Brits don't like to tip

[dbowe5]

I was on a RCL cruise five years ago and on the final night when the tips were given out our waiter who was usually very upbeat looked very sad. The large table next to ours had eight couples and only three left him tips. My friend stated that the people were from England and they don't believe in tipping. Our poor waiter counted on that money to send to his family in the Philippines.

 

I can't believe you are bring up a bit of Brit bashing regarding tips from 5 years ago - thats just poor - and you got this from your friend so they may not have been British anyway!

 

Believe it or not, the world has changed a little since then. Most brits will tip when it is the norm - I feel I'm very well travelled and my 1st cruise was only 3 years ago - and I didn't have a clue regarding tips on that cruise. If tipping is the norm then that's what I (and I would hope) most brits would follow and pay them.

[hooked cruiser]

Hi Celle,

 

Yes I did travel on the MV Akaroa, she had 2 sister ships as well the Aranda and the Arawa. (The were all ex royal mail ships as well.) Did you stay in NZ or return to the UK? I only did one trip on the Akaroa the remainder were on the Aranda.

 

Each ship went a different way to and from Australia and when we met in the Pacific if the weather was good then a lifeboat was lowered from each ship and a competition took place for the 1st boat to circle their own ship. The winners got a case of beer and the company made money (lots of it) by taking bets from the passengers.

 

Hows that for entertainment? No theatres in those days only a very small cinema and a play area for the kids.

[maria_sienna]

Our poor waiter counted on that money to send to his family in the Philippines.

 

By law (in the Philippines), 80% of the maritime worker's salary must be sent back to the country - either directly to a beneficiary, a beneficiary's bank account or his own. The recruitment/placement agency works this out with the cruiseline. Of course, since the tips may amount to 50% of their total pay, they can always send those, too.

[celle]

Hi Celle,

 

Yes I did travel on the MV Akaroa, she had 2 sister ships as well the Aranda and the Arawa. (The were all ex royal mail ships as well.) Did you stay in NZ or return to the UK? I only did one trip on the Akaroa the remainder were on the Aranda.

 

 

Yes, I stayed in NZ - married a Kiwi - but 2 of our 3 kids are now living back in England. Our daughter has married an englishman (what could I say?) and our son has been in the UK for 5+ years.

 

It gives us plenty of excuse for going back to the UK as often as we can :).

[sandancer]

If the Times had named the article "Brits don't tip like Americans" it would have been nearer to the facts. It is absolutely true that the tipping culture is not the same in Europe but it is simply not true to say that Brits don't tip. The people who are tipped regularly in the UK are as follows:

Taxi drivers

Hairdressers and nail bar staff

Waiters

Tour guides and drivers

Hotel porters

Porters at airports and railway stations

 

As for cruising, we have many cruising friends and I don't know anyone who does not tip. We prefer to pre-pay and just consider tips to be part of the cruising budget. Always tip in the speciality restaurants and the concierge in the CL. I would say that this would be what most people would do unless they are cheapskates and then that goes for all nationalities.

[RetireeWannabee]

I can guarantee you that if the tips are mandatory, the service will nosedive:eek: And this will NOT suit the cruiseline. They may follow Celebrity's new policy - some people (including me - being an old fogey traditionalist) do remove the tips preferring to tip personally, but most do not.

You can GUARANTEE this? Wow. Would love to borrow your crystal ball for stock picks.

[RetireeWannabee]

By law (in the Philippines), 80% of the maritime worker's salary must be sent back to the country - either directly to a beneficiary, a beneficiary's bank account or his own. The recruitment/placement agency works this out with the cruiseline. Of course, since the tips may amount to 50% of their total pay, they can always send those, too.

That's interesting. Thank you - I had not yet learned something new today, and really did not think I'd find it on CC.

[JuicyG]

as a first time cruiser, i would have had no idea whatsoever that i had to shell out an additional 140 bucks for the two of us to cruise for a week had I not researched blogs. scary. i am just glad i know how much is expected so i can plan for the extra money.

[kooljamming]

I am interested though' date=' to know why they would bother working for a Company when their income was so low. The cruiseline has no problem recruiting staff it seems - very mysterious if there is no income.

 

[/quote']

 

Well, here is my take. I am Jamaican, born and raised in one of those countries the cruise lines recruit from. So why bother working for a company when income is so low - a matter of survival. The choice is work for something or die with nothing. Hunger is overrated unless you are on a diet. Going naked is only desirable at Hedonism (not saying this gurl was there or anything like that, that's how rumors get started:eek:) .

 

I wonder if people who work salaried fancy job in the US do a lesser job because their pay is guaranteed. If not, why the assumption that others won't take the same pride. The only thing lesser about some jobs is the pay, not the people or the pride. There are thousands of salaried workers in the US and no fear they will perform less..aren't they?

 

As a waitress I took pride in my job and provided great service to customers who I knew would not tip. What I did said a lot about me, what others did said a lot about them. Not tipping would have made them a few dollars richer but never better, that I knew. I have met many people in the service industry who felt this way, on land and sea.

[familia_solis]

We got off the FOS last Sunday and our wonderful dining room server told us that the Brits did not like to tip. I had read a thread before the cruise stating this and didnt believe it but she brought it up and I felt really bad for her. She had a table full of Brits next to ours and my husband and I decided to tip EXTRA along with my 2 sisters in law and brother in law. She mentioned another race group that I will not mention. I was shocked that she was that open about it.

[Scotsnomad]

I was a crew member with Shaw Saville line from 1968 - 1972 and was a steward, in those times we took the £10 emigrants from The Royal Albert Docks in London to Australia and carried freight as well.

 

The little extras were often supplied by us to the passengers, I for one used to purchase fresh fruit while in Cape Town and pay the fridge controller to store it for me.

After a few days the fruit supplied by the company had gone and after a further day I would then place mine on the tables I was responsible for. When the passengers asked why they had fruit and nobody else did I would explain what I had done. My tips at the end of the trip far exceeded what I had spent and were normally more than anybody elses (and we kept them)

 

Nowadays we tip as a routine and very seldom do we see any extras.

 

Boy now that is a blast from the Past - Shaw Saville I can remember their boats coming into Hong kong when I was a lad !!!

[dickydonkin]

We got off the FOS last Sunday and our wonderful dining room server told us that the Brits did not like to tip. I had read a thread before the cruise stating this and didnt believe it but she brought it up and I felt really bad for her. She had a table full of Brits next to ours and my husband and I decided to tip EXTRA along with my 2 sisters in law and brother in law. She mentioned another race group that I will not mention. I was shocked that she was that open about it.

 

Do you think that it is appropriate for Dining Room Server to be so 'open' about other 'races' tipping habits to other guests?

 

The reality is that in a country that pays a legal national minimum wage, tipping is just not part of our culture here in the UK. That is not suggesting we do not give tips.

 

It could be argued that your 'wonderful Dining Room Server' was playing you along by informing you how bad other guests tipping habits were and it seems you fell for it hook, line and sinker by offering extra tips.

 

The servers job is not to prejudge or make generalised comments about other guests tipping habits to diners. Maybe if she performed her duties as well as she gossiped, maybe her tip count at the end of the day would improve!

[WooKeef]

as a resident of Europe but a U.S. Citizen I must say this discussion is intriguing. I MUCH prefer the european way. I give generous when I am given personal service...but maybe a euro for minimal service. While tipping is not expected, it is done here...and appreciated much more. Now, I have a cruise booked for RCI in July and one previous on Azamara. I love what Azamara is doing and raising the rates and including the wine/coffee/laundry/tips(to name a few changes) in the cost of the cruise. I am certain that if we get what we consider exceptional service we will still gladly pay a few extra dollars to the individual providing the service. I think Europeans have the right way of doing it...and servers are much better here than in the states and they get paid significantly more. In the states waitstaff is dependent on the customer for their income...and that sucks. I returned home for a visit last summer and really got annoyed at being obligated to pay a tip even though it was terrible service (of course the food was horrid compared to the food I eat here, but that is another discussion all together).

[worldsbestcandles]

as a resident of Europe but a U.S. Citizen I must say this discussion is intriguing. I MUCH prefer the european way. I give generous when I am given personal service...but maybe a euro for minimal service. While tipping is not expected, it is done here...and appreciated much more. Now, I have a cruise booked for RCI in July and one previous on Azamara. I love what Azamara is doing and raising the rates and including the wine/coffee/laundry/tips(to name a few changes) in the cost of the cruise. I am certain that if we get what we consider exceptional service we will still gladly pay a few extra dollars to the individual providing the service. I think Europeans have the right way of doing it...and servers are much better here than in the states and they get paid significantly more. In the states waitstaff is dependent on the customer for their income...and that sucks. I returned home for a visit last summer and really got annoyed at being obligated to pay a tip even though it was terrible service (of course the food was horrid compared to the food I eat here, but that is another discussion all together).

 

Although I'm a US citizen living in the USA, I travel to Europe for work a lot and echo your sentiment completely.

 

Also, many coworkers of mine come over from Europe to our office and I have to often explain how tips work, and why they are needed. Needless to say they are shocked that the government here allows pay below minimum wage to be supplemented with tips. They had no idea, and felt guilty that no one explained it to them and that people may have though bad of them because they inadvertantly "stiffed" someone.

 

I also don't like tipping for bad service, but I do usually give something. Luckily, on a cruise I have only had 1 bad encounter with an employee that I didn't want to tip. It was so bad that it was addressed with the head waiter before the end of the cruise and was not corrected. That was the only case where I didn't tip the suggested amount. I wouldn't tip poorly without saying something.

[kooljamming]

In the states waitstaff is dependent on the customer for their income...and that sucks.

 

 

Absolutely!

In one of the riches countries in the world, it is wrong to allow the pay of anyone to be left to the discretion of patrons. Having someone work for tips is a few steps/degrees above owning them and having them for at your will. I have worked as a waitress in the US, so I have gotten use the whole idea. Is it the best way to earn a living....not in my book. Is it a system I would defend...never. Once it is recognized as PAY/INCOME not tip which is misleading, then we have to let our conscience be our guide.

 

In the best interest of the workers (not always a priority) , why isn't called what it really stated on most accounts....A Hotel Charge!

I think people will undertand hotel charge is mandatory before they give in to madatory tip:eek:

[WooKeef]

Absolutely!

In one of the riches countries in the world it is wrong to allow the pay of anyone to be left to the discretion of patrons. Having someone work for tips is a few steps above owning them and having them for at your will. I have worked as a waitress in the US, so I get the whole idea. Is it the best way to earn a living....not in my book!

 

yeah, I totally agree. Waited tables in college...got groped and for nothing. I admire waitstaff and know they work hard. I could certainly NOT do it today.

[marci22]

Maybe not the best way to earn a living, but better than some and pays more than minimum when all you need to start is competence.

 

I always made better money as a tipped employee than as a minimum wage employee but believe me, if the choice was waiting tables or working at the Gap for minimum, I would'nt be waiting tables. Why bother? There needs to be an incentive to get someone to work so hard.

[kooljamming]

Maybe not the best way to earn a living, but better than some and pays more than minimum when all you need to start is competence.

 

I always made better money as a tipped employee than as a minimum wage employee but believe me, if the choice was waiting tables or working at the Gap for minimum, I would'nt be waiting tables. Why bother? There needs to be an incentive to get someone to work so hard.

 

I did too and was blessed with generous patrons. The job should be the blessing not if I got paid;)

I preferred feeling blessed for having a job, not lucky that after doing my job I may have money to take care of myself.

I met DH working as a waitress so the job has lasting benefits:D

 

For a challenging job, try being a substitute teacher in middle school, teaching Algebra:eek:

[DetroitMark]

I realize this is an old thread brought back up recently.

 

But honestly. Making generalized statements like "Brits don't tip" because of an article that frankly describes the sentiment of practially everyone else on the planet save for one or two cruise line apologists is not only rude but borders on the kind of generalization that leads to bigoted speech.

[Rizzla]

Tipping anyone for just doing their job in an average way is very alien to Brits, and most europeans unless the service is exceptional. I have been know to wipe a 'service charge' from a bill due to bad service.

 

In my own case it almost seems vulgar to tip at times, and even though I am quite well travelled palming some notes to someone as a tip somewhat embarasses me.

 

We did follow the suggested guidelines on our last cruise and were happy to do so.

 

I imagine that not everyone is aware that staff are paid low and their pay is supplemented in such a major way by tips.

[marci22]

Tipping anyone for just doing their job in an average way is very alien to Brits, and most europeans unless the service is exceptional. I have been know to wipe a 'service charge' from a bill due to bad service.

 

This is very understandable as your employees make a higher base wage, so the expectations are different. In the U.S., waiters are paid below minimum wage and it is expected that the customer will add a tip for the service. I have a friend from England who always comments how cheap it is to eat out here compared to where he is from, yet it bothers him to tip.

 

I will give less for poor service (rare) but never nothing. I have been given average service by plenty of salaried people and I hate to penalize a tipped employee for things possibly beyond their control.

 

Here in the U.S. the mindset is that the tip is basically part of the price of your meal if you are served by a waiter. Europeans have a different mindset because their employees are compensated differently. Of course you only want to tip a salaried employee if they go above and beyond, but our waiters are not compensated in the same manner.

 

If they did away with tipping here, restaurant prices would of course go up and you'd be paying the same price anyway. Restaurants are not easy money as evidenced by the preponderance of chains and the demise of family-owned operations.

[navigator0709]

I absolutely "love" talking about this topic. Let me give you my background first: I am an American, second generation European. I have traveled extensively in Europe. I understand the culture on both sides of the pond.

 

To me, tipping in restaurants is not "tipping" in the US, its a mandatory 15% service charge. I treat it as such and NEVER stiff wait staff. I guess if a waiter/waitress spit in my food (in front of me) I would maybe stiff them... I've gotten horrible service in the past, but still felt that nagging guilt that I must tip, because I KNOW that they only get paid $2 per hour (I was a waitress for 10 years in high school/college). However, I don't gerenally tip more than 15% except at breakfast, cheap restaurants, or if I don't order liquor. I think basing the tip on the total bill is really lame, because its more work to keep a bottomless cup of coffee filled, than to serve 2 $10 martinies... but I digress.

 

Tipping in America is OUT OF CONTROL. I have friends that tip UPS delivery guys, the mailman, etc... I think its funny when people tip the guy who drives the van from the airport parking lot to the terminal... are you kidding me? This guy is getting paid an hourly wage to drive me for a total of 1 minute to the terminal, now I have to give him 2 bucks?

 

I don't beleive that service in America (or on Cruise Ships) will diminish greatly if we included service in our food bills. Let me give you an example... the service in American retail establishments (Macy's, Kohl's, Airline call centers etc...) is MUCH better than comparable service in western European countries I've visited. Why? I think its cultural, not because of tips (we don't tip at Macy's Thank Goodness!). In the States there is a culture of excellent service, in some European countries (especially France), not so much. its has NOTHING to do with tips. :cool:

 

European friends that come to the States have a hard time understanding the whole tipping thing here... They think that the wait staff is getting paid a living wage (a fair assumption) and the tips are for above and beyond. When I explain to them that they will get virtually no income if we don't tip, then they begin to understand the system. I think the system is lacking.

 

Do Americans have extremely high expectations from their wait staff? YES, over the top I think. We really do expect wait staff to fawn all over us (generalizing here). As a waitress, I was delighted to make 15% and never had expecations for more. That was 15 years ago... the expecations are higher now. I love it when you get dirtly looks from the airport luggage guys when you refuse their help at the airport (I carry my own bags after one time getting scowled at for only giving that guy $5 bucks for 2 minutes of work). :rolleyes:

 

Don't get me started with the "turning over the tables comment". I am SO tired of wait staff coming over 50 times to check to see if I need anything, or if I can "wrap that up for you" when I'm still eating: reads, "get the hell out of my restaurant, I need to serve more people". This happens ALOT.

 

Sorry for the very long post... my vote, include the service charge on EVERYTHING, cruise and otherwise. Pay people a living wage (like you do the people in stores) and tip them for exceptional service. :o

[SamFritz]

I did too and was blessed with generous patrons. The job should be the blessing not if I got paid;)

I preferred feeling blessed for having a job, not lucky that after doing my job I may have money to take care of myself.

I met DH working as a waitress so the job has lasting benefits:D

 

For a challenging job, try being a substitute teacher in middle school, teaching Algebra:eek:

 

I'm a Middle School English Teacher in an Urban School. It's no picnic, that's for sure. I always tell my students that they'll be in twice as much trouble for giving a sub a hard time than if they had given me the same hard time.

[marci22]

Sorry for the very long post... my vote, include the service charge on EVERYTHING, cruise and otherwise. Pay people a living wage (like you do the people in stores) and tip them for exceptional service. :o

 

I think a service charge/nominal tip is a much easier system, however, prices in restaurants and for cruises would go up and you'd have lots of complaining initially. Oh, I can just imagine the outrage. :rolleyes:

 

Also you would have to pay a higher wage, imo, for waitstaff because it's a much harder, dirtier job than working in Macy's, for example. Why be a waiter for minimum wage when so many other jobs would pay the same and are relatively easier?

[navigator0709]

They could start by automatically adding the 15% service charge to the meals (as they do in many restaurants when there are more than 6 people).

 

If 15% is the going rate for this hard work of wait staff now, I can't see how it would change the demand for people to work at restaurants vs. at retail shops (like Macy's).