In the UK there's no similar pressure by companies to give tips, and it's still very much up to the individual whether they tip or not.
Jenny and I usually give tips to cabbies, restaurant staff, hairdressers, housekeeping staff in hotels, and sometimes to coffee shop staff. We don't refuse to give a tip unless we've had very bad service or a very bad experience of some kind.
We know that most of the people we give tips to are likely to be financially stretched and probably rely on tips to make ends meet. They may very well be getting no more than the legal minimum wage for working in tough conditions for long hours.
Of course they should be earning a decent wage that lets them be free of money worries, but the reality is that they're not getting a decent wage and probably never will be.
An interesting tip situation arose on our recent trip to Edinburgh. The hotel had a policy of not servicing rooms unless the guest asked for it, presumably to reduce the number of staff needed and reduce the amount of laundry.
That was fine by us, except that we only had our room serviced once so that leaving a tip for that one day seemed excessive and we didn't leave one. Unfortunately if other guests thought the same then the housekeeping staff's income from tips must have been drastically reduced. Did the hotel raise their wages accordingly to compensate? Somehow I doubt it.
When we were on holiday in Egypt the hotel doorman said that the housekeeping staff did not have a regular round of rooms, so - if we wanted to tip - could we leave a little every day! We did that as the room was always spotless and it amounted to what we would have left at the end of the stay.
ReplyDeleteI tip taxi drivers, my hairdresser and waiting staff in cash as a matter of routine, but I am jiggered if I will pay a compulsory service charge, so best I do not visit the U.S.A., I imagine.
Fly: A little each day is something I haven't encountered. And a compulsory service charge that doesn't allow for the actual quality of service is sneaky.
DeleteSince Covid, I believe many hotels here have limited maid service to every third night. I think it’s a combination of limited staff and guests not wanting extra people coming into their rooms.
ReplyDeleteThe only change I’ve noticed regarding tipping is that there are some iPad type of checkouts where you are forced to tip and only given the choices of 20, 25, or 30%. Consumers are not happy about that. I generally pay with cash at places like that (coffee shops, pizza shops, etc. that are counter service) because it’s never a large amount. And that way, I can control the tip.
Bijoux: Maid service every three days is also something I haven't come across before. And I've never heard of 30% tips before. Surely 20% is more than enough?
DeleteWe were helped in Airport with wheelchairs and always give tips for that. I was a waitress in 1970s, and it was hard.
ReplyDeleteSusan: Tipping for help with wheelchairs seems fair enough. And yes, waitressing is pretty tough. Likewise being a barista with a queue of people impatient to be served must also be pretty tough.
DeleteI'm a tipper. I can't imagine living on the wages some earn. But there are a few locations where I see the tip jar and feel a bit irritated. We are turning into a banana republic with tip each and everybody. I'm not a cheapo. I just think we need to pay people more appropriately and not make them dependent on the generosity of strangers.
ReplyDeleteAnn: Indeed, if people were paid properly they wouldn't need this archaic business of tipping.
DeleteI am 4 square for tipping, but I think it should disappear and servers need a fair wage.
ReplyDeleteJoanne: Hear hear. It sickens me to see the sort of salaries the people at the top get as opposed to those at the bottom of the heap.
DeleteOh. I haven't stayed anywhere in ages. I will tip in restaurants, and at the hairdressers.
ReplyDeleteI keep meaning to tip at Christmas - the bin men and the postman. Maybe we should tip nurses - or at least give small gifts of thanks to smooth our way - I don't know - it's something I've been musing on lately.
Sx
Ms Scarlet: It's not customary here to tip bin men or posties. But we do give a bit extra to our window cleaner at Christmas.
DeleteI do tip and I try to give cash as I know it goes directly into pockets of the staff/servers as I know they're up against it with greedy employers slicing off the top for their cut of a digital payment.
ReplyDeleteUnless the service is appalling which is rare. Like a bad haircut one time or being neglected completely with no updates from servers.
I tip my helper really generously at the holiday season. As she is a miracle of efficiency and kindness.
XO
WWW
www: We never ever include a tip on a card payment, since as you say it probably doesn't go to the servers. And yes, appalling service is thankfully quite rare now there is so much competition between businesses.
DeleteMary says: "Tipping has become a joke here. They want you tip tip at fast food places when you drive there and pick up your own food but that's not going to happen with me. I will tip at a sit down restaurant and if I have food delivered. That's it."
ReplyDeleteMary: You're expected to tip when you pick up your own food? That's crazy. That's like tipping at a self-checkout till.
Delete1. I have never tipped for housekeeping but if I did, it would be every day. It's not going to be the same person every day, for sure.
ReplyDelete2. Tipping in cash to the server makes sure your person gets their bit extra but a generalised tip makes sure the cooks and dishwashers get some too (assuming the management doesn't take the whole bang lot)
3. I wouldn't tip for assistance with a wheelchair (at least not in Australia where people are paid better than in other parts of the world. Paying for assistance of that kind just affirms the idea that disabled people are a pain in the arse but if the world was better at accommodating, we'd need less assistance
Kylie: True, it's not going to be the same person every day.
DeleteBut you can't be sure a generalised tip is going to the right people.
I agree about tipping as a wheelchair-user. Assistance should just be normal practice.