Who gets the tips?

[DuncanW]

The Standard is running a story/campaign to ?name and shame? restaurants that use the tronc system as a way of keeping hold of their staff?s tips.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/seven-more-chains-named-in-tipping-row-including-masala-zone-polpo-and-mango-tree-a2949421.html

Essentially the restaurant keeps hold of the service charge, or less commonly voluntary tip, and claims that it all goes to the staff. This is nominally true but that includes dividing it up between all staff including head-office and management, and also using it to make up the minimum wage of the serving staff; some even hold money back to meet minimum wage for staff during quieter times when tips are less forthcomimg.

This is very different from my intent when I pay this amount in addition the actual bill. I would like and expect the money to go directly to the person or team that served me as thank-you for good service. If there was a genuine tip-sharing scheme so the one doing the washing up gets a share even though I don?t see them, I?d be absolutely fine with that. But what these restaurants are doing is entirely different from that.

I wonder which restaurants/pubs in ED and Peckham give 100% tips to the serving staff on the night. If any wish to state publicly that they do, I would certainly be more inclined to use those establishments, and I?m sure I wouldn?t be the only one.

[numbers]

"Polpo said it welcomed Mr Javid?s review of the ?confusing and disparate area of restaurant service charge?, adding: ?If a better scheme is proposed we will support and implement it.?

It welcomes a review yet still uses the existing system? Hmmmm.

I've gone right off Russell Norman who takes great pains to stress he still has a mortgage and drives a ten year old Nissan. Why not ensure tips go to those that need (and deserve) them.

[Jeremy]

Agree that it should be split amongst staff serving in the restaurant on the night - although this should include kitchen staff as well as front-of-house.

[Azalea]

Toasted add a service charge on to their bills.

[Dog duck]

And you can ask for it to be removed if you so wish

[Azalea]

Yes, of course, you can ask for any service charge to be removed, but it's the fact that they do it I don't like.

[Mick Mac]

Azalea Wrote:

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> Yes, of course, you can ask for any service charge

> to be removed, but it's the fact that they do it I

> don't like.

its a restaurant - surely almost all of them do this?

[Azalea]

Mick Mac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Azalea Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Yes, of course, you can ask for any service

> charge

> > to be removed, but it's the fact that they do it

> I

> > don't like.

>

> its a restaurant - surely almost all of them do

> this?

No, not in my experience.

[triumph]

Just give the tip, in cash, to the waiter/waitress.

[miga]

Or ask how they prefer the tip.

[Nigello]

Or don't tip and ask the owner to add a few pence to each item on the menu and then remove the 10 or 12.5 or 15% "discretionary" charge which s/he knows most people won't ask to be removed. Tipping is backward, patronising and tawdry. Socially enforced (on pain of embarrassment) is even worse.

[miga]

Well yeah, that's rational. It'll never take off.

[Nigello]

Just make the prices a little bit dearer, so little that none will notice, and then pay a decent wage and offer bonuses. Seems fair and simple and, who knows, people may feel so relieved that there is no service charge that they may, er, leave a tip - a gratuity that is really is freely given!

[miga]

Don't get me wrong, I would rather pay prices that included fair wages too. It behoves the owners of businesses to then pay their workers fairly. But current behaviour with tips (especially the "included" tips) seems to indicate that a lot of them, especially the chains, would rather pay themselves than their workers.

So, pragmatically, I ask the waiters how they would prefer the tip and follow what they ask. Unsurprisingly, it's usually in cash.

[Matty 2 fatty]

think this needs a bump

[KalamityKel]

Why?

[Sue]

Franco Manca give tips to staff if they are added to the bill.

[Seabag]

Here's a move by Danny Meyer in NY and the views of others. American yes, relevant yes

http://ny.eater.com/2015/10/14/9517747/danny-meyer-no-tipping-restaurants

http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/restaurants/news/a40218/danny-meyer-tipping/

http://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/operations/sales-finance/test-no-tip-policies

[Rosetta]

Noticed that new menu for Noak in Brockley says they will be adding a 'discretionary' service charge of 10% onto each bill. Why now?

[titch juicy]

Rosetta Wrote:

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> Noticed that new menu for Noak in Brockley says

> they will be adding a 'discretionary' service

> charge of 10% onto each bill. Why now?

Can you link to their menu please- i can't find it online!

[JoeLeg]

titch juicy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Rosetta Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Noticed that new menu for Noak in Brockley says

> > they will be adding a 'discretionary' service

> > charge of 10% onto each bill. Why now?

>

> Can you link to their menu please- i can't find

> it online!

https://mobile.twitter.com/noak_bakehouse

Scroll down to July 24th, the menu is there.

And I can imagine many reasons why they would add service charge, some good and some bad, but so long as the tips go to the staff, does it really matter.

You can always request not to pay it.

[Rosetta]

JoeLeg Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> titch juicy Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Rosetta Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > Noticed that new menu for Noak in Brockley

> says

> > > they will be adding a 'discretionary' service

> > > charge of 10% onto each bill. Why now?

> >

> > Can you link to their menu please- i can't

> find

> > it online!

>

> https://mobile.twitter.com/noak_bakehouse

>

> Scroll down to July 24th, the menu is there.

>

> And I can imagine many reasons why they would add

> service charge, some good and some bad, but so

> long as the tips go to the staff, does it really

> matter.

>

> You can always request not to pay it.

Maybe the tips are to pay for the relaunch. They sold their crockery amongst other items.

[titch juicy]

Popped in for a coffee today and in addition to the service charge on the bill there's an actual tip jar on the payment counter.

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Good to know.

titch juicy Wrote:

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> Popped in for a coffee today and in addition to

> the service charge on the bill there's an actual

> tip jar on the payment counter.

[Nigello]

Although it is possible to ask for the tip to be removed (so that you can leave another amount, perhaps in cash, or none at all) many people do not lest it be inconvenient or embarrassing. I think it is shifty to add a tip, especially for a coffee or even a light meal, and then have an extra jar for more tips.