Tipping in restaurants.

D

Des Pondent

Registered User
Messages
315
I have been in restaurants lately both home and abroad.
When service and food has been good I have no problem tipping.
Frequently though, the server takes the order, brings the food and drink, looks after us well and finishes off with the bill, but the manager / supervisor comes for payment.
I suspect my tip whether added as a service charge or optional does not go to the server or between all staff.
Tonight I left no tip as when I asked the question, I was told staff are paid separately (Whatever that means)
Any thoughts ?
What do you do ?
 
I ask the waiter ot waitress (discreetly) if they get the tips....very rare that they tell me they don't.
Regardless I fold up the money into a square and just pass it discreetly to them.
 
Persia said:
I ask the waiter ot waitress (discreetly) if they get the tips....very rare that they tell me they don't.
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I have done that too, but often I have noticed that the server can't take payment. The manager / supervisor / owner takes payment.
 
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Des Pondent said:
Frequently though, the server takes the order, brings the food and drink, looks after us well and finishes off with the bill, but the manager / supervisor comes for payment.
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I must eat in the wrong places. I have never noticed that. As far as I recall, the bill has always been brought by the server.
 
Where I eat, I can pay at the till when I order. Recently in a restaurant in London, I asked the server if they got the tips. He thanked me for asking, said it was complicated and preferred not to answer and not to worry about leaving one. Kind of strange.
I always try to give it directly if I can.
 
ClubMan said:
McDonald
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On special occasions, but I can use the kiosk there (have seen self service checkouts in the US giving the option of tipping, no idea who gets that).
The restaurant in London was located in a hotel.
I find restaurants have different setups. Some bring the bill but take payment at the reception desk. Some seem to have a designated person to handle it. Most cases the person bringing the bill will take the payment.
 
MrEarl said:
In fact, I think it may become a reason for avoid going to some places.
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Yeah.
I ordered a pizza online last year for collection.
I was charged €1.90 for ordering online, I then had to choose between no tip, 10%, 15% etc.
I collected my pizza and there was also a tip jar on the counter.
I haven't been back.
 
Looks like an attempt to force us to adopt to the American system, where employers force customers to pay their staff.

I also see that Deliveroo are regularly charging a service charge, in addition to the delivery charge, which I'm also going to avoid.
 
losttheplot said:
The service charge probably goes to the provider of the online service (Just Eat etc.). The delivery charge for the driver.
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Interesting, from the WRC website:
`Any charge called a “service charge” or anything that would lead a customer to believe it is a charge for service, whether received electronically or by any other means, will have to be distributed to staff as if it were a tip or gratuity received by electronic means.`

Also:
`Businesses must clearly display their policy on how tips, gratuities and service charges are distributed.`
 
Des Pondent said:
Any thoughts ?
What do you do ?
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I've been of the thinking for the last few years that I'm going to stop tipping
A meal out with friends is expensive enough now and adding 10% or 20% for the waiter to deliver it to our table from the kitchen is just crazy
I was surprised to find when in China and Japan recently, tipping is only done by foreigners and not by locals
I also found the same in Spain where the only tip was what ever change was left over from paying the bill in cash
 
AFAIK neither the delivery charge nor the service charge goes to the delivery person. The delivery fee relates to the cost of delivery (!) and is based on distance from source, etc. The service charge is justified as covering the cost of running the App, managing the system, processing the payment, etc. It goes to Just Eat, Deliveroo, or whoever.

Anyway, its all just a fat & laziness tax. Enjoy!
 
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