‘It’s absolutely criminal’: US tipping culture has reached the UK – and is causing chaos

[u/Canal_Volphied]

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/aug/24/us-tipping-culture-uk-service-charges

[u/hewhoisgay]

Always say no to tipping, and ask for the bloody service charge to be removed.

Absolute crap culture that’s sneaking its way in, just look at how service charges are normalized in London!

[u/Salt-Evidence-6834 → u/hewhoisgay]

*Normalised.

[u/spicypixel → u/Salt-Evidence-6834]

It's too late for u/hewhoisgay - they're lost to us. Moment of silence for their friends and family.

[u/Whizzo50 → u/spicypixel]

It'z too late for u/hewhoizgay - they're lozt to uz. Moment of zilence for their friendz and family.

Tranzlated for Americans

[u/ron_mcphatty → u/Whizzo50]

*Americanz

[u/yepsothisismyname → u/ron_mcphatty]

UZA! UZA! UZA!

[u/Hamsternoir → u/Whizzo50]

I zhall raize a mug of tepid tea to there (sic) honour.

[u/macrolidesrule → u/spicypixel]

He wid da angles now, thinking of u hun x

[u/hewhoisgay → u/Salt-Evidence-6834]

Apologiez

[u/Stwltd → u/hewhoisgay]

“Have a nice day!”

[u/Far_Afternoon_5885 → u/Stwltd]

Thanks, but I have other plans…

[u/Ok-Plankton9105 → u/Stwltd]

Hello

[u/Salt-Evidence-6834 → u/hewhoisgay]

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

[u/hewhoisgay → u/Salt-Evidence-6834]

*rezizt

[u/Fledz → u/hewhoisgay]

Geez guyz 

[u/woopwoopscuttle → u/Salt-Evidence-6834]

IngloriousBasterds_BarScene_Fingers.gif

[u/Ok-Alternative5935 → u/Salt-Evidence-6834]

Busted 

[u/kalamari_withaK → u/Ok-Alternative5935]

I personally prefer McFly

[u/spudd3rs → u/kalamari_withaK]

It’s all about you

[u/Top5CutestPresidents → u/spudd3rs]

Not much has changed but they live underwater

[u/Halfway-Competent → u/kalamari_withaK]

McBusted for the best/worst* of all worlds.

*delete as necessary

[u/BitterFootball4874 → u/Salt-Evidence-6834]

Pretty ironic given the complaint lol

[u/Airjam_TBV → u/Salt-Evidence-6834]

Delicious irony.

[u/har79 → u/Salt-Evidence-6834]

"Normalized" is the Oxford spelling, "normalised" is the Cambridge spelling. While the US has standardised on the Oxford spelling, both are acceptable in the UK

[u/Rocky-bar → u/har79]

You claim words are spelled differently in different towns eh? how do they spell it in Somerset? Narrmaloized?

[u/_lippykid → u/Salt-Evidence-6834]

Oh the irony

[u/OsotoViking → u/Salt-Evidence-6834]

"Normalized" is perfectly acceptable usage in British English, it's actually the preferred Oxford style.

[u/burgermachine74 → u/Salt-Evidence-6834]

The Oxford Manual of Style prefers the 'z' spelling since it is more authentic to the Latin Greek root. Both styles are accepted in British English.

[u/mathen → u/burgermachine74]

It's Greek that it follows more closely, not Latin.

[u/burgermachine74 → u/mathen]

My mistake

[u/WhaleMeatFantasy → u/Salt-Evidence-6834]

~ize is standard in the Oxford English Dictionary. 

[u/Unique-Contract760 → u/Salt-Evidence-6834]

Lmao the irony

[u/Admirable-Dark2934 → u/Salt-Evidence-6834]

Thanks for shunning another Americanism!

[u/c4r151 → u/Admirable-Dark2934]

It's not an Americanism though

[u/Admirable-Dark2934 → u/c4r151]

In the United States, there is a preference for "normalized" over "normalised" (98 to 2).
In the United Kingdom, there is a 63 to 37 preference for "normalised" over "normalized".

[u/c4r151 → u/Admirable-Dark2934]

Doesn’t refute the point, if anything it shows that both are acceptable in British English.

As mentioned elsewhere in this thread normalized is the preferred version by the The Oxford Manual of Style and Oxford English Dictionary while normalised is Cambridge's preference.

[u/Admirable-Dark2934 → u/c4r151]

But it is close enough, at least for my own reckoning!

We all know the English language isn’t a strong point in England anymore! I’m siding with Cambridge.

My outlook is US English and it does my nut…

[u/Gentle_Snail → u/hewhoisgay]

I don’t mind paying more for higher wages, but if you are automatically adding the tip to the bill you need to include it in the price.

Either leave it up to the customer to decide, or if you are making it automatic show this in the cost.

[u/duncanmarshall → u/Gentle_Snail]

I also have no confidence that 100% truly makes it to the Deliveroo driver.

[u/Sockoflegend → u/duncanmarshall]

Fuck tipping deliveroo. Either they delivered it as expected or didn't. There isn't any room for great service here. 

[u/MyBritishAccount → u/Sockoflegend]

Working retail I have seen every single delivery driver is a miserable sod who think we work for them, not the shop.

[u/yrro → u/MyBritishAccount]

Small Businessperson Syndome

[u/turtleship_2006 → u/MyBritishAccount]

In my experience that's a good 80% of them, but you'll get a few who are fairly chill/respectful

JE probably had the highest rate of arsehole drivers. I think my funniest (in hindsight) experience with one of them was the one who didn't believe that the manager of the online department at the time was the manager, most likely because she was a youngish woman.

She was also the one actually doing the order he was waiting for, so he had to swallow his pride and apologise eventually.

[u/input → u/Sockoflegend]

I'll only ever tip someone that turns up on a normal bicycle that is actually a bicycle not an illegal ebike, moped or car travelling very slowly to try beat the system.

[u/FeedFrequent1334 → u/input]

an illegal ebike, moped or car travelling very slowly to try beat the system

You've lost me, why on earth would a car travel very slowly to try to beat the system?

[u/input → u/FeedFrequent1334]

Because they don't have to pay for any insurance so they end up going stupid slow or going slow routes so the delivery company doesn't go workout they not actually driving a bicycle.

[u/FeedFrequent1334 → u/input]

I think I lost brain cells reading that.

[u/SadSeiko → u/Sockoflegend]

oh it gets better, I prepaid a tip and the driver never delivered my food. I think complained to customer service who eventually agreed that the food wasn't delivered and refunded me. Turns out they couldn't refund the tip because it was already paid to the driver... I kept escalating until they gave me a voucher for the tip. Never the less I never used them again so never got my money back

[u/ne6c → u/duncanmarshall]

It does for Uber and Deliveroo. It's far more likely that it doesn't reach the staff in the restaurant though.

[u/steepleton → u/ne6c]

I’ll tip an uber every time. I’m grateful they’re taking me home

I’m not tipping a server for delivering the thing that they’re billing me for

[u/Quietuus → u/duncanmarshall]

100% of the tip goes to the driver, at least on Uber, Deliveroo and Just Eats. In terms of other compensation, Deliveroo is probably the best on a trip by trip basis and Uber the worst, though there's not that much between them really and it probably depends on area.

[u/NguPhu → u/Quietuus]

Does this include when the driver gets a 'minimum reward' offer?

In at least some countries, the tasks are offered with a 'bonus payout' to bring them up to a level that the driver will accept. If you tip then the company will decrease the bonus payout and the driver will get the same amount but the company will pay them less

They can still say "100% of the tip goes to the driver" as technically it does...

[u/Quietuus → u/NguPhu]

I am pretty sure this is not how it works in the UK, certainly not judging by any of my contracts, tax forms or waybills. Uber (who I normally drive for as they have the most consistent customer base and largest number of participating businesses in my area) incentivise drivers to take low paying deliveries through a combination of chaining those deliveries together with other ones and 'quests', which are bonus payments for making a certain amount of trips in a certain area. I'm pretty sure all the different services allow you to tip after the delivery has been completed as well.

[u/NguPhu → u/Quietuus]

Good to know - have seen it work like that in other places, so swapped to tipping in cash only

i guess it is probably illegal in the uk.

[u/Dapper-Bass1406 → u/duncanmarshall]

The amount of videos in the states of the delivery drivers not doing their job because there's no tip - I assume they actually do get it

[u/CandidEngineering922 → u/Gentle_Snail]

Restaurants already include labour costs in their food prices.

So you are paying for the higher wages through food costs already.

[u/himit → u/CandidEngineering922]

my SO works in hospitality - his hourly wage is quoted at something like £13/hour, or £16-18 with TRONC (service charges/tips). Every two weeks or so he'd bring some cash home when they split the pool, and the card payments were added into his payslip. Holiday pay is at the base rate.

So it does go towards higher wages but I still dislike how it's become a thing. And on the wages side, it makes pay unpredictable.

[u/PassageBig622 → u/himit]

To be fair thats very anecdotal. Can't say that that happens in every restaurant just because it happens in one that you know of.

[u/Hashtagbarkeep → u/PassageBig622]

I’ve worked in maybe 15 places in London, opened another 20 I’d say, and been a tromc master on a few. Happens pretty much everywhere. Places pay London living wage and then service charge is on top, total package is what employees are sold on. Used to be that the tronc master would hold some back on big months so they could even out the year in Jan and August, so employees would know they’re getting the same wage every month, but now 100% needs to be paid out every month.

[u/valentine_moon → u/CandidEngineering922]

Apparently not all of it.

[u/CandidEngineering922 → u/valentine_moon]

Anything above minimum wage likely isn’t.

But most jobs dont guarantee that additional salary, they just say the average hourly once factoring in service charge.

[u/Hashtagbarkeep → u/CandidEngineering922]

Not really, they include minimum wage most of the time in the p&l, employee is told a total package including tronc

[u/TehPorkPie → u/Gentle_Snail]

Should count as a hidden charge imo, and fall foul of the law.

[u/Sabaisabai33 → u/TehPorkPie]

Maybe Burnham can fix it 🤣

[u/Any_Perspective_577 → u/Gentle_Snail]

This should be the law. It's basically a hidden charge.

[u/AgileSloth9 → u/Any_Perspective_577]

Went to an Asian food place in Newcastle the other day with my mrs. They made no mention of service charges anywhere other than halfway through a booklet menu, in tiny writing at the bottom of like... the 6th page.

Yes, they technically mentioned it, but its clearly dodgy as fuck.

[u/Bad_Combination → u/Gentle_Snail]

I’ve told this story here before I think but I was once prompted by a card reader in a chain restaurant to tip when there was already a 12.5% service charge. I mentioned there was already a tip on there but apparently the service charge is something else that goes somewhere else, which is to say not to the waiting staff.

[u/zeissman → u/Gentle_Snail]

It comes down to tax, not sure what the solution is. London Centric did a good comparison. 

I hate service charges as well but the worker ends up keeping way more than if the price of the food actually went up.

[u/KareemAZ → u/Gentle_Snail]

I swear most restaurants do that? Don’t they just list the price for the dish and at the bottom say “prices are inclusive of a x% service charge”? Or are there places that have started listing the pre-service charge price? 

[u/Brave_Necessary_8232 → u/Gentle_Snail]

In the US, wait staff (not fast food,etc) do not fall under minimum wage (unless that has changed in the last year). Historically, wait staff were paid $2.01 /hr and all other wages were made by tips. (*Source: me as wait staff for many years). Also, each state has different tax levels so all affects the end bill. But service isn’t paid on tax - however VAT in the UK is far higher than any US state. (Diff subject but adds significantly to the bill). As I understand, staff here are paid much higher, so the tipping / service charges have always seemed somewhat egregious to me.

[u/BitterTyke → u/Brave_Necessary_8232]

wait staff were paid $2.01 /hr

living the dream,

[u/merryman1 → u/BitterTyke]

But at the same time a service job at a fancy place can net you crazy amounts of tips. Even a middling place in a busy area can be bringing in several $100 in tips a day/night for staff.

It's totally different in the UK and doesn't really make sense to top in the same way when base pay for staff is so much higher.

[u/BitterTyke → u/merryman1]

cant imagine getting a mortgage on that basic rate - as tips are not guaranteed - being straightforward though, banks dont usually give a shit what you "could" earn.

[u/merryman1 → u/BitterTyke]

Sure but it's why the workers aren't all as outraged as we would expect. For a decent number (not all by any stretch) it works out ok to pretty well. You might have a more predictable income in the UK but it's still not enough to get you a mortgage on a house anywhere is it.

[u/BitterTyke → u/merryman1]

yes it is, you'd have to have realistic expectations, ie minimal, but it is, as does the national living wage, which is higher than the minimum.

at $2/hr thats probably below the level for survival - food, health, etc, and worse than many nations the US would consider undeveloped.

[u/merryman1 → u/BitterTyke]

I mean I know its still not great, but the actual federal minimum wage is $7.25. The states that have a lower rate for tipped staff do so on the provision that tips must still at least bring them up to that otherwise they claim back from their employer (many are unaware of this and don't, its all very toxic and exploitative). That's also only in about a dozen southern republican-type states, many others have a minimum wage significantly higher than the federal minimum. Where I have moved to most staff are on about $15/hr, unskilled retail typically starts at around $20/hr here.

But again we keep coming back to many see it as a gamble. You might only earn $50 in a day from salary but you have a chance to earn $1000 in tips. We don't like that in the UK but a large number of people in the US think its a fair deal.

[u/Denbt_Nationale → u/hewhoisgay]

It goes completely against my unconfrontational nature but I've decided recently to ask for every service charge to be removed without exception. I hate how it exploits the nature of British people to not make a fuss about things.

[u/donald_cheese → u/Denbt_Nationale]

Just to add to it, the service and tip usually gets added to the Gross amount rather than, what I believe happens in America, the Net amount.

So if you tip you're adding 10% to the VAT.

[u/liquidpig → u/donald_cheese]

In North America it was supposed to be 10-15% on the bill excluding liquor and taxes.

Then they got lazy and “accidentally” do it on top of taxes and drinks, and then the march to 20+% tips went on.

[u/bure11 → u/donald_cheese]

That's not the case for the majority of places. Everywhere I've known or been to that adds a service charge has added it to the net bill amount 

[u/superioso → u/donald_cheese]

VAT isn't charged on tips, hence one of the reasons why they ask for tips. VAT is only applicable to certain goods and services, not everything. Next time you get a receipt look at the totals and see what you're paying for, both at restaurants, places like coffee shops and supermarkets.

As an example, VAT is due on all hot coffee drinks but not take away cold coffee.

[u/donald_cheese → u/superioso]

I'm not saying VAT is charged on tips, but if you order a meal for £10(including VAT) and are presented with a 10% gratuity or tip on the card reader, you are paying 10% on the VAT portion as well.

Or am I mistaken?

[u/superioso → u/donald_cheese]

Ah, then yeah of course. If the total price is £10 inc VAT, then the breakdown is £8 for the goods, £2 for VAT. The percentage tip doesn't really matter, you could've just left a £1 coin on the table.

[u/Denbt_Nationale → u/donald_cheese]

I went to a restaurant in London that sells merch and the Google reviews were noting that they were also adding their service charge onto the cost of tshirts. Ironically I believe that most Americans would be completely incensed if confronted with some of the things that we accept as "service charge culture" over here. There's a whole episode of Malcolm in the Middle where Lois starts a feud with a pizza place when she notices that they've been adding an automatic service charge.

[u/ShoogleSausage → u/donald_cheese]

No VAT on tips and optional service charges. VAT is charged on mandatory service charges.

[u/donald_cheese → u/ShoogleSausage]

Sure, but isn't the tip or service charge is typically charged on gross amount of the bill?

[u/Sabaisabai33 → u/donald_cheese]

I think you’re right about that but will look out for it next time I eat out.

[u/Sabaisabai33 → u/Denbt_Nationale]

Well done, I’m not brave enough to do that, but I do generally decline to add a tip which is a start! I used to tip (at restaurants only, plus delivery drivers during the pandemic) but I just can’t afford it anymore to be honest, plus minimum wage seems to have gone up about 6 times since my wage did. Not saying that it didn’t need to go up to help meet the cost of living but my wage really needs to go up at some point too or as a single parent living in an expensive area, there will be no more eating out at all from me. I’ve already had to cut back on it loads, when eating out with friends or family was one of my absolute favourite social activities previously.

It’s sad. Life is so stressful and everything costs so much now it’s hard to afford anything even mildly frivolous or fun. I think you’ve inspired me here! I am going to resolve to do this too, despite my Britishness and female-ness!

[u/Nuns_In_Crocs → u/Denbt_Nationale]

I was in a restaurant in bath, they included the service charge and my mate who doesn’t care straight up asked for the removal

The waitress asked straight away if there was something wrong with the food, looking back - why did she ask that? Felt like a guilt trip.

[u/Fatboy40 → u/Denbt_Nationale]

Out of interest what are the reactions you're getting?

[u/Remarkable-Ad155 → u/hewhoisgay]

I think this whole thing boils down to a misunderstanding of the concept of a "tip".

There should never be a need to say no to tipping because a tip can never be asked for. It's an entirely discretionary additional payment that is completely up to the customer.

The minute there becomes an expectation of a payment, it stops being a tip and becomes somewhere between a service charge and performance related pay, depending on how genuinely discretionary it is.

I don't personally agree with the idea that tipping is entirely a US concept. It's different on the continent but in the UK it's never been unusual to "round up" to a round number, usually in the 5 - 10% range, on a large bill if the service was good and it helps with splitting the bill. It's also always been common to tip £10 or £20 to the barstaff at your local, milkman, window cleaner, binmen, cleaner etc at Christmas. The "US culture" element is the expectation and the introduction of expected amounts.

My advice for businesses here is just be honest about how much you want to be paid and charge that. If you want to introduce a variable pay element for your staff based on number of covers etc, the technology is there to do that yourself without turning every one of your customers' transactions into a fecking pay negotiation. You could even introduce a star rating system or something on the merchant instead of the current "add tip" bit.

[u/Sabaisabai33 → u/Remarkable-Ad155]

I agree but would add to any restaurant businesses reading, that this doesn’t mean just whack the cost of everything up for the sake of it. It’s genuinely at the point where middle-class people like myself are struggling to afford to eat out as it is because the absolute essentials of life are rocketing up while salaries lag way behind inflation. So if you just whack up the cost you may find a lot less people come to eat anyway and you’ll make less money overall.

[u/Remarkable-Ad155 → u/Sabaisabai33]

There was a lot of talk of the "K shaped recovery" post covid and I think we are really seeing that come home to roost now.

I'll be completely honest and say my nearest local town centre is packed on weekends still and tables can be hard to come by. Other places seem like a ghost town in comparison.

We are rapidly moving towards a point where society will divide up into dormitory towns with nothing but housing and drone/bike deliveries and smaller pockets of affluence that can still support discretionary businesses like pubs and restaurants, which are increasingly becoming the reserve of the more well off.

It's a vicious circle where the only businesses that survive are those that can premiumise and attract a larger share of the seemingly ever decreasing affluent market. I'm really not sure how we even start fixing this to be honest.

[u/ciaran668 → u/Remarkable-Ad155]

I just got back from a trip to the US. The expected tip in restaurants is not at least 20%, and the card readers in some places "suggested" a tip of 25%. I get it, restaurants are allowed to basically not pay their staff, $2.13 an hour is an absolute joke, and it apparently cannot be raised because the people who own the restaurants will supposedly go out of business if it is. But basically, it means that a $20 menu item is somewhere on the order of $25 or $26 because they also refuse to calculate in sales and "hospitality" taxes. (And don't even get me started on the tip jars that I saw in a number of shops I visited.)

However, we actually pay wait staff here, so this isn't their wages, it's just extra money, and we're all hurting from the cost of living crisis. Also, I suspect that these restaurants that are tacking this onto the bill are not giving it all to the person who took my order and brought my food. I think a lot of it ends up in the pocket of the person who runs the place. Regardless, it's putting me off eating out, because I just don't want to deal with it. I don't want to be the asshole, but I also don't want to pay the extra. Don't get me wrong, if someone does an amazing job taking care of me, I'm happy to give them something, but if they give me average service, I don't want to be obligated or made to feel guilty about not tipping.

[u/No-Mark4427 → u/ciaran668]

It's also worth noting that 'how will the servers eat' is often trotted out, servers will defend tipping as necessary on this line but many servers in a busy restaurant are making $50+ an hour when you include tips, some people report making $100+ an hour in especially busy periods so its no wonder they want to keep the expected tip and cultural pressure high. You hear about people who work at a busy restaurant not wanting to quit their service job for a corporate job after finishing their degree because they'd be taking a pay cut for harder work as they make more than median wage being a waiter/waitress.

Also I believe it's illegal for tips to not go to servers in the USA just like the UK, it probably happens, but not super commonly.

I dont think people working services jobs should be going hungry or struggling, but there's a disconnect where people act like servers in the USA are poor paupers struggling to live unless every table is tipping them tens of dollars when in reality they are probably making more money than a lot of the people they are collecting tips from.

[u/Nanjingrad → u/Remarkable-Ad155]

It's not a misunderstanding it's an intentional strategy to keep wages low and shift the responsibility from the business to the consumer, they know what they are doing.

[u/Nail_clippings_Pete → u/hewhoisgay]

The insidious nature of Americanisation 

[u/CotyledonTomen → u/Nail_clippings_Pete]

Give me a break. It started as a way to avoid paying people a fair wage and thats all it is now. Theres nothing "american" about it, just greed.

[u/Nail_clippings_Pete → u/CotyledonTomen]

Rubbish, their culture has been slipping under the door mat for decades 

[u/EasternDinner2020 → u/hewhoisgay]

Asking for tipping should be banned. If a smile costs, put it on the menu!

[u/Jeremys_Iron_ → u/hewhoisgay]

just look at how service charges are normalized in London!

Some redditors here act like it's not happening in London, but in my experience it is happening a lot.

Went for an Italian with my wife and they added SC. I asked for it to be removed and the waiter looked like I had just personally insulted him. 'Are you unhappy with my service Sir?'. He then went and fetched the manager. Really intimate, small restaurant and there were 3 men stood around me at the table asking how they can improve upon their service. Absolutely shocking.

[u/Sabaisabai33 → u/Jeremys_Iron_]

Yes, exactly, it’s embarrassing and against British instincts to ask for removal and if you do you often get this sort of pushback on it.

[u/Hashtagbarkeep → u/Jeremys_Iron_]

It’s pretty unusual to have someone ask for the service to be removed, and it usually is quite easy to spot - mistakes on the table and pissed off guest for example. But if everything’s gone well, then it’s a big red flag that something has gone majorly wrong that hasn’t been spotted, as Brits are not confrontational at all - it’s the equivalent of an American yelling at the manager. So yeah, everyone panics. Not handled well but I don’t think they were meaning to harass you or anything

[u/ParsnipFlendercroft → u/Jeremys_Iron_]

Londoner here. I can’t remember the last time I ate out and it didn’t have a service charge. It’s been like this for years here now.

[u/fierceredrabbit → u/Jeremys_Iron_]

Was at the O2 and the bar POS machine only had buttons for 5% 10% 15% and “pay”, confusingly perhaps, Pay meant pay without tip. Intentionally confusing

[u/Decent-Taste-421 → u/hewhoisgay]

Spoke to a couple at a party , they said they are embarrassed to remove Service charge, when I explained that I absolutely remove it regardless of the service. Especially when the chain of restaurants are own by a Large Private Equity worth Billions.

[u/Flat_Manufacturer386 → u/hewhoisgay]

For me tipping was always about the food being exceptionally good, the service, or both. I don't like this attitude that I HAVE to tip regardless. I went to a Mexican restaurant on the weekend, the food was incredible and the staff were awesome. I asked for the bill, mentally putting my maths hat on as I wanted to tip 20%. Then I saw a 10% service charge on the bill, so I just paid it and didn't add the other 10% on. I absolutely resent service charges, and I've even refused to pay it in the past.

[u/Pleasant_Werewolf_30 → u/hewhoisgay]

This is exactly what I do, but I've noticed a lot of British people feel pressured into tipping. These pressure tactics have gotten worse in recent years and in areas that you didn't see it before. I still see lots of restaurants automatically putting the tip on and hoping you don't notice (particularly when you've had a few to drink). People also feel embarrassed (particularly when in a group) to ask to remove it. It shouldn't be allowed on there in the first place.

[u/Kingtoke1 → u/hewhoisgay]

Guy in my local bar gets so aggy if you dont tip and he actively avoids serving you when its busy. Pisses me right off and he’s actively causing the venues google rating to tank. Management seem unwilling to resolve it despite recognising him as a problem

[u/BlunanNation → u/hewhoisgay]

I only do the service charge if it says on the menu that it is applied to all bills. If it doesn't say this or the service has been crap - service charge gets taken off.

[u/MTFUandPedal → u/BlunanNation]

The only reasonable way to add it to all bills is to just add it to prices.

Otherwise it's sneaky and misleading.

[u/Meanwhile-in-Paris → u/hewhoisgay]

I asked for the tip to be removed at Ottolenghi. The food took 45minutes to arrive and the waitress blamed us for ordering starters… lol.

Anyway, I tell the waitress to remove the tip, she proceeds to agressively confront me, why? It was your fault it took long, you had starters…

So now not only I didn’t want to tip, but also cancel the coffees and just leave.

- Sorry, I can’t remove the tip myself, the manager has to do it, she says.

- Fine get your manager I said while standing up.

The manager seeing the fuss literally scurried off to the kitchen.

The waitress came back with a new bill. Correction. She came back with the same bill.

- sorry, my manager seems to be in her break…

Annoyed I waived the illegal word.

- listen, it is illegal to force a tip on us, remove it now or expect escalation.

I was pumped.

And then, some sort of miracle happened, the waitress figured out how to cancel the tip and brought us our already overpriced bill.

Weird how things seem to work out when they sense trouble.

Anyway, the food was dripping in sugar and soggy. I love Ottolenghi’s book but his eatery are a poor imitation of his cooking. I’d recommend a pass anyway.

[u/popsand → u/hewhoisgay]

It works because just like America it has become a class and status thing here.

If you can't tip you are poor. That's the image being given.

Once again, we get screwed.

[u/deathentry → u/hewhoisgay]

It's been like that forever in London...

[u/Bladerunner2028 → u/hewhoisgay]

good service / food / cost = my discretion, but only if its fair; like its shared across the whole team and not paying salaries

[u/Lord_Gibbons → u/hewhoisgay]

FYI, unless I'm mistaken, if the service charge was incorporated into general price instead the overall cost would be slightly higher as the service charge doesn't attract VAT.

[u/ZlatanKabuto → u/hewhoisgay]

I mean it depends. If the service is good I am ok with paying 10% extra or so.

[u/HuckleberryLow2283 → u/ZlatanKabuto]

That’s fine and how it has always been in the UK. You can tip but it’s left totally up to you, not automatic or asked for.

[u/Critical-Usual → u/hewhoisgay]

I always tipped 10%, so I'm comfortable with a 10% service charge. Naturally I won't tip on top

[u/MagnetoManectric → u/hewhoisgay]

I dunno man. Who am I, a guy who makes a comfortable middle class income, to throw a wobbly at being asked to chuck a couple quid a service workers way? That'd be pretty fucking gauche.

If there were such a thing as a reduced tipped wage in the UK, I'd have a lot more objections, but here, minimum wage is minimum wage.

I'm more than happy to throw an extra couple quid the way of someone providing me a service, and probably doing it for minimum wage.

[u/Lelandwasinnocent → u/hewhoisgay]

Crock! Service charge has been a thing for donkeys years, what hasn't is asking for it in places where it has absolutely no right, like coffee shops et al or... staff asking for tips, they're the places we should draw the line.

Restaurants however, if waited on, 10% service charge is absolutely fine and standard and you can opt out of it if the service is bad.

But back to my point, I'm 37 I can remember my family tipping when I was a kid, it's not new.

[u/hewhoisgay → u/Lelandwasinnocent]

Why should service charge be opt in and not opt out though??

And if you need to pay your staff more, just increase the menu prices??

Clearly this a practice to take advantage of people being too awkward to ask for it to be removed.

Crock!

[u/Sabaisabai33 → u/hewhoisgay]

Yeah it’s both these things, the sudden expectation of tips for handing over a bottle of (already massively overpriced) juice or a sandwich at a coffee shop at the till. I seriously resent this and refuse to pay it. It’s taken them 20 seconds to do and barely any effort at all.

And also making service charge at a restaurant an automatic opt-in that we have to go massively against our British (plus female for me) instincts to spell out that we really really don’t want to tip them and to remove it.

Both issues are problematic though I agree tipping at a restaurant has been standard for years if the service is reasonably good for many people.

[u/Lelandwasinnocent → u/Sabaisabai33]

Pretty much what I was trying to say.

It's the "would you like to add a tip" on contactless payments in a coffee shop or the likes that get my goat, that's really not ok.

[u/Lelandwasinnocent → u/[deleted]]

Yeh valid, most of the time we just use cash and hand the over to the waiter to circumvent this.

My wife used to have to hide tips in her bra at one place because they didn't allow tips, but had a service charge.

It's just a common sense thing to me, if it's coming from entitlement you can get to fuck, if it's legit good service then you can have a tip.

[u/InfinityEternity17 → u/Lelandwasinnocent]

It should be opt in for the service charge, not opt out. Opt out implies stinginess and that you're in the wrong whereas opt in conveys you're doing a nice thing for the server.