Venue Tip?

Silvershadow

Hi,
Does anyone know if you are expected to tip for the meal/service? And if so what percentage?
Thanks

emma82

What??????? Do they really expect a tip? Seriously!??? We are having fairly big wedding and will be handing over a hefty amunt of money the next day- not a chance I'm leaving a tip- maybe I'm just being naive????!!! Or tight??

amdublin

I don't know but I seriously hope not. I will be intrigued to hear response from other people if they tipped or not....

Like if you are paying them €5000 and expected to tip 10/15% you are talking an additional €500/750.

That's madness!!!!!

Please say no people!

How Strange

:eek::eek:
Well even if it was expected I certainly wouldn't be doing it.

TBH, I've never heard of it so I doubt it very much.

Enii

I don't think tipping is standard. I have heard of the manager being called up during the speeches and being thanked and being given an envelope. Bit tack imo. If you are going to tip do it in a more classy and discreet way.

northdubgal

This came up on weddingsonline and the majority of the girls said it was expected of them to tip the hotel.

It wont be me!

seamus

The hotel often mentions it, but it's definitely not the done thing in Ireland. Even a very basic tip could cost you well in excess of €1,000 (depending on what you've paid of course). Don't be under any illusions; the wedding co-ordinators and head waiters are well paid for what they do.

tatli_lokma

We tipped the waiting staff - yes you pay the hotel thousands, but the staff don't get any more than their usual wages! and if I went for a meal in a restaurant I would tip! We gave €10 to each waitress and the barmen. BUT we didn't give it to the manager - I gave it directly to one of the waitresses. A friend of mine is a waitress in a large hotel, and said that its 50/50 for people opting to tip or not. When a tip is given the average is €5-10 per waitress, dep on how big the wedding is and what you can afford. But she said that often the B&G leave a tip with the manager/recption when they check out and often it doesn't get passed on to the waiting staff. If you do choose to leave a tip, I would give the job to someone (grooms man, best man, family member etc) and make sure they give it to the waiting staff directly.

Clareman

I'm going to throw in my 2 cents worth here, sorry in advance.

Tipping in Ireland is done to recognize good service, it's not like the states where the staff might be working for tips, it's a bit added on as a way of saying thank you. When you are already paying above the odds for a meal, giving them so much extra business in the rooms, bringing in business in the bar, unless the waiting staff at the table were extra nice and efficient, I'm not giving a blanket tip to all. If the person at my table really looks after us then I'm palming them a few quid, if the bar staff are good, I'm telling them to take for 1 for themselves, I'm not paying 30 people extra just cause they are doing their job.

I worked in a hotel for many years, and I have to say I can't remember many tips out of weddings. When I got married myself I didn't leave a tip, I felt that paying a deposit a couple of years in advance, corkage charges, bar extension, the hotel being full, was enough money to pay, but I did give €20 to the person looking after the top table and I made sure to buy all the bar staff that served me that night a drink

Toots

Lol, this just reminded me of when we were looking at hotels to have our reception at and I'd emailed a few and asked them to send me out brochures and price lists. One of the hotels (plush one in the city centre) sent me out a price list (which was completely extortionate) and then in very very small writing at the very bottom 'Above prices are subject to an additional service charge of 10%' :eek::eek: Very cheeky if you ask me! They also had the cheek to try and charge €5 per head for a tea and biscuits reception!

I'd agree with Clareman in the sense that if there were a few waitresses/barmen etc who looked after us well, I'd buy them a drink or give them a few quid. Definitely wouldn't be handing over 10% or anything like it!!

antiskeptic

We had our reception in a restaurant so but probably would have tipped in any case - just not at the level I would if going for a normal meal. On a bill of 8 grand (which included a service charge of 12.5%) I tipped 300 quid. More 'thought that counts' than making an appreciable difference to anyones income.

Shoes&Frocks

Seriously, i think its totally crazy.
I'm getting married in April and will be paying €10k to the hotel for the meal and just dont think i can afford to have to tip aswell.
My other half will probably have a seizure when i mention this to him as there are so many hidden costs already in a wedding.
I definately won't be tipping.

Clueless09

no way will i be tipping! we're paying 12k for the meal, and our guests have booked 95 rooms at price of €160 a night, to be fair i think the hotel will be getting enough out of us

tatli_lokma

but its not the "hotel" you are tipping, its the waiting staff. Unless the service charge is inc in the hotel charge, then I think it is only decent to give the staff a tip. As a friend of a very hard working waitress, who works weddings every week, and who gets a pittance of a wage, I think it is unfair that because the hotel are charging so much the waiting staff don't get tipped. If you went to a posh restaurant, regardless of the price of the meal, if the staff served you well would you give a tip?? I know I would.

And having said that, if the hotel were inc a 'service' charge in my bill, that would be the first thing I would be negotiating on, and making sure it is removed.

Clueless09

mmm i see your point! i thought you ment standard tipping like 10% which would work out at €1200 for me. ya know that you say it i wouldnt mind giving the staff 10 or 15 each- i feel bad now for sounding so scabby

tatli_lokma

Clueless09 wrote: »

mmm i see your point! i thought you ment standard tipping like 10% which would work out at €1200 for me. ya know that you say it i wouldnt mind giving the staff 10 or 15 each- i feel bad now for sounding so scabby

I don' think you sound scabby, and I fully understand that weddings are expensive enough and hotels get more than enough out of you...but.....I think a few quid to good waiting staff would be a nice gesture. it doesn't even have to be €10 each - we gave that but we had a small wedding. Even a couple of quid each would be gratefully appreciated I'm sure. But as I said earlier, I wouldn't give it to the banqueting manager or hotel itself, but give it directly to one of the waiting staff, and also mention it to one of the others that there is a tip left for them (in case staff member no 1 forgets to mention it to the others!). If you give it to the manager I have been told that it rarely gets filtered down to the others, or if it does, not always equally!:rolleyes:

mikemac

I've worked as barman and waiting staff for many weddings, probably over two hundred. Ah, it got me through college

You do not have to tip. It's not expected and you'll get the same service (hopefully fantastic )either way.
If you want to tip the staff who serve the top table that's cool. But it's not expected.

If you give the hotel management money to tip the staff, then lol it goes straight to accounts. The staff will never see it! So don't do that.

The man you need to tip is the night porter. He controls the residents bar so keep him happy

silver campaign

Just a quick question relating to this, we've been looking around at wedding venues the last two months or so. One place we like is charging a venue fee and a service charge on the cost of the meal per head. Is this the norm?
We've tried negotiating and we were given the venues final offer. There is little movement on it. We feel a little as though we're having the piss taken out of us. Should we just forget about them.