[Food] The NSC Great Tip Debate

studio150 · Jun 14, 2018

I think we should follow the Japanese example where there is no tipping. The bill is the bill, and if you leave more they will dash after you to return the change. I also like their example of when you have finished the meal you just go to the pay desk by the exit and pay, with no waiting for the bill to be delivered to the table and paying at the table.

As for restaurants, I dislike the separate service charge, as it can lead to arguments if the meal and service has been poor and I cross it out. Otherwise I usually tip by around 10% as I round up to nearest £5/£10.

Yes Chef · Jun 14, 2018

bn9 bha said:
Sorry I don't know what you mean, I've never worked in catering.

Maybe I should have explained my point.
When out for a meal a few months back I ordered deep fried Brie for starters for myself and my wife, the Brie was still frozen in the middle. Both were obviously sent back.
The waiter wasn't at fault in my opinion and his service was very good, so he was tipped.

I'm not saying chef's don't make mistakes, far from it. The point I was trying to make was that a waiter could make a mistake - forgetting to put an order through, putting the wrong order through, put through an unreasonable amount of orders simultaneously, that would disrupt the kitchen's service, leading to mistakes being made. Meanwhile, waiter goes back to Table 8, lays on the smarm, and the guests are none the wiser.

The battle lines between kitchen and front of house run deep, and I'm one of the more laid back chefs, believe it or not!

Frozen brie sounds grim though - come to my place, we don't have deep fried brie but we do have baked Camembert, and it's been nowhere near a freezer! :thumbsup:

BN9 BHA · Jun 14, 2018

Yes Chef said:
I'm not saying chef's don't make mistakes, far from it. The point I was trying to make was that a waiter could make a mistake - forgetting to put an order through, putting the wrong order through, put through an unreasonable amount of orders simultaneously, that would disrupt the kitchen's service, leading to mistakes being made. Meanwhile, waiter goes back to Table 8, lays on the smarm, and the guests are none the wiser.

The battle lines between kitchen and front of house run deep, and I'm one of the more laid back chefs, believe it or not!

Frozen brie sounds grim though - come to my place, we don't have deep fried brie but we do have baked Camembert, and it's been nowhere near a freezer!

Thanks for the explanation, points understood.

It may have been Camembert but I couldn't spell it, so I put Brie :facepalm:

Bozza · Jun 14, 2018

"I tip according to the food and service" is me, but I'll add that my default starting point is to tip, and I'm not too different from [MENTION=27447]Goldstone1976[/MENTION]'s approach.

I also get annoyed when an optional service charge has been added and that will nearly always be the level I tip at, meaning that my tip may be below what I would otherwise give.

We're fortunate to have holidayed at Disney World a fair few times and the checks now have three suggested level of tip - 15%, 18% and 20% - numbers that have crept up over the years, but I fully appreciate that the structure of pay and tips is different in the US and I alway tip beyond the level I would in comparable UK restaurants.

seagulls99 · Jun 14, 2018

I always tip but the percentage of tip depends on the service. Not the food.

Thunder Bolt · Jun 14, 2018

bn9 bha said:
Thanks for the explanation, points understood.

It may have been Camembert but I couldn't spell it, so I put Brie

Talking of food arriving badly cooked, we went out for a meal, where my other half ordered his steak blue. When our meals arrived (I had something different), it was brown all the way through, not a trace of pink.
He sent it back, refused a replacement and waited patiently for me to eat mine. His meal was deducted from the bill, but we paid and left without leaving a tip.

grubbyhands · Jun 14, 2018

Goldstone1976 said:
I always tip; always in cash, unless there’s a compulsory service charge (when I take note and don’t return). If there’s a suggested service charge, I ask the wait staff to remove it, and then tip as below.

10% if everything’s fine, 15% for very good service, 20% for truly exceptional (maybe once a year), 30p if the service is really poor - I don’t want them to be in any doubt that I forgot to tip.

I like the idea of asking for the compulsory service charge to be removed and then setting my tip accordingly. The idea of cash straight to the waiting staff I also like but how can I be sure that everyone involved in the experience gets a share of it. Tricky eh? Am I being tight if I reckon 10% is the maximum to tip, I just don't know?

Sussexscots · Jun 14, 2018

I always leave a tip in a restaurant unless the food /service have been diabolical but I ask the waiter if tips go to him/her. If not, and a service charge is on the bill, I'll ask for it to be removed and tip personally in cash,my view being that I want to recognise the service, not subsidise the management.

I might round up a taxi fare, but only if they turn up when I ordered it for. Not twenty minutes late with some bollocks about traffic.

Used to tip the bin men at Christmas back in the day when they collected the bin and put it back but now I have to drag it out myself and retrieve it from half way across the street I won't bother.

I do often wonder though why it's expected to tip some people but not others. The bin man probably earns more than the young guy I've dealt with in my local bank over the last couple of years sorting my parents affairs . But I know where I feel I've received better service.

Weststander · Jun 14, 2018

I tip barbers and waiters 10% plus. But haven't got a taxi in the UK in a long time.

I normally tip at restaurants by adding it to the card payment, but first quietly check with the waiter that staff get all tips.

Very rarely, if a meal out was poor, for example having to go looking for staff to order more drinks etc after waiting ages etc, I would not tip. Some of these instances were caused by a gaggle of waiting staff hanging around at the bar or their counter, chatting over their iPhones. Wonder if the owners know and care?

BN9 BHA · Jun 14, 2018

Thunder Bolt said:
Talking of food arriving badly cooked, we went out for a meal, where my other half ordered his steak blue. When our meals arrived (I had something different), it was brown all the way through, not a trace of pink.
He sent it back, refused a replacement and waited patiently for me to eat mine. His meal was deducted from the bill, but we paid and left without leaving a tip.

I no longer eat meat, but when I did ordering steak was sometimes hit or miss in some restaurants/ pubs.

Birdie Boy · Jun 14, 2018

I was in a restaurant on I-Drive and the waiter said "are you good?" when I paid the bill. I said yes thinking he meant was everything ok. 20 minutes later he hadn't come back with my £25 change. Service charge already included. I said, hey, where's my change? He said, you said you were good. I said I am good but where's my change? He replied "when in New York, (he is from New York) you're good means you are good. I said " we are in Florida, now where's my change? £25 would have been about 25% which was taking the piss considering there was no real service. Bloody Yanks and tips. He got no extra tip and bloody lucky I didn't get the service charge removed.

erkan · Jun 15, 2018

Love all the NSC posho's who assumed this thread was about leaving extra money in fancy restaurants...

Eastbourne has a great tip in Philips Avenue. Friendly staff and plenty of room for parking by the various dumping areas. The shop is also well laid out and stocked with a good range of stuff.

By contrast I had the misfortune to use the tip at Hailsham a few weeks ago and that was a far less positive experience.

Where are the other places with a great tip in Sussex?

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Lyndhurst 14 · Jun 15, 2018

Tipping is a way of life in the States - so it doesn't really matter what you think of it, I've just got used to it.

From the pizza delivery guy to the doorman everybody seems to get a shake of the money tree

Brok · Jun 15, 2018

bn9 bha said:
Thanks for the explanation, points understood.

It may have been Camembert but I couldn't spell it, so I put Brie

Brilliant.

Worried Man Blues · Jun 15, 2018

Monday was taxied from Gare de Lyon to the Gare de North by an outstanding maniac driver hardly stopped, he was a master of his craft, gave him the 20 Euro note, well worth the fee

thedonkeycentrehalf · Jun 15, 2018

Herr Tubthumper said:
Same here. I also tip cabs and the hair dresser. I’m a bit old school I guess.

You tip the hairdresser? Is that for some kind of shine and polish? They really can't spend much time working on your somewhat non-existent barnet!

The Clamp · Jun 15, 2018

I would have to receive pretty shoddy service not to tip. Some of my best mates work in the industry and I see how crappy some customers can be. They deserve their tips.

The Clamp · Jun 15, 2018

studio150 said:
I think we should follow the Japanese example where there is no tipping. The bill is the bill, and if you leave more they will dash after you to return the change. I also like their example of when you have finished the meal you just go to the pay desk by the exit and pay, with no waiting for the bill to be delivered to the table and paying at the table.

As for restaurants, I dislike the separate service charge, as it can lead to arguments if the meal and service has been poor and I cross it out. Otherwise I usually tip by around 10% as I round up to nearest £5/£10.

Japan is a soulless society and I'm glad we don't follow their example on many things.

The Clamp · Jun 15, 2018

Thunder Bolt said:
Talking of food arriving badly cooked, we went out for a meal, where my other half ordered his steak blue. When our meals arrived (I had something different), it was brown all the way through, not a trace of pink.
He sent it back, refused a replacement and waited patiently for me to eat mine. His meal was deducted from the bill, but we paid and left without leaving a tip.

That is a bit childish. Why didn't he want a new one? From the sound of it, ie he wanted it blue, it would have taken 2 mins. Cutting off his nose...

Herr Tubthumper · Jun 15, 2018

The Clamp said:
I would have to receive pretty shoddy service not to tip. Some of my best mates work in the industry and I see how crappy some customers can be. They deserve their tips.

Word.

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[Food] The NSC Great Tip Debate

What’s your strategy?

Always tip. I value restaurant staff (and/or don’t want to look like a tight arse)

I tip according to the food and service.

Never (and don’t mind my food being gobbed in)

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