Frankie and Bennys surcharge?

[Tim1 10]

Did you not read the part where the kids did question it and were told they had too pay it but they didn't have enough so the waiter would put the extra £3.00 into his own tip? When I visited F and B they said it was a misunderstanding and offered a refund, I declined and told them to keep it if he was happy too. The kids learnt a lesson and won't be eating there again.

 

Oh forgot to mention the receipt that I was shown showed no service charge just £189.00. It also said reprinted on it. Make of that what you will.

 

Did you have the original receipt?

[mediumfast 10]

Got to say I hate tipping, I do my job to the best of my ability and get paid a salary, I occasionally get a cheers mate for the fast turn around but I don't get or expect a tip for doing my job.

 

Who did shoot Nice Guy Eddie?

[SnailyBoy 10]

Did you not read the part where the kids did question it and were told they had too pay it but they didn't have enough so the waiter would put the extra £3.00 into his own tip? When I visited F and B they said it was a misunderstanding and offered a refund, I declined and told them to keep it if he was happy too. The kids learnt a lesson and won't be eating there again.

 

Oh forgot to mention the receipt that I was shown showed no service charge just £189.00. It also said reprinted on it. Make of that what you will.

 

A receipt only has the total on in, I guess it had reprinted on in because it was... reprinted

[jamesogt 11]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3187426/Restaurant-chains-10-staff-s-tips-Cafe-Rouge-Prezzo-Strada-accused-practice-covers-administration-fees.html

 

Restaurant chains that take 10% off staff's tips: Cafe Rouge, Prezzo and Strada among those accused of the practice that 'covers administration fees'

Some of UK's biggest restaurant chains are routinely keeping share of tips

Pizza Express, Ask Italian, Zizzi, Prezzo and Giraffe among chains to do so

Waiting staff lose up to 10% of service charge paid by diners using cards

Restaurants say money is used to cover admin fees and not used for profit

By LOUISE ECCLES, BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 00:11, 7 August 2015 | UPDATED: 00:15, 7 August 2015

 

Britain's biggest restaurant chains are routinely keeping a share of tips left by customers for waiting staff, it has emerged.

Low-paid waiters and waitresses lose up to 10 per cent of the service charge paid by diners using debit or credit cards.

The restaurants say the money is used to cover administration fees.

Pizza Express, Ask Italian, Zizzi, Prezzo and Tesco-owned Giraffe, have all been accused of keeping a share of tips left by customers for waiting staff and instead using the money to 'cover administration fees' (file picture)

 

Pizza Express, Ask Italian, Zizzi, Prezzo and Tesco-owned Giraffe, have all been accused of keeping a share of tips left by customers for waiting staff and instead using the money to 'cover administration fees' (file picture)

 

Pizza Express, Ask Italian, Zizzi, Prezzo and Tesco-owned Giraffe, have been accused of the practice.

Belgo, Bella Italia, Café Rouge, Strada, Las Iguanas and Spaghetti House also reportedly subtract administration fees from tips.

Many of the chains claim they do not use these tips to boost profits.

Instead, they say the money covers the cost of placing the tips into a central electronic fund, known as a tronc, where they can then be fairly distributed between staff.

 

But unions say that many rival chains hand over 100 per cent of tips paid by card to staff, including Wagamama, Carluccio’s, Chiquito, Frankie & Benny’s and Garfunkel’s.

They also claim the administrative costs of running such a system are minimal. Dave Turnbull, of union Unite said: ‘Claiming it goes towards administration seems like a red herring because managing a tronc involves human resources managers who are already employed.’

Mr Turnbull said the pooled tips system mostly benefited bosses, who could avoid paying national insurance contributions on tips from credit and debit cards.

Belgo, Bella Italia, Café Rouge, Strada (pictured), Las Iguanas and Spaghetti House also reportedly subtract administration fees from tips. Many of the chains claim they do not use these tips to boost their profits

 

Belgo, Bella Italia, Café Rouge, Strada (pictured), Las Iguanas and Spaghetti House also reportedly subtract administration fees from tips. Many of the chains claim they do not use these tips to boost their profits

He added: ‘The so-called costs associated with it are covered by the national insurance tax break employers receive.’

Casual Dining Group, which owns Café Rouge, Belgo and Bella Italia, pocketed £33million in profit last year, yet charges a 10 per cent fee on all tips paid by card.

 

Zizzi and Ask Italian, owned by private equity firm Bridgepoint, charges an 8 per cent fee, as does Pizza Express.

However, Restaurant Group, which runs Frankie & Benny’s, Garfunkel’s and Chiquito, does not skim any money from staff’s tips.

The firm’s Danny Breithaupt told The Independent: ‘Charging staff to process tips does not fit in with our culture and we feel it would be deeply unfair … They are the ones that earned the money … and I’m certain our customers would want to know the full tip amount is being paid to their waiter or waitress.’

He said that since his company axed the fee eight years ago, staff retention had improved, saving the firm money.

Unite plans to demonstrate outside Pizza Express after it was presented with a letter from a staff member complaining they lose £3 a night in tips because of the fee.

The employee said they earn minimum wage despite working there for 15 years and are ‘heavily reliant’ on tips. They added: ‘Customers often ask whether their tip goes to the staff. When I tell them about the 8 per cent administration fee, they’re genuinely shocked, and will tip in cash instead.’

Pizza Express said: ‘Our restaurant teams are charged an administrative fee of just 8 per cent, compared to national insurance contributions of 12.8 per cent, which they would otherwise be required to pay.’

Bridgepoint said its 8 per cent fee covers costs including credit card transaction charges.

[paranoid 10]

i see a few references have been made to tipping in the usa. in my opinion, the culture is completely different so you can't really compare. when you go to a bar in nyc, for example, you basically tip a small amount everytime you buy a beer. it's just the way it is. after a short while, you may get a 'buy back' where the bartender will say "these are on the house". but another thing to remember about the usa:- a lot of waiters/waitresses/taxi drivers etc work practically for their tips. that's not the case in the uk

[sgtkate 10]

i see a few references have been made to tipping in the usa. in my opinion, the culture is completely different so you can't really compare. when you go to a bar in nyc, for example, you basically tip a small amount everytime you buy a beer. it's just the way it is. after a short while, you may get a 'buy back' where the bartender will say "these are on the house". but another thing to remember about the usa:- a lot of waiters/waitresses/taxi drivers etc work practically for their tips. that's not the case in the uk

 

And a culture I sincerely hope does not come over here. I find the whole deal of tipping ridiculous and caused real issues for a group of us in Kenya of all places!(not a dig at Americans here, we all take our culture with us abroad). We hired guides to travel with us up Mt Kenya. Price agreed beforehand by the organiser. When we got back to the coaches after the 3 days we almost ended up having a massive physical fight with the guides as they expected and demanded a tip bigger than the price we paid them in the first place. We politely declined as they'd been paid to do their job and we'd made sure we overpaid (and paid directly to the guides/porters so they didn't get scammed by a 'management company') in the first place, we were there doing aid work so not exactly a legit thing to do to haggle with them really...

 

After it all calmed down they said why are we not tipping them? That's what we do in our country, all Americans have lots of money to give us...

 

It wasn't about the money, it was about the expectation of the tip and it's that culture I dislike. Pay someone a fair wage to do a job and that's it. If someone decides you've been truly amazing then by all means chuck some extra cash in, but to be honest if people are being paid enough in the first place the throwing of money on the table would be offensive to a lot of people implying you can be bought.

 

Well, I've taken that right off-topic, apologies OP...

[SnailyBoy 10]

And a culture I sincerely hope does not come over here. I find the whole deal of tipping ridiculous and caused real issues for a group of us in Kenya of all places!(not a dig at Americans here, we all take our culture with us abroad). We hired guides to travel with us up Mt Kenya. Price agreed beforehand by the organiser. When we got back to the coaches after the 3 days we almost ended up having a massive physical fight with the guides as they expected and demanded a tip bigger than the price we paid them in the first place. We politely declined as they'd been paid to do their job and we'd made sure we overpaid (and paid directly to the guides/porters so they didn't get scammed by a 'management company') in the first place, we were there doing aid work so not exactly a legit thing to do to haggle with them really...

 

After it all calmed down they said why are we not tipping them? That's what we do in our country, all Americans have lots of money to give us...

 

It wasn't about the money, it was about the expectation of the tip and it's that culture I dislike. Pay someone a fair wage to do a job and that's it. If someone decides you've been truly amazing then by all means chuck some extra cash in, but to be honest if people are being paid enough in the first place the throwing of money on the table would be offensive to a lot of people implying you can be bought.

 

Well, I've taken that right off-topic, apologies OP...

 

 

That's interesting, I find that I take on the cultural norms of the country that I'm visiting.

 

For example

 

When I'm in the US, I tip because it's the cultural norm there.

 

If I was in Japan, I wouldn't.

Edited August 7, 2015 by SnailyBoy

[Veritas 10]

That's interesting, I find that I take on the cultural norms of the country that I'm visiting.

 

For example

 

When I'm in the US, I tip because it's the cultural norm there.

 

If I was in Japan I wouldn't.

 

 

Agreed I tip 10% here although in London they tend to add 10/12.5% to the bill so as long as the service is OK no complaints, however in Italy where I spend much of my time there is a no tipping culture so maybe round up to nearest 5.00 euro i.e 37 to 40.

 

In the US the full 15% or prepare to fight your way out of the restaurant

[paranoid 10]

That's interesting, I find that I take on the cultural norms of the country that I'm visiting.

 

For example

 

When I'm in the US, I tip because it's the cultural norm there.

 

If I was in Japan, I wouldn't.

 

well said snailyboy

[bears9h 10]

A receipt only has the total on in, I guess it had reprinted on in because it was... reprinted

 

Ok my last comment, kids were presented with a bill showing £189.00 + 10% showing a total of £208 and a few pence, kids asked if they had to pay the total £208, answer yes, but we only have £205 scraped together, don't worry says the waiter I'll put the extra £3.00. Girls leave.

 

I go down next day with tail between legs NOT feeling ever so guilty NOT to quite reasonably ask very politely for an explanation, manageress and waiter come to see me with a reciept showing £200.00 paid change £10.60 kids never got any change(not expecting any because the very nice waiter paid their shortfall NOT) offering to now give me £10.60 back that the kids said they didn't want.

 

Now you could think that the kids tried to pull a fast one being tight, but as far as I know you don't know any of the kids so couldn't comment on there honesty, or it could be that the waiter tried to pull a fast one pocketing the whole tip not declaring it, could be on to a good earner! Don't need many bills like that a week to boost your income.

 

But as I also said is was about the principal not the money, I told them to keep it if he was happy too, and the kids have learnt a lesson and won't be eating there again.

[sgtkate 10]

That's interesting, I find that I take on the cultural norms of the country that I'm visiting.

 

For example

 

When I'm in the US, I tip because it's the cultural norm there.

 

If I was in Japan, I wouldn't.

 

I'm not disagreeing with you, just recounting my own anecdote. I also try to learn about customs of countries before I go, but it does seem that the tipping culture is spreading and I wish it would stop.

[manaylor 10]

The service was fine, the bill was £189 + an "optional" 10% which the kids were told they "HAD" to pay. So out of principle, yes I am going to get the £19.00 tip back and give it to the relevant kids.

I can't understand why there is an optional 10% extra charge for a group of 10 or more. They should be offering a discount. The menu looks like overpriced garbage too!