Tipping - join the debate

Tuesday, 15 July 2008

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Do you work in a restaurant? Do the staff at your local restaurant get to keep their tips? Should service charges simply be scrapped, and staff paid higher basic wages? Are you happy to leave 10 per cent or 12.5 per cent - or more? Should these discretionary charges be added automatically to bills? Is it socially acceptable to have a service charge removed from your bill? Should breakages be paid for out of the staff's tips? Should tips go straight to the waiter or waitress who served you, or should other restaurant staff - including the chefs - be given a cut?

Have your say below on any general issues. If you have points on a specific restaurant or employer, rather than post below, please email features@independent.co.uk with "Tipping" in the subject line.

On the comments below, only your name will appear as you enter it in the first field (below right). Your email address or other details will not appear with your comments.

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331 Comments

I work in a very popular restaurant in York and none of the tips go to the staff, they all go in the owners back pocket. And to make it worse, if the customer asks us if we get it, we aren't aloud to tell them!

Posted by unknown | 20.11.08, 10:29 GMT

ricoloc4ttr

Posted by capasrelmon | 26.10.08, 12:08 GMT

I work in a kitchen for a very large high street chain. We are paid the appropriate wage but the customers still leave tips which are shared 20 % to kitchen staff 80% to waiting staff. How can this be right. I went to college and studied in order to prepare a meal that you, the customer would be happy to eat, I spend long hours preparing your vegetables, slicing, dicing, peeling etc, I get your meal to you in minimum time, It is well presented, It is hot and I very much hope and have no reason to believe otherwise, that it is enjoyable. And yet you leave a tip for the person carrying the plate to your table! Is it a clean plate? Then someone washed it and dried it, and if you leave any, scraped it into the bin. Are they not worthy of a share of your tip? You would not hold the waiter responsible if I undercook your chicken or if it is not prepared to EHO standards, why would you tip him on my merits?

Posted by Deb | 26.10.08, 06:08 GMT

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Posted by carelc4tl | 22.10.08, 20:53 GMT

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Posted by lgejh wtkvls | 12.10.08, 12:46 GMT

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Posted by mnzrlib wailsvr | 03.10.08, 00:49 GMT

A Happy Guest with the DINING EXPERIENCE and leaves his generousity for the RIGHTFULL OWNER, But who is it. Did we MISS the BASICS here. Is it the ENTIRE TEAM? THE KITCHEN PORTER who cleaned the dishes to cooking utensils and made the dinner plate squeky clean.

Posted by XsCaN | 28.09.08, 12:31 GMT

THE CLEANING STAFF spent hours of Mopping Floors, Dusting Hard Reach Hedges, Polishing the Shine, Cleaning the Toilets so that they smell good and not the by-product, in the Lonely Hours of the House. THE COOKS & CHEFS spent hours on the HEAT of Oven & Cooking range, Choppin and Carving Raw Oozing items to slice out the best for the palate. THE BARMAN who Ensured the flow from the cellar to dispencer in a rythym to suit every mood.

Posted by XsCaN | 28.09.08, 12:28 GMT

OR is it just THE WAITER who took the Order to carry the final product to the table with a Happy Cinical Smile, without getting his Hands DIRTY. It is DULY UN-FAIR to judge a clock only by the face plate & ignoring the tedeious CLOCKWORK involved in the back. TIPS IS FOR ALL.

Posted by XsCaN | 28.09.08, 12:27 GMT