Tipping/Pour Boire (over the 12.5%)

[Marlyn4k]

On a visit to Paris a few years ago I was leafing through some Guide Book and stumbled upon a piece on Pour Boire in relation to restaurants: It said that it is customary in France to leave up to an additional 5% (in cash) over and above the standard service charge when you are very happy.

To what extent is this practice followed among diners in gastronomic restaurants in Britain?

Personally, I started tipping in the UK after reading that article but have never been sure how much to give or whether it was a standard practice?

I have noticed that many restaurant managers have the handshake down to an art form

[Matthew Grant]

I tend to think that 12.5 % is ample in the UK. I have some reservations about putting it on the bill and would prefer to have it left to my discretion. Occasionally I will tip over the 12.5 % but only in cash and only if I received service above and beyond the call of duty.

I remember the days when 10% was the norm. I think it was Conran who started a storm by tagging 12.5% on at Quaglinos when it opened

[BertieWooster]

Tend to do it by gut feeling, working from 10% (I'm not bright enough to work out 12.5%), and then rounding up or down, so any meal costing £120-£180 is basically going to end up with a £20 tip if the service has been good.

What does slightly irritate me, and it's probably the Yorkshire stinginess coming out is including the cost of wine when working out the 10/12.5%. Surely it takes no more service to open a bottle of £60 wine rather than a bottle of £20 wine, yet it adds more to the bill and generates more in tips...

*whinge whinge*

[Matthew Grant]

What does slightly irritate me, and it's probably the Yorkshire stinginess coming out is including the cost of wine when working out the 10/12.5%. Surely it takes no more service to open a bottle of £60 wine rather than a bottle of £20 wine, yet it adds more to the bill and generates more in tips...

*whinge whinge*

Please can we stop this line of argument right here, whilst I fully agree I don't think I can stand yet another 200 pages of consumer vs owner arguments on this point

[BertieWooster]

aw, no fun!

[Basildog]

Yes Matt, no argument here.Your all grown ups, tip what you like, stop worring what the "norm" is for fecks sake.Americans tip more than Brits, do i say ,no no thats too much? Do i chase after people who leave nothing??? No.

[Marlyn4k]

The original question was not about the 12.5% that gets added to a bill and called 'discretionary', I'm more interested to understand to what extent do we leave something over and above that 12.5% - The Tip or Pour Boire - The 12.5% is not a tip as far as I understand as it contributes to wages rather than a 'something extra'.

I know of one restaurant where they put all the money received over and above the 12.5% into a pot and have a summer river boat shuffle party for all the staff!

Until I read that article I had no idea that one ever gave anything over and above the 12.5%.

[Suzi Edwards]

I spend a lot of time in the US where a 20% tip is the norm. You never see a service or a cover charge.

In the UK, if someone levys a 12.5% service chrage, that's all they get from me. But if the service is good and there is no service charge we tip 15-20%.

[CheGuevara]

I spend a lot of time in the US where a 20% tip is the norm. You never see a service or a cover charge.

it's not uncommon to see service charges added to the bill, primarily for large parties of 6 or more, usually between 17.5 - 20%. sometimes if they consider you a toursist they will also levy a charge. in the US, by law, they must inform you of the service charge in the menu.

the problem in the US is that waiting staff - one of a few occupations - are paid a total compensation made up of wage and tips. the combination must equal or exceed the national minimum wage, thus allowing establishments to pay below minimum wage in expectance of the difference being covered by tips. not all but most restaurants follow this practice, thus customers are covering roughly 15% (standard) of the waiter's wages. the result has been an expectancy for something which was always seen as an additional reward for hard work; so we see a decline in the level of service coupled with an increase in the cost of eating out.

i'm completely against non-discretionary tipping, i have no desire to cover the restaurant's costs at the expense of the wiaters and service provided to me.

-che