Tipping

D

Generally I tip for good service. Unlike when I am in America I feel no compulsion to automatically tip, like I said, only if the service is good. While I understand that in America the minimum wage in tipping jobs (waitressing) is low, $2.50/hour, to take into account tipping it is not the same situation in Ireland with most waiters/waitresses get €9/hour. So in Ireland I only tip for good service.

However, I do make one big exception to this, if there is a little jar that says "tips please" or my personal hate "Tipping is not a city in China". Whenever I see these I automatically do not tip. I just find it really rude, it's as if they expect to be tipped for doing their job, even if they did the bare minimum required to serve you. I mean if builders/dentists etc had a little jar like this I feel that most people would be insulted thinking "What kind of a nerve do they have?" Does any one else feel this way or what are your opinions?

Lump

When I used to work Christmas day in a petrol station as a like supervisor, I used stick a box on the counter saying tips. TBH the amount of people we delt with and the fact that we were in there at 10am on christmas morning, we deserved tips.

People were so generous giving like thir change from a €20 after only buying a litre of milk and some bread.

However in general I don't believe in it. Especially in London where they have them in coffee shops that charge £3.00 for a regular size latte..

John

rugbug86

i was out for dinner with a few friends last friday night and we went to a well known restaurant in temple bar. the bill came to just over 100 euro so i paid my share and when the change came back i put a euro and a few 20 cents on the plate (its all the change i had) and my friends did the same - put a couple of coins down. the waitress came back to collect it and as she was walking back to the till she made some remark to her waiter friend about what a crap tip it was or something to that effect. then she made a point of spilling the tray a trying to count it. i was a bit shocked and all that jazz that she wasnt greatful for the tip. she ended up with about 10 or 11 euro and she still complained...!

The Bollox

I'm the same as D, I will tip if they deserve it, I would generally tip in Eddie Rockets, but they do a good job in there

Bottle_of_Smoke

Depeneds, if they're really nice and i have the money. Embarrassingly enough it sometimes depends how hot they are!

Keyzer

The old tip debate....
The orig poster already touched on the situation in America being totally different to Ireland, and he's right. I tip when someone goes out of their way, gives me more than the standard and actually makes me feel like I'm not just another punter.

Service in Irish restaurants is, by and large, substandard. This is partly because we in Ireland don't complain enough. Therefore, waiters/waitresses get away with murder. Recently I was in an Italtian restaurant in Castleknock (theres only on so stay well clear). Very cold welcome when we got to the restaurant. The service was appalingly bad, example being when my main arrived, the waiter came over with parmesan and said "D'ye want some?"..
Not "would you like some parmesan sir" or something along those lines...
Same waiter nearly took my nose off with a plate 5 minutes later.

At this stage, unless he got carmen electra to let me eat the food off her naked body, he isn't getting any tip.....

Then I pay the bill, in cash, and the waiter convienently disappears for 10 minutes with my change. I had to ask him to get my change for me, I mean for gods sake, what does he think I'm going to forget and leave the money for him. Ended up complaining to the manager, and he didn't give a toss.

Waiters/waitresses need to wake up and start treating people properly if they expect a tip.

MorningStar

Lump wrote:

When I used to work Christmas day in a petrol station as a like supervisor, I used stick a box on the counter saying tips. TBH the amount of people we delt with and the fact that we were in there at 10am on christmas morning, we deserved tips.

I don't think so. Your job required you to be there that's that. Not everybody who works on such holidays has the option of getting a tip. Tipping really shouldn't apply here due to the high minimum wage and the fact people don't pay tax on tips either. In the US they pay tax on tips.

A chef rarely gets any of the tip even though the food he provides is good. Tipping is generally an unfair practice.

kasintahan

rugbug86 wrote:

i was out for dinner with a few friends last friday night and we went to a well known restaurant in temple bar. the bill came to just over 100 euro so i paid my share and when the change came back i put a euro and a few 20 cents on the plate (its all the change i had) and my friends did the same - put a couple of coins down. the waitress came back to collect it and as she was walking back to the till she made some remark to her waiter friend about what a crap tip it was or something to that effect. then she made a point of spilling the tray a trying to count it. i was a bit shocked and all that jazz that she wasnt greatful for the tip. she ended up with about 10 or 11 euro and she still complained...!

For restaurants the standard tip in Ireland is 12.5% - but this is only restaurants and sometimes is added to bill already (not usually).

/edit - though given the standard of service here I can understand the reluctance.

Keyzer

rugbug86 wrote:

i was out for dinner with a few friends last friday night and we went to a well known restaurant in temple bar. the bill came to just over 100 euro so i paid my share and when the change came back i put a euro and a few 20 cents on the plate (its all the change i had) and my friends did the same - put a couple of coins down. the waitress came back to collect it and as she was walking back to the till she made some remark to her waiter friend about what a crap tip it was or something to that effect. then she made a point of spilling the tray a trying to count it. i was a bit shocked and all that jazz that she wasnt greatful for the tip. she ended up with about 10 or 11 euro and she still complained...!

I would have ripped the head off her and her manager....
Why didn't you say something?

D

kasintahan wrote:

For restaurants the standard tip in Ireland is 12.5% - but this is only restaurants and sometimes is added to bill already (not usually).

/edit - though given the standard of service here I can understand the reluctance.

Actually the general rate for tips is 10%-25%

rugbug86

i thought it was 15%

me and my friends are all students and cant really afford to tip that much. so we gave what we could (it actually cleared me out, had to go to the drinklink to get money for bus home!) so surely she should be greatful for getting something at least....

Keyzer

D wrote:

Actually the general rate for tips is 10%-25%

Is it law that you actually have to give a tip?

The General

no its actually 11.56% :rolleyes:

Who givse a muck

c - 13

TBH i dont think you HAVE to tip but it is generally expected in a restaurants.

As in Lump's case - in more of a retail environment tipping is not generally expected. In fairness though, after working in retail myself for several years, people have a tendancy to tip when you make them feel that they have been given outstanding customer service or if you really go out of your way to help them.

LegacyUser

important

if you're paying with a credit card in a restaurant, don't tip using your card, its the owners discretion to decide if he passes this on to the employee. and of course, alot of the time they don't.

if there's a service charge, i'll only tip if the service is v good.

LegacyUser

Keyzer wrote:

Is it law that you actually have to give a tip?

Not at all. I lived in the US where the tipping culture is really prevalent, and due to the shíte wages they are paid, tipping is necessary. Most waiting staff are paid anywhere between €1.50 and €3 (although you'd be lucky!), so tipping evens it out. For whatever reason, the minimum wage in the US doesn't apply to wait staff! What madness, but as they are well paid here, tipping isnt as necessary. Although I do agree that good service should be rewarded...

rugbug86

i left a tip of about 8% in america and the waiter chased after me shouting "you forgot your change!)

The Bollox

rugbug86 wrote:

i left a tip of about 8% in america and the waiter chased after me shouting "you forgot your change!)

reminds me of the Simpsons

"today I served this nice man, he asked for change of a dollar, well sir, I gave him three quarters by mistake, took me all day to track him down"

"Ned Flanders is on the phone"
"this better's not be about that damn quarter!"

LOL!

LazStanaridis

Why do people tip at all in Ireland?

If, for example, you receive good or even excellent service in a restaurant, isn't this what you should expect.....

Keyzer

If you think about it, why should one job entitle you to expect a tip and others don't?
Waiters and waitresses are doing the job they get paid for aren't they? So why should we give them anything, even if they do provide excellent service?
I'm sure there are lots of people out there who do a great job in other sectors, but don't get paid well let alone tips of any kind.

The Bollox

I can understand why waiters/waitresses get tipped, but why do barmen/women? and I'm not refering to the ones that bring the drinks to your table, I mean the ones who stay behind the bar. I'm not really complaning, I am being trained in behind the bar atm, but it doesn't make any sense

hussey

I never understand people tipping taxi drivers - most time they just do their job - you rarely meet a friendly taxi man (unless your a single girl)

D

Keyzer wrote:

Is it law that you actually have to give a tip?

No of course not but in america the usual minimum expected from a tip in 10%, in most restaurants the sevice charge is 10% although for more upmarket places the service charge is 12.5%. In posh restaurants the tips generally go up to 25%.

D

hussey wrote:

I never understand people tipping taxi drivers - most time they just do their job - you rarely meet a friendly taxi man (unless your a single girl)

That and taxi drivers earn mor than 90% of their customers, (survey from the Irish Independent)

MorningStar

Marts wrote:

I can understand why waiters/waitresses get tipped, but why do barmen/women? and I'm not refering to the ones that bring the drinks to your table, I mean the ones who stay behind the bar. I'm not really complaning, I am being trained in behind the bar atm, but it doesn't make any sense

Why tip anybody? I worked behind a fancy bar in Dublin making cocktails and the like. Waiter brought over the drinks and would get a tip. I did more work. For the waiter/waitress to get the drink quickly depended on me working fast. The barstaff were only paid marginally more than the floor staff. We arranged it so that the bar staff got 10% of the floor staff tips.
The same should really apply to kitchen staff in a restraunt.

vibe666

i tip only when the service warrants it, and will make a point of reclaiming all my change if i get crap service.

they earn more than someone who works in a spa or chipper, so i don't feel obliged to tip here.

if the service warrants it then yes, or if i'm somewhere where tiping is more of a custom (spain or somewhere like that).

windowgazer

I've worked in a few cafe's where the tips were shared at the end of the day between the waiting staff. At the time of joining the staff I was always told "Well your basic wage is X (low hourly rate) but you can expect x in tips each day. So I did rely on the tips.
It sounds really bad, but I was definitly ncer to customers if I thought I'd get a tip and I was sometimes annoyed when I didn't. it depends on the culture of the place.
These days I tip 10%+ wherever I go depending on service. Other ppl i tip: Taxi, Hairdresser.

Keyzer

windowgazer wrote:

I've worked in a few cafe's where the tips were shared at the end of the day between the waiting staff. At the time of joining the staff I was always told "Well your basic wage is X (low hourly rate) but you can expect x in tips each day. So I did rely on the tips.
It sounds really bad, but I was definitly ncer to customers if I thought I'd get a tip and I was sometimes annoyed when I didn't. it depends on the culture of the place.
These days I tip 10%+ wherever I go depending on service. Other ppl i tip: Taxi, Hairdresser.

Not to start an argument, but this is what I'm talking about...
This is typical, you looked after the people who you thought would sort you out with a good tip. Unbelievable.
And now you tip like its going out of fashion...

I'm calling a halt to all tipping, unless someone tap dances the food over to me, they get nothing...

The Bollox

windowgazer wrote:

Other ppl i tip: Taxi, Hairdresser.

I dunno now, I deffo. do not tip the taxi men who go by the meter, I might if they are in a business ie. Abacuss or something like that where you know exactly how much you are going to pay, and provided they don't burn the ears off me with the same boring monotinous bull**** they recite to all their customers.

also I don't see the need to tip a hairdresser/barber, I might if I get them to do something tricky, but not for the bog-standard 2 back and sides, trim on top

grumpytrousers

Aye - but isn't the point being made by Windowgazer that she was on a low basic wage and thus to bring her up to a decent wage, tips were needed?

I've done enough bar/floor waiter work to know that it's just the way the game is played. As a rule you do your best - at least I did - but like every other commercial transaction, there's give and take; you 'up' your personality/smile/banter and in turn hope that the punters chuck a few extra bob at you.

You end up clearing away their table thinking 'that was a decent aul skin left me a couple of euro' and the punter goes away thinking 'what a pleasant waiter/waitress'.

The Bollox

the thing is, I can pull pints and ****, so if I am given an order for some bud, or guinness or something while I am on the floor, I don't have to bother the bar staff, I can pull the pints myself and bring them over to the customers, but if they don't tip, I am not the type of guy who will stand there rubbing my thumb and fore-finger together or cough, I just walk away and maybe curse them under my breath, I mean its hard working a minimum wage job for maybe 8 hrs a week and be in college, I have no cash so I am very gratefull for all the tips, but I hate myself for cursing the ppl who don't tip, I hate what I have become

windowgazer

Grumpy trousers. Thats exactly how I mean it. I was never ever rude to cutomers (although some were to me!) and I generally have a friendly disposition and smile at people. But when you NEED tips to bring you up to a decent wage then you will be extra smiley and friendly in order to get a tip and consequently a little miffed when you don't. I wouldn't be cursing the customer, just a little annoyed inside.
Keyzer: I always tip now because I know what it's like to work in the service industry and it isn't always the waiter's fault when things go wrong. If they're personally rude to me, then of course I wouldn't.

MorningStar

windowgazer wrote:

I always tip now because I know what it's like to work in the service industry and it isn't always the waiter's fault when things go wrong..

WHy not tip people who work in shops. It's a service job! If the food is good a waiter gets a tip yet they have nothing to do with that. Tips are not a fair trade.

My mother works as a waitress for 26 hours a week. I work an IT job (that required I go to college) for 38 hours a week. She makes more money because of tips.

LoneGunM@n

I only tip if the service is good ... normally I'd stick in a fiver & so would everyone else!

I remember there was 20 of us in Thunderroad & we all threw in €5 ... the waitress was great & deserved it 'cause she pretty much dealt with us singlehandedly [sp?] ... talk about a happy camper when she was clearing away our table!!

funky penguin

Marts wrote:

I can understand why waiters/waitresses get tipped, but why do barmen/women? and I'm not refering to the ones that bring the drinks to your table, I mean the ones who stay behind the bar. I'm not really complaning, I am being trained in behind the bar atm, but it doesn't make any sense

I got tipped recently for giving a chap back a €20 note he accidently gave me while paying. I generally get tipped on quiet days when I have a better chance to converse with the customers. Plus I'm told I pull a great pint.

I don't expect a tip, but when I get one I always accept.

TheMonster

I bet not many people know that if a service charge is added in and you are unhappy you can ask for it to be removed.

What really gets to me is the ones that expect a tip on top of the service charge. Only if service is exceptional will I even consider adding to a service charge.

funky penguin

Keyzer wrote:

Not "would you like some parmesan sir" or something along those lines...

I don't care where I am, I would never expect a total stranger to call me sir, and vise versa. I reserve those titles for people that have earned them. Just my opinion though.

LoneGunM@n

funky penguin wrote:

I don't care where I am, I would never expect a total stranger to call me sir, and vise versa. I reserve those titles for people that have earned them. Just my opinion though.

I remember being in the steak restaurant [if you could call it that] across from Ster Century in Liffey Valley ... I was wearing a suit [having just finished a meeting with a client] & the waiter was bending over backwards to make sure I was well looked after & was constantly referring to me as Sir ... It was hilarious, even more so because he completely ignored the better half

MorningStar

LoneGunM@n wrote:

I only tip if the service is good ... normally I'd stick in a fiver & so would everyone else!

I remember there was 20 of us in Thunderroad & we all threw in €5 ... the waitress was great & deserved it 'cause she pretty much dealt with us singlehandedly [sp?] ... talk about a happy camper when she was clearing away our table!!

Do you really think her job was so hard dealing with 20 of you that (guessing 2 hours with you lot) she needed €50 an hour? We all have hard moments with jobs but don't get a monetery bonus. I am not surprised she was happy getting expert wages for a simple job.

funky penguin wrote:

I don't care where I am, I would never expect a total stranger to call me sir, and vise versa. I reserve those titles for people that have earned them. Just my opinion though.

I think it is rude for somebody who doesn't know me to call me by my first name. People deserve comon manners from the start you don't need to earn the title sir.

Lump

MorningStar wrote:

I don't think so. Your job required you to be there that's that. Not everybody who works on such holidays has the option of getting a tip. Tipping really shouldn't apply here due to the high minimum wage and the fact people don't pay tax on tips either. In the US they pay tax on tips.

A chef rarely gets any of the tip even though the food he provides is good. Tipping is generally an unfair practice.

No I didn't, if I hadn't gone in, the place wouldn't have opened. Anyway, christmas day was always a laugh. People were happy and generally delighted when we were open. Even cooked fresh rolls for them.

John

_Kaiser_

MorningStar wrote:

I think it is rude for somebody who doesn't know me to call me by my first name. People deserve comon manners from the start you don't need to earn the title sir.

I'd agree with this, but there's soo many places (Banks, callcentres etc) that make the staff do this as a means of apparently forming a "bond" with the customer (sounds American to me)

Personally I think it's rather presumptuous...

Kernel

What about when you order chinese or something, and there's a delivery charge, but the drivers still expect a tip... what do you'z think of that? I don't tip.. am I mean.. ?

MorningStar

Lump wrote:

No I didn't, if I hadn't gone in, the place wouldn't have opened. Anyway, christmas day was always a laugh. People were happy and generally delighted when we were open. Even cooked fresh rolls for them.

John

So you went into work on Christmas Day by choice and then expected tips for it? :eek:
As I said other people working that day didn't get tips. They didn't have a choice to work. Many people working on such days are doing more important jobs than some petrol or fresh rolls. The expectation of tips for a job is getting ridiculous. Let an employer reward good staff not the customer.

Keyzer

funky penguin wrote:

I don't care where I am, I would never expect a total stranger to call me sir, and vise versa. I reserve those titles for people that have earned them. Just my opinion though.

I have chosen to go to this restaurant and to pay them money to feed me and look after me. I have chosen to drink ludicrously overpriced wine which can be bought in LIDL for 3.99. I have chosen to pay the markup on the food.

Therefore I expect some kind of service.
I don't expect to be treated like dirt. Sir and Madam is not to much too ask for. Nearly every restaurtant I've been in while on holidays do this. Why? Because the tourist in places like Greece etc. is invaluable.
They treat you well, apart from wanting you to enjoy yourself, but also in an effort to make you come back.
Here its like "your not happy, so what, I don't care. There's another 20 people lined up outside to come in here".....

Lump

I was rewarded by the management, and the Customers. Worked 4 hours on Christmas day, made about €300 it's all good in the hood. Thanks to the generous people out there.

John

Lump

Keyzer wrote:

I have chosen to go to this restaurant and to pay them money to feed me and look after me. I have chosen to drink ludicrously overpriced wine which can be bought in LIDL for 3.99. I have chosen to pay the markup on the food.

Or you're just a lazy illegitimate offspring of unmarried parents.

John

Stench Blossoms

I always tip the delivery man when i get chinese because when i dont i could be waitin up to an hour the next time i order for me food to come...

Keyzer

Lump wrote:

Or you're just a lazy bastard.

John

Yeah, thats it...

I thought it was called socializing, thanks for educating me...

MorningStar

Lump wrote:

Or you're just a lazy bastard.

John

As a moderator you know that is not suitable language!
Tips are great when you are a student but very different when you are working full time and paying all your taxes. I am guessing you have to get to this stage judging by your comments and your moderating tasks.
Try not insulting people!

*Sassy*

I don't tip is there is a service charge, simply because I find it extremely annoying. If I think the service was good, I will leave a tip, if not, I won't. However I don't mind if it says on the menu that there's a service charge for tables of over 4 people foe example.

When I do tip it's usually only 2 or 3 euros (if other people are throwing a few in as well). I can only actually recall my two or three times in my life where the good service has actually caught my attention. Usually they are just carrying out the basic requirements of their job.

I also NEVER tip taxi drivers, I would never have dreamt of it until I heard someone mention it to be honest. I have done it a few times when I'm drunk, but probably because I couldn't be arsed messing with change.

I don't tip hairdressers or beauty therapists anymore. The service is so bloody expensive these days and the raw materials used only constitute a tiny fraction of the cost. There are also very few people who actually go that extra mile.

Maybe I'm stingy, but I don't see why I should throw my money around and pay extra for something I've already payed enough for.....

PS. whoever said tipping was customary is Spain, you must have been referring to tourists. I have waited tables in 3 Spanish cities and the natives will leave you a tip of 10 or 20c. Maybe a euro if you're lucky! But that's highly unlikely. And they really make you work, ordering the most complicated concoctions and calling you over every 5 seconds (sorry, just a mini rant).

Keyzer

*Sassy* wrote:

Maybe I'm stingy, but I don't see why I should throw my money around and pay extra for something I've already payed enough for.....

No your not stingy and theres nothing wrong with you....