Comments on: Tipping in London http://www.thelondontraveler.com/2007/12/tipping-in-london/ Travel information for London visitors and residents Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:55:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Ruth Kozak http://www.thelondontraveler.com/2007/12/tipping-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-486 Ruth Kozak Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:28:14 +0000 http://www.thelondontraveler.com/tipping-in-london/#comment-486 Thanks for the info. I'll be heading off to London soon and it's been awhile since I was there so I appreciate your 'tip's'. Thanks for the info. I’ll be heading off to London soon and it’s been awhile since I was there so I appreciate your ‘tip’s’.

]]> By: Scott Hayes http://www.thelondontraveler.com/2007/12/tipping-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-347 Scott Hayes Sun, 01 Mar 2009 10:19:44 +0000 http://www.thelondontraveler.com/tipping-in-london/#comment-347 If a restaurant bill has a service charge always check to see if the service charge goes to the staff or the owner. Some restaurants use the service charge to top up the staff's wages to the minimum wage. If the service charge does go to the owner, ask for it to be removed and then tip your waiter/waitress in cash. That way they get all the tip on top of their wages. The union that represents the staff is currently trying to get the law changed so that any service charge is given to the staff in full. If a restaurant bill has a service charge always check to see if the service charge goes to the staff or the owner. Some restaurants use the service charge to top up the staff’s wages to the minimum wage. If the service charge does go to the owner, ask for it to be removed and then tip your waiter/waitress in cash. That way they get all the tip on top of their wages. The union that represents the staff is currently trying to get the law changed so that any service charge is given to the staff in full.

]]> By: OnEarthTravel - A wonderful directory of Travel Blog » Blog Archive » How to Tip in the UK! http://www.thelondontraveler.com/2007/12/tipping-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-388 OnEarthTravel - A wonderful directory of Travel Blog » Blog Archive » How to Tip in the UK! Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:51:13 +0000 http://www.thelondontraveler.com/tipping-in-london/#comment-388 [...] clipped from www.thelondontraveler.com [...] [...] clipped from http://www.thelondontraveler.com [...]

]]> By: CK http://www.thelondontraveler.com/2007/12/tipping-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-263 CK Sat, 31 May 2008 14:45:07 +0000 http://www.thelondontraveler.com/tipping-in-london/#comment-263 Just wanted to post an update that I got through my 3 week stay in London with some of your tipping advice :) Tipping may certainly not be required in London, but I'll tell you when they realize you're tipping 15%-20%, your service changes. This is in contrast to the US where they would be expecting the tip and you'd likely get the same service regardless. They seem to genuinely want to work for it in London. At least the places I frequented while I was there (3wks). The only "experience" I had was a driver that was taking me and my luggage to the office the morning before my flight. He pulled up about 30ft from me on a gravel road, making me walk over and ask him to back up. When he did, he didn't get out of the car to help with the luggage, just opened the boot from the inside. Same at the destination, he unlocked the doors and the boot, leaving me to go get my luggage. He made it quite obvious he was waiting for his tip and seemed genuinely surprised when I asked for exact change. Now I'm a man in my mid twenties and I'm entirely capable of carrying my own luggage - I didn't mind doing the work, but by the same token I'm also capable of going behind the bar and getting my own drink ---- I'm happy to tip, just put at least a drop of effort into it. For what it's worth, the driver who brought me to the airport that night with my luggage pulled up, immediately came out and took all my luggage, and did the same at the airport --- and then offered me directions on the quickest way to get to my terminal (which was a lifesaver during that whole Terminal 5 fiasco). Just wanted to post an update that I got through my 3 week stay in London with some of your tipping advice :)

Tipping may certainly not be required in London, but I’ll tell you when they realize you’re tipping 15%-20%, your service changes. This is in contrast to the US where they would be expecting the tip and you’d likely get the same service regardless. They seem to genuinely want to work for it in London. At least the places I frequented while I was there (3wks).

The only “experience” I had was a driver that was taking me and my luggage to the office the morning before my flight. He pulled up about 30ft from me on a gravel road, making me walk over and ask him to back up. When he did, he didn’t get out of the car to help with the luggage, just opened the boot from the inside. Same at the destination, he unlocked the doors and the boot, leaving me to go get my luggage. He made it quite obvious he was waiting for his tip and seemed genuinely surprised when I asked for exact change.

Now I’m a man in my mid twenties and I’m entirely capable of carrying my own luggage – I didn’t mind doing the work, but by the same token I’m also capable of going behind the bar and getting my own drink —- I’m happy to tip, just put at least a drop of effort into it.

For what it’s worth, the driver who brought me to the airport that night with my luggage pulled up, immediately came out and took all my luggage, and did the same at the airport — and then offered me directions on the quickest way to get to my terminal (which was a lifesaver during that whole Terminal 5 fiasco).

]]> By: cstaff http://www.thelondontraveler.com/2007/12/tipping-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-95 cstaff Fri, 30 May 2008 21:24:16 +0000 http://www.thelondontraveler.com/tipping-in-london/#comment-95 Wow Emily I had no idea they payed that much less than minimum. Last I checked the minimum wage for Massachusetts was $7.50/hr. Wow Emily I had no idea they payed that much less than minimum. Last I checked the minimum wage for Massachusetts was $7.50/hr.

]]> By: Emily McMillen http://www.thelondontraveler.com/2007/12/tipping-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-196 Emily McMillen Wed, 28 May 2008 21:24:12 +0000 http://www.thelondontraveler.com/tipping-in-london/#comment-196 Tatyana, I'm waitress in Boston and I am paid $2.63/hr. This wage is pretty much the same elsewhere in boston. We rely on Tips to make our living. It is very disconcerning when we do not make at least 15-20% on the bill. Tatyana,

I’m waitress in Boston and I am paid $2.63/hr. This wage is pretty much the same elsewhere in boston. We rely on Tips to make our living. It is very disconcerning when we do not make at least 15-20% on the bill.

]]> By: CK http://www.thelondontraveler.com/2007/12/tipping-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-205 CK Thu, 13 Mar 2008 02:32:40 +0000 http://www.thelondontraveler.com/tipping-in-london/#comment-205 Tatyana, Waitresses in my area are paid between $2-$3 / hr (which is much less than the minimum wage) because they are expected to make minimum wage by. More information from the Department of Labor here: http://www.dol.gov/esa/programs/whd/state/tipped.htm Where you can see the the federal minimum cash wage is $2.13 for tipped employes. Tatyana,

Waitresses in my area are paid between $2-$3 / hr (which is much less than the minimum wage) because they are expected to make minimum wage by.

More information from the Department of Labor here:

http://www.dol.gov/esa/programs/whd/state/tipped.htm

Where you can see the the federal minimum cash wage is $2.13 for tipped employes.

]]> By: Jed http://www.thelondontraveler.com/2007/12/tipping-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-146 Jed Wed, 26 Dec 2007 00:00:41 +0000 http://www.thelondontraveler.com/tipping-in-london/#comment-146 Hello, Tatyana. Your point gets into the nitty-gritty detail of minimum-wage law. Yes, everyone is paid a legal minimum wage, but for certain professions the legal minimum wage is significantly less than the posted, normal minimum wage. In the UK, bartenders, waitresses and more get paid the actual minimum wage, and thus aren't as reliant on tips as they would be in the US. I hope this clears it up... Jed Hello, Tatyana.

Your point gets into the nitty-gritty detail of minimum-wage law. Yes, everyone is paid a legal minimum wage, but for certain professions the legal minimum wage is significantly less than the posted, normal minimum wage.

In the UK, bartenders, waitresses and more get paid the actual minimum wage, and thus aren’t as reliant on tips as they would be in the US.

I hope this clears it up…

Jed

]]> By: Tatyana http://www.thelondontraveler.com/2007/12/tipping-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-111 Tatyana Fri, 21 Dec 2007 03:31:01 +0000 http://www.thelondontraveler.com/tipping-in-london/#comment-111 Actually, no one in the US who's legally employed earns less than the minimum wage. That's why it's called the minimum wage. So your explanation for why tipping is more common in America isn't quite right (that said, I have no idea what the right explanation is, besides established norms). Actually, no one in the US who’s legally employed earns less than the minimum wage. That’s why it’s called the minimum wage. So your explanation for why tipping is more common in America isn’t quite right (that said, I have no idea what the right explanation is, besides established norms).

]]> By: A visitor’s Guide to British pubs http://www.thelondontraveler.com/2007/12/tipping-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-130 A visitor’s Guide to British pubs Fri, 07 Dec 2007 16:10:06 +0000 http://www.thelondontraveler.com/tipping-in-london/#comment-130 [...] After the flood of comments in regards to tipping below, I’ve now posted a general guide to Tipping in London.  I look forward to your comments [...] [...] After the flood of comments in regards to tipping below, I’ve now posted a general guide to Tipping in London.  I look forward to your comments [...]

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