Thai Resturant and Tips

[leon parker]

The Thai restaurant in East Dulwich operates a practice which I feel is not fair for the staff. The owners take the customers tips for the staff and keep. This practice also operates in Crystal Place as well but there they take half. For people people paid a low wage I find a very poor practice from those who have been allowed to set up business in this country. Perhaps what does not help is that the inland revenue do not consider tips as income so is not taxable. What a way to make money tax free exploit the those from your own country who want to work here. My tip is don't tip or ask then who get's the tips?

[tiddles]

which one do you mean - there are a few

[mockney piers]

..and you might want to think about whether you have evidence to back yourself up, before casting aspersions on a public forum.

Just a bit of advice you understand.

[Asset]

I used to wait in a restaurant years ago that charged a service charge not passed onto us serving. We had to rely on anything left over and above the service charge (not usually much). The owner justified the practice by saying she paid us a higher than standard wage for waiting.

[Ladygooner]

Best to give cash direct to waiter then you know for sure they are getting the tip

[snorky]

dont add it to the bill onj C/C, leave cash on the table for the staff - if they dont have the sense to pocket this or the proceed to hand it over to their bosses voluntarily, then I dont really have much symphay to be honest.

There may be aspects we are not aware of - eg the staff in question may be working black or may be on student visas etc that allow residence but not employment - then the boss can do whatever he wants within reason.

[Renzon]

I know that The Thai Orchard Restaurant up in Forest Hill shares all the tips equally among all the staff. I think this policy definitely motivates them to give a good service to its customers.

[Brendan]

As someone who made their living as a waiter for a good 3 years I find it abominable that the restaurant should even consider taking a waiter?s tips. Sharing the tips between the staff is also wrong as you tip in direct relation to the service you got from your waiter. Why should others get the money if I leave a large tip specifically for the person who served me?

If this practice is in fact happening I would not patronise the restaurant.

[Quaywe]

So come one Leon - which restaurant is it!?

[bawdy-nan]

Back in the olden days I worked the summer holidays in a restaurant in Cambridge.

I earned ?5 for a 7 hour shift but was "allowed" to keep my tips. If the tips exceeded ?20 I have to hand ?5 to the chefs.

Any credit card tips were kept my the restaurant.

Very very bad.

Now, of course, I only tip in cash and make sure the waiting staff get it.

The Inland Revenue do tax tips.

[leon parker]

Well there is only one Thai restaurant in Lordship Lane opposite Somerfield. Yes you can give to the staff but they are watched. I very aware of making aspersions but I know this practice does take place. Not in all restaurants but I feel that people should get into habit of asking before they decide to eat. They might lie about but I feel the practice becomes public knowledge it might make them think about it as if they lose customers they might change there practice

[fractionater]

Why not start a name and shame thread of all thr local ED Restaurants that don't hand tips over to their staff?

[snorky]

You know what, without taking the piss, I do think this is something this site can do - LL Resturanteurs - stop this 10% service charge included bollocks, and let us tip directly - WITH CASH! the people who serve us

[Brendan]

Great idea there! As an ex-waiter I will be happy to contribute and let the resturants in know about it.

Although what about family run establishments where all monies are seen as belonging collectively to the family?

[SeanMacGabhann]

i'm liking the idea - but what sort of family run places do you have in mind? Even the smallest establishment I know of uses non-family staff

[Brendan]

I don't know if there are any. I was just speaking from expereince of when I ran the bar for a resturant owned by a Greek family who all worked there. I was the only non-family employee. They felt that all the money coming in belonged to all of them and the dad would divvy it out at the end of the month.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I see - my take would be if it's family run then it's up to them but that some places might use the term "family" in it's loosest possible meaning

"Across out 132 outlets we employ 721 staff - all are considered part of our family*"

* Subject to status. Usual Terms Conditions Apply. You forfeit the right to all tippage should you sign the contract

[Asset]

From my waitng days long ago I seem to remember that a restaurant is only entitled to add a service charge to the bill when the table has over a certain number of people, poss 8, other than that is entirely discretionary and you don't have to pay it, even if it is included in the bill.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I think that's still true Asset - although I don't think we are trying to avoid tipping - it's more to make sure it gets to the person it's supposed to

In your waiting days how did the tips get divvid out?

[Asset]

what I meant was that you can opt out of the included service charge and leave smash on the table for the waiting staff.

different ways in different establishments, some you kept what you got yourself, some were shared between waiting staff and some had to be shared with the kitchen staff too.

[Meredith]

Hi

I asked whether the tips were kept by the family or shared with the staff. I was told that the tips were shared out.

[spadetownboy]

or just dont tip,solves all problems

[val]

Has anyone been to Semi Thai since the refurb, is it any good?

[Bellenden Belle]

I've been to Sema Thai since the refurb and I found it very unspectacular. But then, it is really hard to find a good thai restaurant. This is no better, no worse than many I've eaten in - I just wouldn't bother returning.

[Jeremy]

Would agree there... the food is pretty run-of-the mill, and the refurbishment is very basic (cheap furniture, etc). But the lunch menu is reasonable value, I may possibly return for that.