Tipping/Service Charge?

redalicat

As an American blow-in living in Ireland for the past 2.5 years, I'm still confused about tipping/service charge: who, when and how much. When we arrived several different people told us not to tip on anything, but lately I'm starting to see it in some restaurants and hair salons--just not always.

I want to do the right thing but don't have a clue on the protocol. A little help, please?

(Mods, please move this if not the right forum)

jor el

In a restaurant with table service, I would. In a hair dresser though, not that I visit hair dressers, but tipping someone you've probably just paid 150 euro to, seems a bit much.

dearg lady

generally in the hairdressers it'd be for the person who washes your hair. I used not, but I do these days, they're on feck all money, and it's only an extra few quid.

In restaurants I'd tip around 10% if service was good but not at all if not, I think it's silly people feel they have to tip even if service was awful!

snubbleste

I never tip in Ireland. Prices for services provided are high enough and people actually get paid a minimum wage by law.
It's not like the US where tips are part of the wage.

Paulw

If the service is very very good, I'd leave a tip. If the service is ok/average, then I wouldn't leave a tip.

Totally up to you, but there should never be an expectation of leaving a tip.

AARRRGH

The amount I tip depends on the restaurant. For example, the people who work in Wagamama, Jo Burger and The Market Bar in Dublin often make €1,000+ per week in tips. Because I know this, I tip very lightly (<10%) when eating in those restaurants.

If I am in a small restaurant which doesn't have a high turnover, I tip about 15%.

I only tip in restaurants.

calex71

If there is an enforced service charge then no, I would rarely tip if ever(I know you could argue your way out of that charge if the service was poor).
There will be arguments to say the staff dont see any of that service charge etc. but theres no way im going to drop another 10% on top of a 10% charge.

If however i was in a large group of say 10 i would see tipping as a good thing to do, even if service is only ok as it's difficult delivering 100% to large groups.

I would not tip in a bar for getting a drink as I have seen some do

dearg lady

calex71 wrote: »

There will be arguments to say the staff dont see any of that service charge etc. but theres no way im going to drop another 10% on top of a 10% charge.

Yeah, I only heard that recently, that a lot of time the service charge that's automatically included doesn't go to staff. Very unfair. They sometimes say optional but include it anyway, most people would be too embarassed to ask them to take it off, and the restaurant are counting on that!

legend73

I like Dick Solomon's approach in 3rd rock from the sun. Put a stack of 1 euro or 50 cent coins on the table tell them that is there tip, anytime they do something you dont like, or the food is average, then you take away from the pile. If they do something special for you, put back on the pile. What is left is the tip!

Cabaal

Paulw wrote: »

If the service is very very good, I'd leave a tip. If the service is ok/average, then I wouldn't leave a tip.

Totally up to you, but there should never be an expectation of leaving a tip.

Agreed, tipping people for everything is just bloody stupid, hey you did a ****e job here's some extra money...ah wtf? :eek:

Paulw

Cabaal wrote: »

Agreed, tipping people for everything is just bloody stupid, hey you did a ****e job here's some extra money...ah wtf? :eek:

If I got a tip for every time I did my job right, I'd be a rich man.

Colonel Sanders

Paulw wrote: »

If I got a tip for every time I did my job right, I'd be a rich man.

Agreed

I only tip for exceptional service. Tipping automatically? Why?

Thoie

Going back to the OP's question - tipping is not obligatory here the way it is in the States.

People that sometimes get tips are waitresses, hairdresser, taxi-drivers, food delivery guy, chambermaids. You might, in a pub, include the barman in your round, but that seems to be getting rarer.

People that never get tips:
Orthopaedic surgeons
Train drivers
Broadband installation "engineers".

Rev. Kitchen

Tipping has arrived due to lots of american influence ( TV ) in the USA waitresses or barfolk etc get paid very poorly so it is a custom to tip to prop up the wages. ( i have heard that some bars dont pay their staff at all and they only earn on tips)

In ireland the minimum wage is a lot higher so tipping isnt needed, people dont realise this difference and think tipping is the done thing here. Lots of restaurants add a service charge to your bill so thats allready a tip built in and people will tip on top of that too. So you pay for your food, the waitresses wage, a tip for everyone and a extra super bonus tip for the waiting staff.

The way i work it is if someone does a great job or i get a lovely dinner i will tip about 10% or round it up ie if dinner cost 44 euro id leave 50euro. But if i get poor service they dont get anything i dont see why someone should get a bonus for doing their job badly.

matrim

The places I tip are

* Restaurant if the service is good. I'd tip more if I really like it and plan to go back
* Food Delivery men - Mainly because I feel that if they remember you as a tipper you might get your food quicker next time (or at least I hope)
* Occasionally a taxi driver. But that's generally just a keep the change if it's less than 1 euro

beertons

matrim wrote: »

The places I tip are

* Restaurant if the service is good. I'd tip more if I really like it and plan to go back
* Food Delivery men - Mainly because I feel that if they remember you as a tipper you might get your food quicker next time (or at least I hope)
* Occasionally a taxi driver. But that's generally just a keep the change if it's less than 1 euro

Same as me. If I head out with a group, and we're in one place for the night, I'll tell the barman to get one for himself early in the night. Get the cash off the other lads to buy all the rounds that night, and the ame guy has your attention. Less waiting around for scoopies. If he serves me a late one, I'll get him another, then invite him over for a chat. I love bar gossip, it's networking!

pog it

I always tip hairdressers simply cause you're going back to them and they always remember. Even do it if the hairdresser is also the owner of the salon- feel ya have to even in that scenario.

smelltheglove

For a taxi if the change is small I let them keep the change.

I always tip BEFORE getting my car washed, then they spend extra time getting it super clean.

If I was to tip a hairdresser it would only be the girl that washes the hair as they earn next to nothing, I have heard so many people say no, sure they'll be on big bucks when they are trained, but they need to survive, I never tip the hairdresser.

In a restaurant, I dont like to give a big tip, on hold we were paying less than 200 for food and drinks for 12 people in one restaurant, 5 kids but still very very cheap. These would get tipped 20 - 30 euro. Recently we had a dinner for 16 in Malahide, the bill was over 600 so the group decided to give a 60 tip, I think this is outrageous when you are getting charged so much, I mean it is a high class restaurant and the staff get paid well so do they really need it, and often we had to send things back so did they deserve it. If I reckon they earn more than I do there is no way I will tip.

Delivery guy gets a tip if he remembers all my order.

ShooterSF

I tend to tip bar staff and delivery drivers the most as I have a feeling it'll come back around! I did a bit of bar work and if the place is busy cheerful regulars and tippers are the customers you keep an eye out for even if it's just to avoid the narky gits in the place :pac:

Lollipops23

i would tip in a restaurant if the service was good,usually about a quid for taxi and about 2 quid for hairdressers. i do feel abligated,even though each of them is making a fair amount...i wish we didn't have to though as you're already paying for the service in the bill:(

faceman

Im a tight ar$e so I only tip in a restaurant if i felt the service is good. I dont tip anywhere else.

Regard service charges in restaurants, a service charge does not necessary mean it will be distributed to the staff. Check this when you get your bill. Sometimes the owners take the service charge to mean literally providing a service.

Any service charge that is charged for that is distributed to restaurant staff are taxed.

bigbadcon

Its a hard one to weigh up.

Sometimes you might get a nice waiter/ waitress in a restaurant but the food might have been crap.

In that case Il tip the waiter/waitress and just wont go back to that restaurant.

rubadub

dearg lady wrote: »

Yeah, I only heard that recently, that a lot of time the service charge that's automatically included doesn't go to staff. Very unfair.

The service charge is paying for the service, I expect the money goes to the owner and he pays the staff their wages. So I don't see how they miss out on it? Where do you think it goes, and where do you think the staffs wages come from? This service could include provision of tablecloths, lighting etc

In my mind it is just like ryanair splitting out all the different charges. A restaurant could say the meal is €10 then 10% service charge, 20% cooking charge, 10% refrigeration of food charge etc. I really do not want to see a companies balance sheet when buying stuff from them, just tell me how much it is going to cost and be done with it, I'm not an accountant and do not want to be doing math when out trying to enjoy myself.

Crazyivan 1979

I only tip when out with the girlfriend for a meal, only because I ll never hear the end of it if I don't (she used to be a waitress!).

I don't really see why I should pay more than the advertised prices, I didn't get tipped when I was in quinnsworth for £1.87/ hr.

dearg lady

rubadub wrote: »

The service charge is paying for the service, I expect the money goes to the owner and he pays the staff their wages. So I don't see how they miss out on it? Where do you think it goes, and where do you think the staffs wages come from? This service could include provision of tablecloths, lighting etc

In my mind it is just like ryanair splitting out all the different charges. A restaurant could say the meal is €10 then 10% service charge, 20% cooking charge, 10% refrigeration of food charge etc. I really do not want to see a companies balance sheet when buying stuff from them, just tell me how much it is going to cost and be done with it, I'm not an accountant and do not want to be doing math when out trying to enjoy myself.

If it's goin straight to the owner, why not just include it in the total cost of food item? As you say, just tell me the total price! I know now that service charge doesn't always go directly to staff(like tips) but this was a surprise to me,and I think a lot of people wouldn't realise this too! Many people who would ordinarily tip would not tip if there was a service charge.

I just think it's slightly ambiguous to call it a service charge. Tbh I think in future I'll avoid places with service charge, prefer to make my own decision about the service

rubadub

dearg lady wrote: »

If it's goin straight to the owner, why not just include it in the total cost of food item? As you say, just tell me the total price!

I think the idea is to let people know that a tip is not expected, it is a way of saying "we actually pay are staff min wage or over, they are not dependent on tips", for the benefit of people from countries like the US.

dearg lady wrote: »

Many people who would ordinarily tip would not tip if there was a service charge.

Yes, I don't understand this. The people are being paid to work either way.

dearg lady wrote: »

I just think it's slightly ambiguous to call it a service charge.

it is ambiguous, and like I said it could include all sorts of "service", like tableclothes, clean cutlery etc.

dearg lady wrote: »

Tbh I think in future I'll avoid places with service charge, prefer to make my own decision about the service

But the staff are paid either way, you are not going to stop them getting their wages if you decide not to tip. What if the trend took off where they included a "cooking charge", and people thought this went to the chef, would you then stop going to places who included this "cooking charge", since you would like to make your own decision on the quality of this cooking?

redalicat

Thoie wrote: »

Going back to the OP's question - tipping is not obligatory here the way it is in the States.

I didn't think it was, but I just wanted to make sure it hadn't changed and I missed it.

legend73 wrote: »

I like Dick Solomon's approach in 3rd rock from the sun. Put a stack of 1 euro or 50 cent coins on the table tell them that is there tip, anytime they do something you dont like, or the food is average, then you take away from the pile. If they do something special for you, put back on the pile. What is left is the tip!

Hee hee! I remember that one and always felt that might be fairest (in the States).

Rev. Kitchen wrote: »

Tipping has arrived due to lots of american influence ( TV ) in the USA waitresses or barfolk etc get paid very poorly so it is a custom to tip to prop up the wages. ( i have heard that some bars dont pay their staff at all and they only earn on tips)

Yes, this is true. I had friends work these situations before, and if you had poor trade one night you were out of luck for cash.

rubadub wrote: »

I think the idea is to let people know that a tip is not expected, it is a way of saying "we actually pay are staff min wage or over, they are not dependent on tips", for the benefit of people from countries like the US.


Yes, I don't understand this. The people are being paid to work either way.

"Service Charge" in the States meant "tipping is enforced, so stingy people have to tip, too."

Thank you all for the input on this. Tipping in the States has gotten out of hand in the last decade, with expected percentages going from 10 to 15 to 20%--and it's become mandatory, even with poor service. It had got to the point that practically every service person wanted extra (postman, newspaper delivery boy, hotel clerk, any food delivery, Starbucks even though they didn't bring your drink to you, dog groomer, babysitter, gardener, rubbish collector, maid, on and on).

Of course, each group had a different percentage they wanted, and even fast food workers had tip jars. The worst part? You were expected to give a substantial gift to each of the above around Christmas.

I'm not stingy and will tip for good/exceptional service, but I like how it works here as it's way less confusing. When it's not automatically expected then good work gets rewarded, as it should.

Cheers:)