Tipping in England, Ireland and Scotland

[chefestelle]

Hello! I'm looking for tipping advice from our English, Irish and Scottish members. Welsh, too, In case I can fit that in! I recently saw a post from a European poster who urged me to consider the tipping customs in Europe and not presume to bring my Canadian practices over. I intended to tip according to custom but this got me working on my research. The information was quite inconsistent! What are the tipping customs for dining, cabs, porters and room attendants? Thanks very much in advance!

[Bob++]

This subject is covered extensively elsewhere but here is a brief rundown.

 

In essence, tipping in Great Britain and Northern Ireland (I can't speak for the Irish Republic) is not considered as part of a wage. That said, there are times when a tip is appropriate. It is rare to tip more than 10% anywhere.

 

Taxi: It is normal to "round up" the fare. So an £9.20 fare would be rounded up to £10 but an £80 fare from LHR to Southampton, where the driver helps with the luggage, would reasonably be rounded up to £85 or even £90. Part of that is simply to avoid the need for the driver to rummage around for small change.

 

Tours: As part of a group on a coach, there might be a collection for the guide and the driver. £1 (or £2 if they were really good) each is sufficient. On a private tour, for which you might have paid several hundred pounds, it depends entirely on how good it was. A driver who just drives, would not expect much (maybe £5?) whereas a driver who gives and interesting commentary and goes out of their way to accommodate you, would be worth more.

 

Restaurants: "Proper" restaurants, those with a waiter service, and especially those in London, nearly always add a 12½% gratuity to the bill. There is certainly no need to add more. At any place that does not bring your food to the table, or where (as in many pubs) you pay up front when you order at the bar, there is no expectation of a tip by anyone.

 

Hotel: If a porter brings your bags to your room, a tip of £2 is appropriate. No need to tip for room service though. Unless you leave your room in a mess, there is no need to leave anything for the chambermaid.

 

Pubs: You pay cash when you buy a drink and there is no expectation of a tip by the bar staff. If you get to a second drink, and have been talking to the bar person, it is OK to offer to buy them a drink. They might put the cash in a jar (for later).

 

For a more lengthy essay on tipping, go here: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g186216-s606/United-Kingdom:Tipping.And.Etiquette.html

Edited February 25, 2016 by Bob++

[Enforcer]

Hi,

 

Bob++'s summation is excellent advice, the only thing I would add is that tips are appreciated but not expected, also "service charge" that is added can be removed if you aren't happy, ask to speak to the manager.

 

Pete

[LondonTowner]

And all this will also apply in the Republic of Ireland, except you will be paying in Euros.

[John Bull]

Tipping in the UK is a matter for the customer.

Thus you will get conflicting information, though Bob's summary is mainstream and I agree with everything in his post.:)

 

Whereas in the US (I don't know about Canada) tips are expected & are a major part of the income, in the UK and the rest of Europe the legal minimum wage provides the bread-and-butter and the tips provide the jam.

For me, in a restaurant or pub dining room, good service warrants 5% & excellent service 10%, though not all Brits tip. Poor service warrants nothing.

Use your own discretion with partial service, such as in many pubs & cafes.

 

Some restaurant menus say service is included, some say gratuities are at your discretion. I treat both the same - I give about 5% to 10%

Usually, but not always, a tip can be added to a card payment. Some proprietors deduct the card commission from the tip, they're not permitted to keep any more.

Servers in some establishments pool their tips & may include kitchen porters in the pool. Makes no odds to me.

 

Unfortunately, & especially in tourist areas, many restaurants add a service charge of 10 to 15%. I avoid such places as a matter of principle though sometimes it's unavoidable - especially in central London.

When I do eat in such places I don't leave any extra - but that's a personal attitude. I've never had service bad enough to warrant the removal of a service charge but I believe the Enforcer is correct.

 

Any extra charges, such as service charges, must by law be declared on the menu and the menu must be displayed outside the premises. And tax must by law be included in prices. So there should be no surprises when the check is brought. Although prices are higher in the UK than in North America, the gap is closed by UK prices being inclusive.

 

We don't tip barkeeps.

Vaguely along the lines of Bob's post, if I & the barkeep in my hotel bar spend some time sorting out the world's problems (taxi drivers & hairdressers can't solve all the world's problems by themselves ;)) then I'll include the barkeep in a round of drinks.

 

Transfer drivers eg Southampton to London £5 to £10, or zilch if they're worth zilch.

London cabbies. Try to have pound coins in your pocket, & round-up.

Porters. Again, try to have pound coins in your pocket. Having nothing smaller than a £5 note gives you a dilemma.

Coach drivers mebbe a pound.

Guides I work out the maths based on a total of zilch to £50 (depending how good) divided by the number of punters. So on a coach £1 apiece, in a van mebbe up to £5 tops. But like all the figures in this post, that's just me.

 

Chambermaids. There's no norm. Mebbe £2 per night, but many don't leave anything.

 

Finally, don't worry too much about what you should tip.

Nobody's going to chase you down the road if you don't tip anyone, anywhere.

 

JB :)

Edited February 25, 2016 by John Bull

[LondonTowner]

John Bull

 

I have never heard the word 'barkeep', did you make it up?

 

Iwould never leave 15 per cent tip, even in a high end London restaurant. I find the added tip annoying, but if the service has been good I will reluctantly pay it. If service has been bad or not up to standard I ask for it to be removed and leave a lot less or nothing at all.

[John Bull]

John Bull

 

I have never heard the word 'barkeep', did you make it up?

 

.

 

It's American.

 

...........errr..... I think. ;)

 

JB :)

Edited February 25, 2016 by John Bull

[LondonTowner]

I would never ever use something like that. Bartender or Barman is fine for me!

[dogs4fun]

It's American.

 

...........errr..... I think. ;)

 

JB :)

Yep, it is North American slang. Usless info: barkeep was first used in literature circa 1873 by Bret Harte (Mrs. Skaggs's Husbands and other stories) although I have read that the first know use of the term hails back to 1671.

[chefestelle]

This is very informative! Thanks very much. Oddly enough, tips are considered part of the wage in Canada even though every province (and I think territory) has a minimum wage law meant to create a minimum living wage. And barkeep is American though I have no idea if it's widely used. We use bartender in Canada.

[Bob++]

I'm sure that I remember barkeep from Cheers, or maybe Frazier. I found this:

 

Barkeep, a couple of beers here, please? 1999: Frasier (TV, episode 6.13)

 

and there is this:

 

I sez to the barkeep' o' the hotel, "Show me the biggest doctor here." 1873: Bret Harte, Mrs. Skaggs's Husbands

[LondonTowner]

Well, you live and learn. I find information regarding language interesting. Something that irritates me that Americans use is the word 'gotten', but by all accounts it was used many years ago in England, but the usage died out (thank goodness).

[chefestelle]

I hear you! Even the expression ill gotten gains puts my teeth on edge! English is falling into disrepair all over North America.

[wowzz]

There's a good book called The Barkeep by William Lashner.

[orchestrapal]

We stay at a 5 star hotel for weeks at a time in London. We have gotten friendly with many on the staff and know that below the executive level pay is woefully low.

Our chamber maid is always tipped well as are the main waitresses who serve us so well daily for breakfast. I don't look at this as an American thing but rather an appreciative one.

 

Brits feel free to slam away!

Edited February 25, 2016 by orchestrapal

[Bob++]

What you tip is entirely up to you. I like to reward good service, and by that I mean over and above the norm, whenever I come across it. I will not slip a doorman £10, just for holding my taxi door open.

 

The OP asked about custom and practice, and that is the advice he got. Anyone in the tourist industry know that North Americans are good tippers. There is no guarantee that they get any better service though.

[SteveH2508]

I would never ever use something like that. Bartender or Barman is fine for me!

 

Or if you are conversing with the landlord - Guv'ner;)

[Kenswing]

I would never ever use something like that. Bartender or Barman is fine for me!

 

I need to brush up on my British before I come over in May.. I just know I'm going to get dirty looks if I ask where the bathroom or the elevators are.. :D

[LondonTowner]

As long as you ask for toilet or lift you will be OK, but whatever you do don't tell anybody you are wearing a fanny pack unless you want some very strange looks or raucous laughter.

[Keith1010]

Great information by Bob and JB.

 

Keith

[Bob++]

Actually Kenswing, we watch so much American TV that (fanny packs apart) we are bilingual here. No one will think you want a bath if you ask for the bathroom, or a moving staircase if you want the elevator. We will even understand if you describe the size of something in Imperial inches or feet.

 

All we ask is that you leave that Hawaiian shirt in the wardrobe (closet) and refrain from saying "Aww Gee" too loudly and too often...:)

 

Enjoy your visit - I am sure you will be welcome wherever you go.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Bob++

[Clarea]

We are planning to visit the UK this year, so this indo is very useful, thanks.

[lcumpire]

Thank you everyone as well

[Kenswing]

Actually Kenswing, we watch so much American TV that (fanny packs apart) we are bilingual here. No one will think you want a bath if you ask for the bathroom, or a moving staircase if you want the elevator. We will even understand if you describe the size of something in Imperial inches or feet.

 

All we ask is that you leave that Hawaiian shirt in the wardrobe (closet) and refrain from saying "Aww Gee" too loudly and too often...:)

 

Enjoy your visit - I am sure you will be welcome wherever you go.

 

I'm am so looking forward to coming over there.. I must say, you Brits have a great sense of humo(u)r.. :D

[GUT2407]

I need to brush up on my British before I come over in May.. I just know I'm going to get dirty looks if I ask where the bathroom or the elevators are.. :D

 

Actually because of movies and TV . Coupled with your accent, they'll likely know exactly what you mean.