Tipping in London?

[DisneyHumbug]

DD is in London and quite confused about tipping. She was told not to tip the bartenders - they would consider it an insult. Is this true? And what about waiters/waitresses? The maid in the hotel room? I have been given the task to research this while she is at the Tate Museum!!!
TIA for any help.

 

[chrismoo]

In the UK all staff are on a minimum wage so its a nice benifit but not not like the USA where the owners of places don't really pay the staff and get the customers to do it via tipping.

If you really want to tip a bartender offer to buy them a drink, then they can take the money from this as a tip. (most of the time they won't actualy pour themselves a drink whilst working)

Waiters/waitresses, tipping is fine but for most places but does not need to be as high as USA standards.

I've personaly never tipped a maid in Europe, its not something I've ever considered doing, maybe I've not stayed in anywhere posh enough or I'm tight.

 

[emily1982]

If sortof depends on the situation...if you were in a resturant and you were waited on you could leave a tip at the table when you leave or if your in a taxi you might just see keep the change, but alot of places such as pubs etc now you go to the bar to order the food, and i personally dont normally leave a tip then. I probably wouldnt tip someone at the bar.

Alot of restaurats and pubs ask their staff to turn their tips in nowdays so all the staff can share them, its not such a strict, expected thing over i dont think. But everyone has their personal views.

DD is in London and quite confused about tipping. She was told not to tip the bartenders - they would consider it an insult. Is this true? And what about waiters/waitresses? The maid in the hotel room? I have been given the task to research this while she is at the Tate Museum!!!
TIA for any help.

 

[chrismoo]

I remember reading that think waitreses in the US as taxed on an amount of tips they should recived, if you don't tip your actualy costing the server in tax for money they never recived, Is this actualy true?

 

[UKDEB]

There's a definite distinction here between a bar and a pub. I admit, it would never occur to me to tip the bartender in a pub, but I would always do so in a bar. I do always tip wait staff. Not to get a tip is probably what they will expect, but no-one (bar staff, wait staff or maid service) will be offended to receive one - on the contrary; they'll be delighted. London could be different to the rural community I live in, of course. The exception is taxi drivers - they will expect to be tipped.

In the US I tip 20% and upwards. Here, I seldom tip more than 10%. It's all about custom and expectations.

 

[florida sun]

As an Ex barmaid of 20 years, I have worked in them all, Cocktail bars, pubs, nightclubs, and a working mens club for years. I would always be delighted to receive a tip, we were always told to take the cost of a drink such as half a larger and the money was put into a jar and given out at the end of the night. Tips were very plentiful in the Cocktail bar and nightclub, esp on match days, and also in the working mens club where you had regulars who always bought us drinks. Not so much in pubs, but I think this is down to the fact that you have a lot of new people passing through and not all are regulars.

 

[Dimplenose]

It's not just in the US that tips are taxed. Years ago when I worked for the Inland Revenue some people were taxed for assumed tips. I don't remember the entire list but I'm sure waitresses/waiters, taxi drivers and hairdressers were among them.

At home I usually tip up to 10% for table service at restaurants, never for drinks at pubs, I never tip a maid but I do round up my taxi fares.

Libby