Tipping the Room Service Waiter

Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati

Helpful Moderator

NSC Patron

Jul 23, 2003

34,201

Up and Coming Sunny Portslade

• May 1, 2014

• #1

If you order room service in a hotel in the UK do you tip the fella or lass that brings it to your room? I have always tipped the porters who take your heavy bags to the room when on holiday and learned to tip the legions of Indian hotel workers who showed up when I worked there. Tipping in the US is obviously mandatory. However having worked away odd nights in the UK and Ireland I can remember I used not to tip room service (on the proviso that no one else seemed to and they were just bringing something to your room) whereas tonight I did. Have I just become a little less tight or has the US and India rubbed off on me so to speak?

 

clippedgull

Hotdogs, extra onions

Aug 11, 2003

20,789

Near Ducks, Geese, and Seagulls

• May 1, 2014

• #2

Depends who is the 'fittest' Or which way you swing.

 

pasty

A different kind of pasty

Jul 5, 2003

30,284

West, West, West Sussex

• May 1, 2014

• #3

Having many years ago worked in room service at The Grand, I would say yes, tipping should be obligatory.

 

B

BensGrandad

New member

Jul 13, 2003

72,015

Haywards Heath

• May 1, 2014

• #4

pasty said:

Having many years ago worked in room service at The Grand, I would say yes, tipping should be obligatory.

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Why? It just saves the employers / owners paying decent wages.

 

Westdene Seagull

aka Cap'n Carl Firecrotch

NSC Patron

Oct 27, 2003

21,024

The arse end of Hangleton

• May 1, 2014

• #5

pasty said:

Having many years ago worked in room service at The Grand, I would say yes, tipping should be obligatory.

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And having worked in room service for The Royal Albion, Metropole, Imperial Hotel and the now deceased Alexandra Hotel I never expected a tip.

 

Frank Inkerman

Veteran of the Crimea

May 16, 2007

471

Too close to Reading for comfort

• May 1, 2014

• #6

I stay away in the UK a lot and often use room service. With a normal "tray charge" of £5 I am not inclined to tip as well.

 

S

Seagull1989

Well-known member

Oct 31, 2011

1,197

• May 2, 2014

• #7

It all depends on whether there is a service charge or tray charge added already whether I tip or not. I disagree with tipping if the person is just doing their job. Anyway, room service is the biggest con around. Over inflated prices for mediocre food. Just get up walk around the corner and get something nicer for half the price. Especially in the UK when you're familiar with other restaraunts

 

WhingForPresident

.

NSC Patron

Feb 23, 2009

16,204

Marlborough

• May 2, 2014

• #8

I only tip in any circumstances if I get exceptional service, surely that is the point of the practice in this country? Waiters/waitresses/pizza boys/bartenders etc aren't paid a pittance here like they are many states in the USA (tipped employees can be on as little as $2.33 an hour).

 

Badger

NOT the Honey Badger

NSC Patron

May 8, 2007

12,782

Toronto

• May 2, 2014

• #9

Having just got back from the US and their ridiculously over-the-top tipping culture (apparently I was supposed to tip the bloke who directed me into the taxi), it's nice to get back to the UK system where tipping is generally optional and you rarely get stick for not tipping. I normally tip 10% in restaurants if the service has been good and round up money in a taxi. In this case someone bringing you overpriced food to your room as part of their job probably doesn't warrant a tip, unless they are somehow going out of their way.

 

middletoenail

Well-known member

Jul 2, 2008

3,571

Hong Kong

• May 2, 2014

• #10

I don't let them take my bag, simply because more often than not it contains things that I want access to as soon as I get to my room.

 

desprateseagull

New member

Jul 20, 2003

10,171

brighton, actually

• May 2, 2014

• #11

depends how much mess you leave behind..