Service charge - load of rubbish

[alternageek 10]

Its not always the servers fault that things dont come out correctly.

Again this is based on the US and not the UK (the most we tip here is 10%) as in the States servers use tips to cover their wages. Service staff (waiters, servers, bartenders, bussing staff) only earn half the states minimum wage. If, say, the kitchen cooked my steak to medium and I asked well, and the waiter confirmed well back to me, why should I take away their wage because of the cooks error? Now then if they brought me salmon and I asked for steak, then no tip. Or if they didnt bother to correct the error, then no tip.

 

Edit: If errors happened here, then no tip at all.

Edited September 30, 2013 by alternageek

[Random Shout 10]

I do usually stay in thank you very much. Only have a restaurant meal about 2-3 times a year. A relative of mine always says that "you need to make a tip/service charge" just 'cos she goes out with a chef.

 

Giraffe in Meadowhall has an extra 15% for service charge at the bottom of the receipt. There was no way i was paying that the food was expensive enough, but my relative paid for the charge. I'm not tight, just feel it's cheeky for restaurants put down a service charge on top of the bill. I have very often put a few pound extra.

[Vague_Boy 10]

[

I do usually stay in thank you very much.

 

Stay in a bit more.

[Random Shout 10]

Why should I stay in a bit more ?

 

---------- Post added 30-09-2013 at 18:46 ----------

 

well Burger King don't charge extra when i'm waiting for my Angus and they come to bring it me, what exactly should I say "how kind here there is a pound for bringing it me". Burger King is no different to any other restaurant.

[aliceBB 10]

The longer people continue to tip in restaurants and cafes, the longer the owners will get away with paying rubbish wages.

 

I do not tip in restaurants and especially dislike the way some restaurants pressure you to add a gratuity to the bill when paying with a card.

 

If it's any consolation it is even worse in the U.S.

[Random Shout 10]

So how much do you tip when in the states?

• 0% - Terrible, terrible service. No food or orders totally wrong, cold, inedible.
  
• 10% - Poor service, orders wrong, slow to correct, etc.
  
• 15% - okay, could have been better
  
• 20% - Standard
  
• 25% - Exceptional service (Unless youre in places like NYC or LA, where its the norm)
  

 

You also need to add in the VAT at 6% (for FL, various from state to state and county to county) and the exchange rate isnt that great anymore. Most of my friends, when they go back, complain its not as cheap as it once was.

 

Might not be as bad, isn't food a lot cheaper in America ?

 

---------- Post added 30-09-2013 at 21:07 ----------

 

My dad said that he was going to tip a restaurant (not in Sheffield) and they said "no need to tip us it's in with the price" - and that's how it should be.

[alternageek 10]

Might not be as bad, isn't food a lot cheaper in America ?

Talking to my mother recently, things like beef, bread and dairy products are much more expensive there than here. Even with the currency exchange.

 

She lives on the east coast of Florida as well.

 

---------- Post added 30-09-2013 at 21:17 ----------

 

For example, 8 pints of milk (or US Gallon), on sale, is £3 (2 x 4 pint bottles) and in the US the same size is almost £4

[Cyclone 10]

You guys are lucky you dont have to tip anyone (but if something is outstanding - the service, food, whatever - its nice to reward a place and let them know) here.

 

You guys must faint when you go on your Orlando holidays and have to start tipping between 10-25% for your meals

 

PS If you cant afford to even tip 5%, you cant afford to go out for sitdown service.

 

You DO generally have to tip, although it's normally about 10%. If the service was exceptional then I might go a bit higher, but never more than 15%.

 

---------- Post added 01-10-2013 at 07:32 ----------

 

I do usually stay in thank you very much. Only have a restaurant meal about 2-3 times a year. A relative of mine always says that "you need to make a tip/service charge" just 'cos she goes out with a chef.

 

Giraffe in Meadowhall has an extra 15% for service charge at the bottom of the receipt. There was no way i was paying that the food was expensive enough, but my relative paid for the charge. I'm not tight, just feel it's cheeky for restaurants put down a service charge on top of the bill. I have very often put a few pound extra.

 

If the service was poor you can always ask them to remove it.

 

I'm not keen of the 'tip' being included on the bill to be honest.

 

I don't think your relative is saying that because she goes out with a chef though.

 

---------- Post added 01-10-2013 at 07:33 ----------

 

Why should I stay in a bit more ?

 

---------- Post added 30-09-2013 at 18:46 ----------

 

well Burger King don't charge extra when i'm waiting for my Angus and they come to bring it me, what exactly should I say "how kind here there is a pound for bringing it me". Burger King is no different to any other restaurant.

 

It's completely different. When did you last order and pay at a counter whilst in a restaurant? When did they last check during the meal that everything was okay, or check whether they could get you another drink, etc...

[alchemist 35]

I once went to a certain chinese place beginning with W and it was only when I had paid the bill that I realised that the cheeky sods had included the tip in the bill!!

 

Needless to say I no longer go there