Tipping! Am I old fashioned?

[trueblue]

We had a family meal in the States. 20 family and friends and the service was terrible .It took 2 hours for a 2 course meal. The bill was a thousand dollars. The tip was. 200 dollars. This is a rip off . Please be aware if you go to the states.it is a myth if you think that service is better there. Obviously it depends where you go but it is all on the day. To expect 20 percent for doing your job is just not on. In Poland they expect no tips and service is fantastic.

Sounds like you and the Americans will both be much happier if you just stay in the UK in future.

 

[Weststander]

I hope this is a joke, the catering industry is built on tips and is designed to ensure good food and service both front and chefs rely on tips to ensure salaries are near competitive to other industries! Does your employer expect you to work double your contracted hours on a regular basis with no overtime when the only way you will get paid for that time is good food?

I agree with those sentiments, but regarding the latter bit, the restauranteurs doing that must be acting illegally on minimum wages legislation (go by your overview of modest to wages to start off, divisible by working double the contracted hours). The biggest problem those catering staff have isn't the odd mean customer, but a greedy and unlawful employer.

 

[Jim Van Winkle]

Generally wait staff in America if working for tips will get a very low wage, here in Ohio that's $3.98 ATM. I always start out at 15% and it's up to the waiting staff to deliver incredible (or not) service as to whether this goes up or down. I have to say only one waitress has made it to 25% (no I wasn't in Hooters or the Tilted Kilt) she really knew the menu inside out, her wine recommendation was good and she was a pleasant person.

What I do hate is when you're at a bar, haven't had table service, go to pay and the bar tender shoves the IPad under your nose with gratuity all worked out for you. When he hasn't even raised a smile or some friendly chatter when you've been up and down to the bar all night. The dirty smelly Hipster can feck right off!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Sounds like you and the Americans will both be much happier if you just stay in the UK in future.

Quite. My first thoughts on Rogero's post were maybe he/she should be a little more respectful and clued up on their culture.

 

[wellquickwoody]

It is not cheaper out there ,and service is no better. In fact service is much better in this country. People say that they do not earn much, well it is the same here.

I don't tip them to do their job. No one tips me for the stuff I manufacture. If the service isn't good enough I don't go back. If it is I go back.

I have to be honest, I very rarely tip.
All this nonsense about the states being better food and service so you should tip, ok it generally is but I have chosen to visit a country that serves good food at a cheaper price than the UK with good service it is what I expect from any restaurant, if it is poor then I complain and insist on a reduction from the bill and I dont go back.
I got myself into whole heaps of trouble in Hawaii.

And we Brits wonder why we get the worst service when we are abroad, and usually get served after the Germans, Ruski's, Chinese and Yanks have already finished their meals!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

It is not cheaper out there ,and service is no better. In fact service is much better in this country. People say that they do not earn much, well it is the same here.

The minimum wage for US employees whose jobs bring in tips is $2.13 an hour. That's £1.32 an hour.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Tipping is illegal in Argentina and frowned upon in France and Japan.

And we Brits wonder why we get the worst service when we are abroad, and usually get served after the Germans, Ruski's, Chinese and Yanks have already finished their meals!

You just DON'T tip in Japan. I lived there for a short while and despite the fact it was very much a cash society rather than cards we never tipped. One day in a local shopping centre my wife bought something. We left and walked back to the tube station and could hear some quite shouty but unintelligable Japanese behind us. We went back to the same shop a couple of weeks later we were in the same shop when a young girl that worked there approached us and started bowing in apology before leading us to the till. The item the OH had bought had been discounted but this hadn't carried through to the till scanner. We had overpaid by 1000 yen, about a fiver in those days. The noise had been her calling us back to get our money. She opened the till there and then and gave us 1000 yen. We nearly fell backwards.

We also wouldn't be served abroad ahead of the Chinese. No one tips anyone in China, Hong Kong or Taiwan.

Here? I will tip well using cash for good service, moderately using cash for ok service and not at all for bad service.

 

[omgitsjames]

tipping 20% is not expected, more like 15%. I only tip that much if the service is really good or if I want to quickly establish a rapport with the staff as a regular... If service sucks, tip a really low percent or none at all! (and make sure you complain to their manager)

The minimum wage thing varies in different states. in CA if your base wage plus tips does not equal minimum wage, then the establishment makes up the difference. In other states they do not, thus not tipping can REALLY screw them over.

 

[The Hon Sec]

Tipping is illegal in Argentina and frowned upon in France and Japan.

Well no-one has frowned upon the tips I leave in France but have generally been very happy.

Have always tipped in cash in this country. In my limited experience the usual rule is that cash tips are put in a pot and divided up.

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

Always leave a cash tip for good service/food.

Went for a curry last month where 'a discretionary 15% service charge' was added. The service was absolutely shocking/complete shite, so I used my discretion not to pay it. I've never done that before but felt it was warranted.

 

[Rogero]

I would really find it interesting to find out how much waiters in the US can earn. As someone above said that they can earn 25 percent. I would think that some could earn several thousands of dollars a week.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

You just DON'T tip in Japan. I lived there for a short while and despite the fact it was very much a cash society rather than cards we never tipped. One day in a local shopping centre my wife bought something. We left and walked back to the tube station and could hear some quite shouty but unintelligable Japanese behind us. We went back to the same shop a couple of weeks later we were in the same shop when a young girl that worked there approached us and started bowing in apology before leading us to the till. The item the OH had bought had been discounted but this hadn't carried through to the till scanner. We had overpaid by 1000 yen, about a fiver in those days. The noise had been her calling us back to get our money. She opened the till there and then and gave us 1000 yen. We nearly fell backwards.

We also wouldn't be served abroad ahead of the Chinese. No one tips anyone in China, Hong Kong or Taiwan.

Here? I will tip well using cash for good service, moderately using cash for ok service and not at all for bad service.

It's very common, in Japan, to reserve an outside table by leaving your wallet or purse on it, and then going inside to order. Can you imagine that here!!!

 

[Guinness Boy]

It's very common, in Japan, to reserve an outside table by leaving your wallet or purse on it, and then going inside to order. Can you imagine that here!!!

Yes and the "magic net" that allows the electronics shops in Akihabara to leave their stock out front overnight!!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

And we Brits wonder why we get the worst service when we are abroad, and usually get served after the Germans, Ruski's, Chinese and Yanks have already finished their meals!

For once I agree with you

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

In the US they expect 20% ridiculous. it spoilt eating out.

Now having read the replies to your post (above) has your opinion on US tipping changed?

 

[Rogero]

On the contrary some waiters must be earning huge bucks. When we were there for the two hours she was serving another 3 tables . In two hours she probably earned 350 dollars. Multiply that up and it really mounts up.

 

[Mellotron]

I prefer to always tip in cash. Don't like doing it on the card machines. Seems more impersonal, and might actually be.

 

[Rogero]

I prefer to always tip in cash. Don't like doing it on the card machines. Seems more impersonal, and might actually be.

Agreed,I am always wary that the management may take it.

 

[atfc village]

Always leave a cash tip for good service/food.

Went for a curry last month where 'a discretionary 15% service charge' was added. The service was absolutely shocking/complete shite, so I used my discretion not to pay it. I've never done that before but felt it was warranted.

Did they have a breakage charge buddy?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

On the contrary some waiters must be earning huge bucks. When we were there for the two hours she was serving another 3 tables . In two hours she probably earned 350 dollars. Multiply that up and it really mounts up.

It sounds like you were in a nice restaurant? And just like in any job, you work your way up the food chain and the rewards are greater.