How much do you tip?

I very rarely tip unless the service is really exceptional. These workers get paid at least minimum wage just like I do. I do not work in an area where you get tips and I've never really understood the concept of tipping. So, I get minimum wage but I'm suppose to pay a waitress etc. extra when they also now get minimum wage!!!

I'll probably ruffle some feathers here, but I think it's archaic and insulting to give "Christmas boxes". I also think that tipping just to get preferential treatment (tables, appointments) is not good. I will tip youngsters or trainees who are unlikely to be earning much, otherwise no. It's the thin end of the corruption wedge IMHO.

Agree with BlueBelle and we rarely tip.

I've become uneasy about tipping in restaurants as I don't think it always gets passed on to the staff who do the work. My young niece had a Christmas job waitressing-the boss took all the tips and allegedly gave the staff a day out-in February! She was back at university by then.
I tend to round off taxi fares to the nearest pound or tenner.
I'm not a comfortable tipper-too British!

Phew Christinefrance thanks for that post I was beginning to feel mean and I know I m not I just don't understand in this day and age why some are deemed more in need or more important than others
Why is hairdressing and waiting considered jobs that need to be tipped Alig99 but not a check out girl or the cleaner I m sure their wages are similar

I think it's a historical hang over from a class system

Irene1960 I love the fact you travelled to Hollandaise

I totally agree with Bluebelle, I don't really agree with tipping. It enables employers to pay lower wages and in the case of a service charge which is added to the bill, I have heard it will not find it's way back to the staff but is used to pay wages (heard this on Watchdog from a member of staff of a restaurant speaking undercover.) Bluebelle is right, why would I tip a taxi driver but not a bus driver? I do round up my hairdresser's fee, she charges £43 for a colour, cut, and blow dry which I think is very cheap, I round it up to £45 (she is very good too and has been cutting my hair for many years.)
I wouldn't tip generally, it's outdated, and was originally 'to ensure promptitude' which meant the tip was given before the service to ensure the tipper was served first.

I tip in a restaurant but only directly to the server or if I'm with a group and we pool our costs + tip. I round up a taxi fare but I never tip anyone else. I give my hairdresser some money at Christmas having told her when I first went there that I don't do tipping per se! The service has always been good. I feel very awkward about tipping I must admit.

Before the minimum wage came in it was quite common in some jobs for people to not get paid at all and be expected to live on tips. Now that we know that people will (or should) be getting a wage, I am not sure that people should feel obliged to tip so much. As people have said, it is very arbitrary as to what jobs people get tipped for and which they don't. I don't eat out in restaurants very often and I never did a calculations, just threw down a few pounds so maybe I have been unintentionally mean but I agree with BlueBelle. This was one of the reasons people fought for the minimum wage and now fight for it to be a (true) living wage. I'm too wimpy to not leave a tip at all.

I don't tip my hairdresser as he owns the business and charges quite a high price. Nor do I tip if I have a facial etc. I never got the feeling it was expected or usual. The only time I will tip is in a restaurant if service is not included and generally then 10%. We lived in Holland for a while and there they just round the amount up to the nearest round figure.

Agree with cherrytree, I am a cashier in large supermarket even if customers wanted to (which ofcourse they don't) we are not allowed to accept gifts/tips why do some jobs get/expect tips???

Quite agree BlueBelle. why do we tip some workers and not others? I only tip if someone has done more for me than they need to. Why tip waiting staff and not the chef or the person who washes up ? Why do we traditionally not tip shop assistants, nurses, porters, firefighters, the whole thing should be scrapped.

If not good service I will give nothing but other than that 10 percent. I find that in the UK service can be awful especially in some eating places but abroad generally very good. Once in hollandaise we stopped off for breakfast on the way to the ferry and we got extremely bad service from I would add an older woman who did not cracking a smile and had no interaction at all. We will never return and she got absolutely no tip from my hubble who is usually a very generous tipper. We both agreed that day she did not deserve one, tipping should be based on friendly and helpful service.

Bluebell whilst I agree about why tip for just doing their job but if you are in employment wherè tipping is considered the norm (hairdresting and hospitality) HMRC tax your estimatedad tips so if you don't get any them it comes out of your basic wage. Which leads me on to say that tupping imo leads to lower wages being paid by employers.

I also feel very awkward tippng the hairdresser and feel it is patronising. but make myself do it. 10%. Usually leave 10% in cash on the table afyer meals out too - unless we frel service has been very poor. £5 to milkman, postman & paper boy at Christmas and 4 cans beer for dustbin men. Ive never tipped the window cleaner or delivery men.

i'm another meany - i don't tip anyone apart from the serving staff at a restaurant when friends and i go out to lunch and that's generally only £1 from each of us.

I just loath the whole concept of tipping as I feel patronising when I hand someone money - 'Here you are my good man/woman' but know that lots of students, and those in low aid jobs, rely on tips. I always hand it to the person, rather than add it to the bill as there have been so many instances reported where the company either don't hand over tips or not the whole amount. usually 10% - that's what I thought was standard, and I do agree it's really odd to tip a hairdresser and not the person who wears themselves out running back and forth getting shoes for you!

sorry its not class related ...as I said my son worked in hospitality for a few years,the management in more than one "upmarket" restaurant split the tips ..most went to managers who were on a much higher salary than the kids who were waiting tables for a pittance and on their feet for long hours so I make sure I give my tips in CASH to the servers who I feel have earned it .Nothing to do with class ,just trying to make it a bit fairer

What about all he public sector workers, a hairdresser more important than a fireman, I think not, I m with you Jevive, I have always felt it was tied in to a class thing it's certainly not about generosity

And what abour the poor souls im mcdonalds and kfc?

If people were paid fairly they would not need tipping

I think everyone should be paid fairly and taxed fairly. Tipping stems from a class society where the servile got what the gentry felt like giving. Completely wrong imo. The other strange thing to me is that if for example one restaurant charges twenty pounds and the next twentyfive, so four people 80 or 100 pounds, why would the tip be 8 pounds v 10 pounds. Haircut and blowdry 20 or 65... tip 2.50 or 6.50. No tippng in Australia or Japan...much simpler

There is no "mean' involved, I tip because I want to tip. People I tip need the money, just my thoughts.

My late DH was the same!

I have re read my post and maybe it does sound sexist
but my intentions are not.

My Dh doesn't drink wine but would be more than happy with the chocolates.

Well, they wouldn't have to drink it at work, would they?

Sorry, my rather clumsily-put point was that it sounded rather sexist to give the man a bottle of wine and the girls chocolates and biscuits.