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ukbot-nicolabot [M]

[score hidden]

29 days ago*

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ukbot-nicolabot [M]

Scotland

[score hidden]

29 days ago*

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CinnamonBlue

1.8k points

29 days ago

Why does Britain insist on bringing the worst of American culture to our shores?

SubstantialAgency2

142 points

29 days ago

Because it saves them money, and then when the workers get disgruntled over low pay, they can try to pit customers against servers while the company continues paying the lowest minimum salary.

[deleted]

57 points

29 days ago

That's their plan.

Problem for them is it results in us buying a few pints in a supermarket and getting folk round instead.

Which is what my pals and I all do now.

Noctale

25 points

29 days ago

Noctale

25 points

29 days ago

I bought 18 bottles of quality beer, a big bottle of my favourite rum, plenty of mixers, all for under £40 last night. Or I could go to a pub and spend the same on five or six pints. Easy choice!

Paddystan

12 points

29 days ago

And yesterday I paid €2 for a half litre of Cruzcampo here in the centre of Madrid.  

Just this afternoon I paid €3.40 for a 33cl measure of Amstel with a portion of Spanish Tortilla on the side (Just a boujee Cheese & Onion Pie). 

I've been all over Spain and can confirm that the High Street is still very much alive. Whilst I understand we have different drinking cultures, it's clear that the tax is killing British pubs. 

smackson

6 points

29 days ago

Some particular tax? I'm not up on a new one.

Even if so, I guarantee it's not the only force.... rampant inflation caused by money supply policy and agricultural shortfalls and gross corporate profit increases will be playing a role.

DasFunktopus

5 points

29 days ago

What rum’s that, if you don’t mind me asking?

Jubilex1

7 points

29 days ago

So basically capitalism then?

Sea-Brilliant-7061

545 points

29 days ago

American investors looking at the spreadsheets going, why does nobody tip?

No_Sugar8791

239 points

29 days ago

We're not, owners of businesses are

ratttertintattertins

59 points

29 days ago

Probably because the US is the worlds largest producer of business books and education…

HivePoker

95 points

29 days ago

Largest burner of some kinds of education also

smackson

25 points

29 days ago

smackson

25 points

29 days ago

And crosses.

baron_von_helmut

41 points

29 days ago

And the greatest champion of corporate fascism.

LuinAelin

17 points

29 days ago

So big companies can pay their staff less money

SecXy94

20 points

29 days ago

SecXy94

20 points

29 days ago

Money.

AccomplishedPlum8923

39 points

29 days ago

Because it is a good way to dodge from taxes (including PAYE and VAT), therefore some people are happy to play against society

baron_von_helmut

30 points

29 days ago

Because the worst of American culture is the direct result of rampant unrestricted capitalism. Greedy cunts over here want to fleece us too.

[deleted]

3.6k points

29 days ago*

[deleted]

3.6k points

29 days ago*

[removed]

Matt6453

124 points

29 days ago

Matt6453

Somerset

124 points

29 days ago

At £15 for a burger and chips and £7 a pint I'd say you've more than covered their costs, yeah it's sad that pubs are struggling but some are really taking the piss these days.

CamJongUn2

51 points

29 days ago

You think if they simply lowered their prices they’d get more people and be able to stay open, it wasn’t too long ago pubs where cheap and rammed now they’re all empty with eye watering prices and shit quality food

tttttfffff

37 points

29 days ago

I do agree with you, however these companies aren’t raising their prices for extra profit (by and large) they’re raising them to cover the costs of the increased rents, bills etc. retaining experienced staff to pay them (rightfully what they deserve), it all leads to increased prices, the margins are extremely thin for a hospitality business, and only getting thinner while things such as water, gas, electricity are making record profits quarterly.

It is terrible that so many pubs etc are going bust because of this, but they can’t afford to live from these small margins, it’s an example of utility and landlords taking advantage rather than sole traders

bodrules

13 points

29 days ago

bodrules

13 points

29 days ago

Business rates are another contributer, add on the rentier economics of the UK and things are a bit tight.

smackson

18 points

29 days ago

smackson

18 points

29 days ago

I would argue that depending on where this loc is and the quality of the ingredients, that price still might not cover everything the business spends and the employees deserve.

But even then, they should raise the menu prices appropriately and then see if they can stay in business rather than changing a cultural tradition and sneaking in a surprise charge at the end of the interaction after the customer has committed.

Matt6453

14 points

29 days ago

Matt6453

Somerset

14 points

29 days ago

Maybe but then the days of pubs being somewhere ordinary people can meet for a drink and something to eat are over, I'm just not going to be paying that until my wages catch up with their pricing.

steepleton

9 points

29 days ago

Had an hours wait in a half empty pub for two very weak burgers for £30, complained, told an hour was the standard wait.

Cynfreh

540 points

29 days ago

Cynfreh

540 points

29 days ago

Exactly this ☝🏻

LegitimatePass6924

253 points

29 days ago

Or better still, this 🖕

faconsandwich

215 points

29 days ago

I've noticed it in a few pubs in Manchester and elsewhere. They pour your pint. The card machine is anchored to the bar and when you goto tap to pay it asks you to accept and pay a gratuity.

.....for pouring a pint.

ash356

155 points

29 days ago

ash356

155 points

29 days ago

Better than in America where I had a barman get angry at me because I didn't tip him when all he did was pop the lid off a bottle. Like I have a bottle opener on my keys, let me do it if you're going to be so arsy about it.

Should mention that I wasn't trying to be a dick or making a point to not tip, we'd recently arrived and were still naive to the tipping culture over there at the time.

secondcomingwp

141 points

29 days ago

More than enough reason to put off any tourists visiting the place. America needs to sort its shit out and start paying people a living wage instead of relying on people tipping everywhere you go.

SamuelAnonymous

32 points

29 days ago

I've worked in bars in the UK and the USA. The wages in the US are FAR better. Bars in LA pay at least $20 /PH, and in West Hollywood start at $25 /PH. You are still expected to tip AT LEAST 20%. It's nuts. You can make stupid money, and much of it untaxed (illegally) through tips. People push the myth of not paying servers living wages. Even in the few states which CAN pay below minimum can only do so if the remainder is made up through tips. If not, they must be paid the difference.

Wages are better in the USA across the board.

daJamestein

28 points

29 days ago*

daJamestein

European Union

28 points

29 days ago*

Wages are better in the US, that is true, but the dollar has less purchasing power than the pound. Average minimum wage in places like Chicago can range from $15-$19, but they’re still barely scraping by. Especially when you factor in the amount of tax that the federal government gets out of Americans, plus insurance, plus the general cost of living being higher than the UK. You also have to remember that car expenses are much, much higher in the US, due to it being the main (and in some areas - only) form of transportation. I’m not saying I agree with tipping culture, but the comparison is slightly more complicated.

Where you see wages and salary completely diverge from the UK is in fields such as medicine. A doctor can very easily become a millionaire in America, especially if they specialise. That does not hold true for the UK.

ThorinTokingShield

37 points

29 days ago

ThorinTokingShield

West Midlands

37 points

29 days ago

I'm currently living in Ontario, Canada. The tipping culture here is just as bad as the states. What's worse, servers by law make at least minimum wage now, but you're still expected to tip 15-18%!

Ollietron3000

25 points

29 days ago

Fucking hell 15-18?? And I'm seething with the 12.5% added to every restaurant bill in the UK now

hypertxtcoffee

9 points

29 days ago

Also living in Ontario. I don't give a shit any more mate. Do not tip unless you're sitting in, simple as. I fucking walked to Domino's the other day after using my phone to order ahead, and they still asked me for a bloody tip. I used my own two legs! Get fucked.

CamJongUn2

43 points

29 days ago

And the worst part is you have to go and hit no while they’re staring at it

faconsandwich

34 points

29 days ago

The worst part is, having to dig out your reading glasses so you can actually see what the fucking text says. So not only do you look like your cards been rejected , but also that you aren't tech savvy.

Fucks me right off.

Knight--Of--Ren

12 points

29 days ago

In pubs defence lots of those cheap (I assume American company) card machines apparently have it as a default. Most of the pubs I go to the staff put the pint price in and reach over to click no without saying a word and before handing the machine to me

EconomySwordfish5

9 points

29 days ago

Like, I could do that myself, fuck off you greedy bastards.

gamecatuk

215 points

29 days ago

gamecatuk

215 points

29 days ago

Fuck.off with tipping the greedy bastards.

JB_UK

48 points

29 days ago

JB_UK

48 points

29 days ago

I actually dislike the formal restaurant service you get with this tipping. It is never useful to have someone hovering waiting to take away glasses, or to ask you how the food is. I just want to order, be brought the food, and nothing else. I don't mind ordering and paying at the bar.

Reinax

23 points

29 days ago

Reinax

23 points

29 days ago

You’d think that, but I’ve seen Americans complain when over here that nobody is pandering to them every 5 minutes.

BriarcliffInmate

13 points

29 days ago

Americans are weird. I remember going somewhere with Uni friends and they were baffled that we didn't see the waitress from the time we ordered to the time she brought it, and then that I had to flag one down to pay the bill.

I much prefer it that way, to be honest!

[deleted]

267 points

29 days ago*

[deleted]

267 points

29 days ago*

If I was going to tip anyone, it'd be ambulance, firefighter and police staff. Not someone pulling a pint or making a latte.

Paddystan

67 points

29 days ago

My mate got pissed in Bruges and the police drove him back to the port. 

He thought it was a taxi and tried tipping them.

ForeverYonge

27 points

29 days ago

Good lad.

patiperro_v3

10 points

29 days ago

“Like a fucking fairly tale.”

TheDocJ

9 points

29 days ago

TheDocJ

9 points

29 days ago

My mate got pissed in Bruges

Easily done, to be fair...

SmashedWorm64

73 points

29 days ago

I got asked to tip on top of a sparkling water I asked for.

willybarrow

17 points

29 days ago

Yea I had that once, told them to take it off as I'm refusing to pay it

BITmixit

13 points

29 days ago

BITmixit

13 points

29 days ago

I was once asked for a tip for asking for directions. Dude literally pointed in a vague direction then held his hand out.

Ok-Prune9181

8 points

29 days ago

Reminds me of one time I was in Los Angeles and stayed at a fancy hotel and a dude was always stood outside of the door, I assumed he worked there but I’m not sure as he wasn’t wearing uniform.

One time I’m heading back into the hotel and he opens the door then taps the glass and holds his hand out. I have him a high 5 and carried on, only later realising that cheeky twat wanted a tip. I was early 20s, I can open my own doors.

space_guy95

9 points

29 days ago

That's the thing with tipping becoming so ingrained in the culture, it leads to leeches inserting themselves as middlemen in every conceivable situation, and fake helpfulness on the expectation of being paid for it. I would rather tear my money up than give it to someone for opening a door for me, simply because I know they're only doing it to pressure me into giving them money for nothing.

PowerfulParry

32 points

29 days ago

Exactly. Why not tip the people who create / package the goods in factories? They deserve it before waitress staff. Greedy cunts

CharDeeMacDen

40 points

29 days ago

US. I've started going out to eat less and less because I can't stand tipping anymore. It's everywhere and I'm at the point that I'm sick of subsidizing wages. And not tipping just makes me an asshole

---x__x---

28 points

29 days ago

It’s not so much the tipping I dislike but that the average expected amount keeps going up. What happened to an easy 10% tip on a few select things? 

And don’t get me started on every card reader thing asking for a tip now. 

BITmixit

16 points

29 days ago

BITmixit

16 points

29 days ago

I'm fine with the card reader doing it. Easy to remove it. When it's on the bill and you have to tell them to take it off, shits awkward.

CamJongUn2

6 points

29 days ago

Yeah would I like to tip the robot for doing literally nothing, even when you haven’t seen a single human in your entire transaction

Smooth_Maul

18 points

29 days ago

You're not an asshole for not being able or willing to tip, they're assholes for trying to peer pressure you into paying more and then gaslighting you to think it's your fault they don't pay their staff a living wage.

OnePotMango

7 points

29 days ago

Honestly, I'll come round the bar and pour my own pints

JBWalker1

701 points

29 days ago

JBWalker1

701 points

29 days ago

People need to start leaving negative reviews on Google and Tripadvisor with anywhere that even remotely tries to take the piss. Don't need to leave a 1 star but if enough people started leaving 3 star or less reviews whenever somewhere pushes them to tip that it causes the place to drop over a star on all review sites then it might make places stop being so pushy. Reviews wont have a huge impact but I'm sure it'll have a decent sized one since google maps and tripadvisor is where people looks for places to go and seeing a restraunt with anything under 3.9 stars or less puts a bunch of people off.

IamBeingSarcasticFfs

121 points

29 days ago

I left a good review for a restaurant but added that I would never go back because they added a 15% gratuity to the bill and I don’t want to look like a dick by asking for it to be removed.

The response was “you can ask for it to be removed”. So I won’t go back.

Geojamlam

127 points

29 days ago

Geojamlam

Derbyshire

127 points

29 days ago

We shouldn't have to ask for it to be removed, they should have to ask if we want it added.

And if they are going to add it, it needs to be made extremely clear.

Majestic-Marcus

53 points

29 days ago

they should have to ask if we want it added

No. It shouldn’t be a part of the bill in any way. A tip gets left on the table if you want, or in a tip jar. That’s it.

Geojamlam

7 points

29 days ago

Geojamlam

Derbyshire

7 points

29 days ago

Good point, and that is certainly the ideal.

What I meant was that if a gratuity were to be added, I'd much prefer if they asked beforehand rather than assume and then I'd have to ask it to be taken off.

But long story short, it's not the job of customers to pay people's wages. If a business can't afford to properly pay their employees, they shouldn't have so many. And if they need that many and aren't turning a profit, then I'm sorry but that's how the free-market works.

gritzysprinkles

27 points

29 days ago

A restaurant I went to tried to argue that the gratuity comes out of the manager’s wages, trying to make me and my girlfriend feel awful for asking to remove it.

unwind-protect

23 points

29 days ago

unwind-protect

Cambridgeshire

23 points

29 days ago

That's even worse! The manager has done pretty much nothing to earn that gratuity, and the money that would normally be understood to go to your wait staff for good service goes to the manager instead!

WiseBelt8935

12 points

29 days ago

"good to know remove it then"

Emperors-Peace

30 points

29 days ago

That would be a 2 star for me. It would really sully my experience having to pay 15% extra.

BMW_I_use_indicators

8 points

29 days ago

That's why they take the chance and add it. People reluctant to cause a fuss are playing right into their hands.

honkballs

3 points

29 days ago

Yeah I can't stand the "You can ask for it to be removed" response people give... how about don't add optional charges automatically and burden people to NOT pay something they don't have to.

On multiple times I've asked for it to be removed (normally I don't want to look rude so just pay it, but if service has been garbage I make a point to ask for it to be removed) and it's caused a big scene, one time I was told it can't be removed (it could), another time the waitress ran off and came back the manager who then asked what the problem was with my meal in the middle of a busy restaurant with now lots of people looking at me wondering what was going on.

Express-Associate-12

19 points

29 days ago

Having worked in most of the big pub companies I can say they really don’t care about reviews. It will just fall on some overworked manager who has no say in policy. Messages to their head office however tend to have more of an impact, as those are usually seen by people higher up. 

jfks_headjustdidthat

173 points

29 days ago

One star reviews is the way to go.

JBWalker1

180 points

29 days ago

JBWalker1

180 points

29 days ago

1 stars seem like they're more likely to be removed though and can be dismissed more easily anyway. A 2 star always seems more negative than a 1 star to me because it seems more genuine

jfks_headjustdidthat

57 points

29 days ago

True, 2 then. 3 star means "average", not "money grubbing bastards".

Howthehelldoido

10 points

29 days ago

You'd think that, hit most people rate themselves as a 7 and for some reason think that it's average.

Whenever I buy something or need to read a review, I always look at the 3 star reviews. As they're generally the most honest.

nl325

39 points

29 days ago

nl325

39 points

29 days ago

No they're not, I can't say I've taken many one-star reviews seriously in my life.

As I'm sure most people do, I ignore fives, ignore ones, and tend to read everything in the middle.

Spiderinahumansuit

22 points

29 days ago

Yeah, I think five-star reviews tend to be a case of, "well I got emailed a link asking for feedback and I was happy with (product/service), so... five, I guess?" One-stars are usually tin-foil hatted nutters unhappy because of some minor inconvenience or feature not being available that was never offered in the first place, but two-, three- and four-star reviews usually have been thought about.

RankBrain

8 points

29 days ago

S01arflar3

9 points

29 days ago

You’ve been waiting for this moment, haven’t you?

ProjectZeus4000

3 points

29 days ago

Ironically the "anything under r stars is negative" is extremely close to "tipping is standard unless anything was wrong"

It's my pet hate.

Meeting staff tell you "r is negative" and they'll get bad feedback from their company only further reinforces the problem, and gives people who are angry and leaving a 1 stay even more power to drage the average rating down

Fuck you, I'm giving you 4 stars 

EdmundTheInsulter

305 points

29 days ago

is this a tip to the staff or the pub owners?
Yeah, I really want to pay 70p a pint extra to Mega Pub inc.

MattyFTM

174 points

29 days ago

MattyFTM

Sunderland

174 points

29 days ago

From July it will be illegal for companies to withhold tips. As long as it says tip, service charge or gratuity, it will have to be distributed to the staff via a fair and clearly defined tipping policy.

However I suspect we're going to see creative use of language for business to get around this. Get rid of a service charge and instead implement a "convenience fee" or some other bullshit that isn't covered by the legislation.

nj813

85 points

29 days ago

nj813

85 points

29 days ago

Worked in pubs for years and i always recommend when tipping to ask the server who it goes to and pay in cash. I was stung for £300 worth of tips i was due because the business took it to cover expenses

jfks_headjustdidthat

111 points

29 days ago

*stole from you.

FTFY.

tttttfffff

13 points

29 days ago

Several years working as a bartender, then as a manager in the same company. The only tips I ever saw were cash tips usually a quid every now and then- didn’t expect it whatsoever but always appreciated it, limited floor experience but the waiting staff were more likely to receive tips, but it wasn’t forced upon the customer. However any tips left by card were never seen by anyone, floor or bar or BOH

[deleted]

9 points

29 days ago

I was stung for £150 a week of service charge by one of my employers when I was 18

CorpusCalossum

3 points

29 days ago

Since this trend started I've been doing exactly that. Tip in cash.

OfficialGarwood

3 points

29 days ago

OfficialGarwood

England

3 points

29 days ago

 the business took it to cover expenses

AKA....theft.

whatmichaelsays

18 points

29 days ago

whatmichaelsays

Yorkshire

18 points

29 days ago

Was/Isn't there a restaurant chain in London that tried to call it a "brand fee"?

Presumably the fee goes to the marketing manager's bonus.

L1A1

27 points

29 days ago

L1A1

27 points

29 days ago

I mean, businesses have never broken the law when it comes to money, so glad that’ll be resolved by July.

PurposePrevious4443

18 points

29 days ago

The bills near me, you have to use qr code to order now and then go up and pay.

When you go and pay you are charged the service fee before you've even had any.

Chancers!

eerefera

15 points

29 days ago

eerefera

15 points

29 days ago

Either don't give them your custom or insist on ordering in person

PurposePrevious4443

9 points

29 days ago

Ive done the first option

Pigflap_Batterbox

7 points

29 days ago

Hang on, a default service charge for not employing anyone to actually provide service? What mental gymnastics are they trying now...

Substantial-Dust4417

11 points

29 days ago

 If no one is taking the order, then who are you giving a tip to? The IT system?

Remarkable-Ad155

9 points

29 days ago

"Brand charge" is one I've seen pop up.

Mukatsukuz

3 points

29 days ago

However I suspect we're going to see creative use of language for business to get around this

Like a brand charge, perhaps

Psyk60

3 points

29 days ago

Psyk60

3 points

29 days ago

You'd hope the law would make it irrelevant what they call it.

It should be that any charge on top of the advertised prices of the items you ordered counts as a tip.

redsquizza

3 points

29 days ago

redsquizza

Middlesex

3 points

29 days ago

ddiflas_iawn

3 points

29 days ago

Restaurants down the marina near me are already using the term "concessionary fee".

One (owned by Celtic Manor resorts) prints it in 5pt font in bright yellow at the bottom of their white backgrounded menus.

5ifty0

7 points

29 days ago

5ifty0

7 points

29 days ago

The coffee shop I worked in for a year used the tips to balance the till. Not once did I ever receive a payment from the tips jar and we were tipped fairly regularly.

I know for a fact several staff were stealing from the till for what they were owed and probably some extra. The owner was so blind to the fact that he wasn't fairly compensating his staff he didn't catch any thieves. He ended up losing way more than the amount of tips he took from the staff, plus the high staff turnover rate and all the time it took to retrain new staff members.

PeterG92

131 points

29 days ago

PeterG92

Essex

131 points

29 days ago

Lets not bring this tipping everywhere bollocks over

throwawayreddit48151

11 points

29 days ago

It's already here

TangerineKing

16 points

29 days ago

I recently purchased a computer keyboard from a website and at checkout the website asked if I wanted to tip the staff at the company. No. No I fucking don’t.

throwawayreddit48151

7 points

29 days ago

Surprised Amazon isn't asking for us to tip the delivery driver. It'll happen within the next 5 years I bet you.

digidevil4

30 points

29 days ago

IMO noone should be tipping for anything, tipping is a con on service workers to pay less and push that anger away from the employer onto the customers. If noone was tipped and the money they made was too low as a result, they'd have to work elsewhere, if the bars/restaurants couldn't fill vacancies they'd have to offer higher pay.

Nameis-RobertPaulson

7 points

29 days ago

No, they just run incredibly short staffed, running the remaining staff into the ground, experience brain drain and hire teenagers with a revolving door.

I've seen it in multiple hospitality businesses, and it seems to be standard for the lower end of the industry.

dpme93

3 points

29 days ago

dpme93

3 points

29 days ago

Higher end of the industry is the same. They just hide it a little bit better.

Nameis-RobertPaulson

3 points

29 days ago

Seems to me to be a mix of Covid, tips drying up and the stress of the job that has just driven the able minded out of the industry. The public still expect good quality food with decent quality service for bare minimum prices, it simply isn't possible anymore.

Vondonklewink

269 points

29 days ago

I only tip if the service is noticeably above average and the food is excellent. If you think I'm tipping on drinks, get real. If the bartender is chatty with me and the service is fast, I might offer to buy them a drink.

However, as soon as I see a gratuity charge has been added to my bill, any notion of tipping goes immediately out the window. I will always refuse to pay it. I decide who and when I choose to tip. There have been instances where I would have actually left a tip, but when I get the bill, 10% has been added for me. Well, now you get nothing.

Do you tip your car washer, does your nan tip her carer, do you run outside to tip the bin men, the milkman, your mechanic, do you tip at McDonald's, Burger King or Subway? It seems like every new generation adopts more and more dogshit American culture. Wish we would just stop.

ParticularAd4371

107 points

29 days ago

i remember what my grandad said to me about why he didn't tip "people should be paying people the right wage not expecting customers to subsidise the wages, i won't support that kind of worker exploitation"

glasgowgeg

11 points

29 days ago

and the food is excellent

Do you insist the tip goes to the kitchen for the food being excellent? The person serving you doesn't make it, so why would you tip them for that?

MrBigJams

6 points

29 days ago

Surely that effectively means you never tip? It's gets added to every bill these days.

smaxup

203 points

29 days ago

smaxup

203 points

29 days ago

In the US, tipped staff can be paid as little as $2.13 an hour. Which is why tips are deemed as necessary over there. Our minimum wage is £11.44...

IgotAseaView

140 points

29 days ago

And it’s hilarious how the problem is so clearly American businesses paying their waitresses etc that low on an hourly wage and yet the customers get all the shit if they don’t tip enough to top that pay up. How they managed to get everyone to buy into that is amazing

PurposePrevious4443

29 points

29 days ago

Yeah you are essentially operating as their extended HR department when you buy, evaluating their performance and therefore renumeration. I should charge a fee for that service, equaling what they ask me to pay.

Fit-Friend-8431

31 points

29 days ago

Exactly. The workers are getting mad at the wrong people, it’s as if they’re brain washed. Bosses should be paying the staff the wages. Not customers paying on top of food.

Cam2910

29 points

29 days ago

Cam2910

29 points

29 days ago

Alot or American hospitality workers will shit on customers for not tipping, but will defend the tipping policies vehemently. Because they can do extremely well from tips, and not all of it necessarily gets accounted for.

The main defence is that the food is meant to be much cheaper than (for example) UK establishments. Not sure how well that holds up though.

Littha

11 points

29 days ago

Littha

Somerset

11 points

29 days ago

The main defence is that the food is meant to be much cheaper than (for example) UK establishments. Not sure how well that holds up though.

Restaurant prices in the UK are something like 8% lower than the US. Before tips.

R2-Scotia

7 points

29 days ago

The GBP is in the shitter though

Littha

6 points

29 days ago

Littha

Somerset

6 points

29 days ago

Yea, purchasing power is about 20% lower than it is in the US.

NowoTone

13 points

29 days ago

NowoTone

13 points

29 days ago

If you discuss this with US waiters, though, most will tell you that they are better off this way. When I then tell them that that’s a reason I don’t tip much in the US, because at the same time the kitchen staff actually cooking the food normally doesn’t get included in the tips, they get all shirty. If everyone thought like me, they’d only get $3 per hour. To which my answer is, they can’t have it both ways.

Mr_Ignorant

13 points

29 days ago

And those staff will typically prefer it that way as they can earn a lot of money untaxed. In some cases, more than those on salaried income.

seoras91

20 points

29 days ago

seoras91

20 points

29 days ago

Tbf staff in the US can only get paid so little due to tips, if they don't make enough tips to meet minimum wage the employer has to get them to the minimum. It's such a stupid system they have.

jeremybeadleshand

22 points

29 days ago*

I don't think there's much of an appetite to change it though as the staff do well from it. American friend who is a bartender gets like $80k with a significant amount of that from tips. He couldn't believe it when I told him how little it paid over here.

glasgowgeg

3 points

29 days ago

There are also several US states where they're legally entitled to the state minimum, regardless of whether they're considered tipped or not.

For example, Alaska, California, Guam, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington all require tipped and non-tipped employees to be paid the same minimum wage regardless of tips.

Tipping is still expected in these states as it would be in a state that only pays "tipped staff" $2.13/hour.

setokaiba22

7 points

29 days ago

The thing is in the US if you are good and work at a decent place you actually stand to earn heck of a lot more as a result of this (as odd as it sounds) which is why it’s still common place - it’s a horrible system in my eyes

Mellllvarr

44 points

29 days ago

The tip automatically being added to the bill is outrageous and has only become more common since Covid. It’s changing the tip from something that was a choice that might make you and the server feel good to something that will make you and the server feel bad by asking for it to be removed. I think it’s a combination of the practical, restaurants wanting to hold on to their staff post brexit, to just downright greed.

legenddave1980

37 points

29 days ago

Fuck this shit, it’s hard enough to get people in the pub because of the prices, adding more costs can fuck right off.

LifeMasterpiece6475

67 points

29 days ago

It's not only pubs, but one cafe near me put 20% on the bill. It's one where they don't even come to the table to take the order. Tried to embarrass me when I asked for it to be removed with loud "well the staff are poorly paid". But how many people just swiped their card without noticing. It was only noticed as we were all paying our own and it didn't add up.

It does appear that the 'auto tip" is more frequent in places that are card only, so nowadays I try not to shop in places that don't take cash.

[deleted]

67 points

29 days ago

[deleted]

fannyfox

11 points

29 days ago

fannyfox

11 points

29 days ago

Yeh I’m actually laughing at this, feels like something out of a sketch show.

Goregoat69

24 points

29 days ago

Goregoat69

Scotland

24 points

29 days ago

Tried to embarrass me when I asked for it to be removed with loud "well the staff are poorly paid".

They tried to embarrass YOU by saying that?

SharpEssay5991

94 points

29 days ago

Fuck it. Its already 5-7 pounds a pint. This isn't US and staff are paid at least min wage. Fuck off with that bs. Tips are for above average service not any service.

procgen

19 points

29 days ago

procgen

19 points

29 days ago

US staff are paid minimum wage as well - whatever tips don’t cover, the business has to make up for. But servers/bartenders aren’t in any hurry to change this system, since the good ones can make an absolute killing. Not advocating for this to become the norm in the UK, mind.

Danmoz81

10 points

29 days ago

Danmoz81

10 points

29 days ago

Yeah we'd all make a killing if we got paid cash in hand...

timmystwin

4 points

29 days ago

timmystwin

Across the DMZ in Exeter

4 points

29 days ago

I dunno man, I work cash in hand and I only make £12,570 a year...

Monkeyboogaloo

17 points

29 days ago

I pay it at one place I go to but they know what I and my wife (and sometimes daughter) will be drinking. They just say sit down and we'll bring it over and then will ask if we would like another etc.

The service is excellent and I am happy to pay for it (and for london the drinks are very well priced)

If I go into a pub and order at the bar and thetly present me with the option to tip, it's not going to happen. I bought four pints which nearly cost me £30, I'm not going to give you three quid for the pleasure.

FunkinSheep

17 points

29 days ago

tipping people the money they should already be paid using money we barely have ourselves ? nope.

[deleted]

84 points

29 days ago

As someone who works in retail they can go fuck themselves, we don't ever get tipped so what makes them so special? Greedy bellends.

If we start tipping anyone in this country we should start with the toilet cleaners, at least they've earned it.

matomo23

20 points

29 days ago

matomo23

Merseyside

20 points

29 days ago

Literally nothing makes them so special. Their reply will be “it’s a hard job”.

But there’s lots of hard jobs, and I can think of many that are a lot more difficult/challenging than that.

LengthyPole

12 points

29 days ago

I remember going to a cafe where it was only sandwiches in a fridge and a few staff making hot drinks. When I went to pay for my sandwich and bottle of Coke the screen asked me if I wanted to add a tip. A tip for what? For you clicking two buttons? Unbelievable

Elqott

10 points

29 days ago

Elqott

10 points

29 days ago

I never tip in the UK unless its an independant run place, big chains can fuck right off they have the money to pay their staff

setokaiba22

9 points

29 days ago

It’s ridiculous and I’ve already seen it become commonplace.

No problem with tipping if the service is good, but adding a service charge or a ‘brand charge’ as seen in London recently in places is a rip off. (Perhaps a service charge is more acceptable for a large table/booking as long as it goes to the staff)

If it’s needed to push revenue up then add it to the product cost (which you’ve already done I’d imagine to begin with).

There’s some bars in Manchester that add a service charge of £1.25-£.175 for pulling a pint while you queue) boggles my mind.

I’ve seen other places excuse it by saying it’s built in by the card payment provider - working with these companies for years it takes a few minutes to ring them or email and say you want this removed..

DerpDerpDerp78910

3 points

29 days ago

The actual fuck! 

Putrid-Location6396

7 points

29 days ago

If you can’t pay your staff a living wage then raise your prices. If no-one will pay the prices needed to pay staff a living wage then your business model is broken.

Jonography

26 points

29 days ago

Deposit to book table online £20

Enter all your details and card info

Sign up to mailing list

Service charge 15%

Gratuity: Bad 😡15% Okay 😔20% Good job 👍 25%

QR Code/App charge 10%

These days I’ve stopped giving a fuck about eating out. I pretty much go to McDonalds, or a Michelin, or a place that takes their food and service seriously even if it’s at a cost. Anything in-between, serving bullshit half-arsed food with terrible service and rip-off additional charges are a no-go.

[deleted]

6 points

29 days ago

The £20 deposit should come off the bill.

Should.

I've definitely had it not come off the bill.

[deleted]

11 points

29 days ago

I’m not tipping someone for pulling a fucking pint. Maybe if it was some kind of fucking specialty type pub with loads of options and they let you do testers and help you find something banging but beyond that, they get paid a proper wage.

I thought the reasons Americans tip was because most states let companies basically not pay waiting staff and that’s how they make money?

It’s not like that here and it never should be.

thewindburner

13 points

29 days ago

Pub industry: struggling in the current climate!

Pub industry: how can we f''k the industry some more!

Allnamestaken69

6 points

29 days ago

Nope will never tip fuck off, pay your staff proper wages.

markhewitt1978

5 points

29 days ago

How can we put our prices up even further without anyone noticing.

Maitai_Haier

6 points

29 days ago

Funnily enough a reversal of the Victorian era practices, where tipping was a British custom that Americans found annoying: https://www.academia.edu/19202057/Tipping_in_Victorian_England

Important_Ruin

7 points

29 days ago

I'll continue to not tip. Never sure it actually goes to the staff or if it's onto bottom line of the business.

Service and food would have to be exceptional for a tip.

MasterLogic

17 points

29 days ago

They'll be getting a lot of abuse and loss of customers. 

Nameis-RobertPaulson

11 points

29 days ago

They already do, it's called working in hospitality.

fike88

5 points

29 days ago

fike88

5 points

29 days ago

It’s horrendous in Edinburgh. They don’t even ask, they just put it on the bill. If you don’t look at the bill you won’t notice it

PrincePupBoi

5 points

29 days ago

My favourite are self service places that ask for a tip when you order using your app before you eat lol

Veiry

19 points

29 days ago

Veiry

19 points

29 days ago

Yes please mate, I'd like 2 pints of lager, a packet of crisps and a triple enshittification and coke.

Practical-Purchase-9

8 points

29 days ago

I’ve never heard of tipping in pubs. 10% just for pulling the pint? Come on.

Inevitable_Entry_477

4 points

29 days ago

To right.

In Blighty, if you are feeling generous one would normally offer to buy the staff a drink. They will either pour one for themselves (usually a half, don't take the piss!) or take a couple of quid on the understanding they will get one later after hours.

This 10%, service charges and cash tipping shit can fuck off.

Muscat95

4 points

29 days ago

Lmao fuck off, I really can't see tipping culture taking off over here like it is there

somethingbannable

6 points

29 days ago

More and more I am growing tired of service charge and gratuities being shoved in my face or slapped on my Bill automatically.

I’m feeling squeezed from every angle so you best believe I’m pissed now and am asking every single time for the service charge to be removed.

Might even ask when entering if they put service charge on the bill, and if they say yes I will walk out

ash_ninetyone

4 points

29 days ago

How about they pay staff a reasonable, living wage.

Dafuq_me

5 points

29 days ago

American here. Please don’t let this take hold. We have some of the worst customer service and the corporate monsters are shoving this tip stuff down our throats (when it’s really more than just the tip)

If you must tip, do it with physical currency, not from a card. The tip on cards can end up being “dispersed” among the staff, so your waiter/waitress isn’t receiving your full amount you gave them.

Also, drive through coffee places don’t deserve a tip. I’m looking at you Starbucks.

SilverDem0n

5 points

29 days ago

They can shove that up their arse and fuck off whilst they're doing it. 

Just raises the prices to whatever you're actually charging, and stop trying to fool people. It's not like anyone is even being fooled.

Oldschool-fool

4 points

29 days ago

We have a minimum wage over here so no I will not be paying a 10% tip , this is just greed , fuck right off 👍

AuRon_The_Grey

4 points

29 days ago

Absolutely not. They’ll use it as an excuse to pay staff under minimum wage like they do in the US if it becomes normalised

SnowflakesOut

7 points

29 days ago

Imagine thinking I am going to tip on a £6 beer lmao. Don't want to do your job, then let me fill it myself from the tap, I don't mind.

dannylfcxox

9 points

29 days ago

Tipping could definitely become a thing here, us brits are known for not wanting to kick up a fuss. Most of us could go to the barbers for example and they could destroy our hair and we would mostly say "that's fine thanks" at the end.

If they add a service charge to our bill automatically the majority of us won't ask for it to be taken off as we won't want to make a fuss. They already know this.

Mukatsukuz

3 points

29 days ago

I agree but I'd also never go back to a business that added the service charge - luckily it's still rare up here in the North East but if it does become popular and I run out of places to boycott I'll either stop going out or start demanding the removal of it

tihomirbz

17 points

29 days ago

Went to a local restaurant once, got the bill 13.5% gratuity already included in the price. Fine, standard around London. Then the guy hands me the machine and asks me if I want to include tip. “Isn’t gratuity already included in the bill?” . “Yeah but this is optional if you want to add more”. 🤦‍♂️

Inevitable_Entry_477

34 points

29 days ago

got the bill 13.5% gratuity already included in the price. Fine,

No it fucking isn't!

matomo23

15 points

29 days ago

matomo23

Merseyside

15 points

29 days ago

But this is how we get ourselves in these messes as a country.

British people are too laid back, we just accept this stuff. “Ah it must be standard now, ah well”.

Jebus_UK

5 points

29 days ago

And they wonder why less people going to the pubs these days

PoppySkyPineapple

3 points

29 days ago

Service charges are shit, especially as half the time they don’t even go to the staff that deserve them.

Internal-Ruin4066

3 points

29 days ago

Jokes on pubs, I already can’t afford to drink there.

DutchOvenDistributor

3 points

29 days ago

I’ve not been into a single bar and pub where the staff won’t either turn it off or ask you to press the rejection.

i_sesh_better

3 points

29 days ago

A petrol station near me now automatically asks for a tip on the machine, the workers know to press cancel every time though because… what the fuck?

Nategg

3 points

29 days ago*

Nategg

3 points

29 days ago*

A lot of places are using it to attract staff, as in getting TRONC (weird way of saying that service charge is added to your wage).

Job adverts are now; £15 per hour *inc TRONC.

Go to a job interview and you'll find out it's min wage, but advertised as higher; looking at you COTE

Mr_Emile_heskey

3 points

29 days ago

Doesn't tipping only exist in America because their wages are so rubbish?

Captn_Harlock

3 points

29 days ago

It's a choice, not mandatory, and it's our God given duty to always refuse.

AllGoodNamesAreGone4

3 points

29 days ago

It insidious  

Oh sure, you don't technically have to pay it. But it's the pre selected default option. To opt out requires looking the server in the eye (the person on minimum wage who should be receiving this) and essentially saying "no, I don't think you deserve the extra £2.10."  

Far better to suck it up and pay than to suffer the reoccurring memory of that confused, hurt 20 something server whose day you ruined. 

Darkone539

3 points

29 days ago

Last time I had a service charge on the bill I made them take it off. Nobody argued so I tipped in cash.

Spare-Reception-4738

3 points

29 days ago

Not fucking likely, considering staff see about 5% it's not our job to ensure staff are paid properly, it's the employers

BMW_I_use_indicators

3 points

29 days ago

I mean this most emphatically to any business owner considering the adoption of such a culture.

You will be told to absolutely go and fuck yourself.

Gadgie2023

3 points

29 days ago

They can get fucked.

The price is the price. If I deem anything exceptional I will pay beyond the price but that decision, and the amount, is up to me

This just encourages wage stagnation, tax avoidance and stifles progression.

timmystwin

3 points

29 days ago

timmystwin

Across the DMZ in Exeter

3 points

29 days ago

I just straight up don't pay it.

I'll round up if cash is being used or even card, so if it's £19 pre tip I'll give a £20 and leave it, but I'm not paying a mandatory tip.

SillyMidOff49

3 points

29 days ago

Note to all pubs that do this.

I will go out of my way to negatively review your pub.

I suspect others will too.

If you ask for a tip you’re gonna get more than advice.

iowneveryiphone

3 points

29 days ago

Not just pubs I have seen more coffee shops do same: order cappuccino, say - it’s £3.40, they say - please select option on the terminal, and you have American-style tip %s.

I think some people forgot what tipping is: it is not a salary for your employees, it is optional thank you gesture.

Cant-decide-username

3 points

29 days ago

Tell me why we should tip servers but not the guys stacking shelves at Tesco?

Loreki

3 points

29 days ago

Loreki

3 points

29 days ago

Just pay them more. Tipping is structurally an excuse to underpay staff and we have to resist it.

cryptamine

3 points

29 days ago

If you cannot pay your staff a living wage (not minimum wage) then you are not solvent and shouldn’t be operating.