentioned the U.S???

You can trace tipping back to the 17th century in England. You work it out.

Originally posted by t020
So what about if the service was good, but not THAT good? Or conversely if it was so good it deserved more?

I don't know why service charges exist anyway. A waiter/waitress is paid to wait tables by the restaurant, so why should the customer have to pay them again? You wouldn't tip a shop assistant for going to loads of effort to find an item for you, and they're paid equally badly or worse. One obviously has to leave a tip to not look tight, but it is definitely something I resent. Well as was said previously, wages are low and tipping is the way of incentivising staff to treat the customers well. Waiting on tables is more of an art than serving in a shop, and the service you receive is all important for a nice meal.

Originally posted by t020
I know it IS etiquette, and I respect that, I just don't see WHY it is etiquette. And again.... why waiters but not shop assistants?

Because waiters/waitresses offer a lot more personal service than shop assistants, they ask you what you want, make sure your meals are alright, and then come and see if you'd like anything else like afters or whatever.

So because they take the extra time to please the customer, they deserve a small note of thanks by way of a tip IMO.

The tip is essentially performance related pay. When I was a waiter I didn't expect a tip and if I came to work in a bad mood I usually didn't get many. However, when you go the extra mile people are usually more than happy to reward it.

If you think about it, the restaurant pays your server to take the order, bring the food to the table etc. It is the server themselves that provides their personality, takes the time to chat, to entertain your kids, to have a bit of banter with and just to make the whole experience more human. It is this that the tip should reward.

Just for reference:

-retail work tends to pay more than catering so less need for tips.
-not everyone in catering gets paid minimum wage (quite legally).

Oh and in my experience the service in the UK is better than in the US perhaps because in America it is quite unthinkable not to tip wheras in the UK waiting staff have to go the extra mile to earn the tip.

From a personal point of view I'd rather be left alone to enjoy my meal than have to endure endless Americanised "everything OK?"s through forced, false smiles. If not tipping is the way to be left alone, maybe I should try it.

Oh come on t020, be a little less cynical for once.

It's not an Americansed habit - it's because most restaurants actually care and want you to have a nice time. If it's not ok, they want to know.

Come off it! Most waiters and waitresses are part time workers earning some drinking money while studying for a degree. They couldn't honestly care less about whether or not you enjoy your food, they just want a big tip and don't want you to make a complaint.

Originally posted by t020
From a personal point of view I'd rather be left alone to enjoy my meal than have to endure endless Americanised "everything OK?"s through forced, false smiles. If not tipping is the way to be left alone, maybe I should try it.

I agree, this is what get's my back up sometimes when I'm in the States, false platitudes and "have a nice day" inscincerity.

In a US restaurant I made the mistake of asking the waitress what the etiquette for tipping was. She replied that tipping was worked out on a percentage of the total bill, and that tipping 75% or over indicated that you were chuffed with the service. 40-50% was average, 25% could have been better. But what amused me was the fact she claimed a tip of 10% or less was needed to show that you weren't happy...rather than simply not tipping at all!

Many people will say that tips are essential in jobs where the wage is very low (this is the case in the US, as for the UK I'm less certain), but even as a leftie I refuse to subsidise an industry that won't pay a decent wage with gratuities.

Originally posted by t020
Come off it! Most waiters and waitresses are part time workers earning some drinking money while studying for a degree. They couldn't honestly care less about whether or not you enjoy your food, they just want a big tip and don't want you to make a complaint.

Not totally true. A lot are also mothers who work while their children are in bed.

Originally posted by bonny

Waiting staff are usually doing the job as they have other commitments during the day and can only work at night. I don't know many waiting staff who do not have to get up at 7am after getting home at 3.30am. All for £4.50 per hour.


i do this........

Originally posted by Robbie_Lovin
i do this........

Which part do you do? Have to get up at 7am or not have to?

Originally posted by sw9wj
-retail work tends to pay more than catering so less need for tips.



id ask the majority who do work in retail if this is the case

Hi Robbie_Lovin,
I've worked in retail before. I used to get £4.25 and as it has been pointed out in this thread, shop staff have no chance of getting a tip. However, I did once get a tip, but the point was that I didn't expect one. I'd been paid by the company to help the customers and that was what I was doing.

I'd been stood greeting customers when a gentleman with a buggy laden with shopping and a screaming baby asked me to find him a black and white ring. He explained how his girlfriend had sent him and he didn't have a clue where to find it and thought that I may be able to help him. Naturally, I went and found all the black and white rings in the shop (Which took me about 5 minutes or so of constant searching) and promptly returned to him and showed him all the rings. He chose one and gave me a fiver to take it to the till for him and pop it in a bag. Which I did and I returned with the bag, the receipt and his change. He gave me the change back and told me to keep it for being so helpful and he told me he was extremely grateful (as his baby continued to roar away) I'm sure there was £1 - £1.50 in change, and it was really nice of him to do it because I'd never expected it and it never happened again. I guess he was just a really nice man in need of a really nice shop assistant to help him lol!

Question.
Is it better to tip at the table or on a credit card.

Anyone work in a restaurant etc ?
We went for a meal yesterday and I usually leave a tip on the table when I've paid the bill but yesterday I had no change so I put the tip on the credit card. How does it work. Do the staff still get tips if they're included in the credit card payment or does the company get them and not share the money out ?

Depends how honest the manager is- I worked at a place where the credit card tip went straight to the tax dodging fat cat observing the CCTV, whereas tips left on tables can either be required to put in a pot for group division or for the waitress/waitor that gave you good enough service to make you want to tip them- another place I worked was punishable by dismissal being caught keeping your own tips.

Swings and roundabout I'm afraid.

But WHY?! Why is it etiquette to tip a waiter but not a shop assistant? Why should waiters be paid twice to wait your table? Forget the tradition and what has been forced upon us as the social norm and look at it objectively.. why are we paying them twice for the same job?

Afraid I agree with Titian there, no matter how flash the restaurant may seem, in my experience no waitressing job pays much mroe than minimum wage, which means a lot more hours to make decent living financial costs etc etc...

I feel it's more a sympathy thing with tips in restaurants, based on the pap wages, esp in the bigger chain companies...

Rant over!

I am one of them people who never tips at restaurants not sure why just never had the need to.

........................