3 ms·

Once you've been to the UK, and experienced the blazé waiters and bartenders, you realize why being paid by tips is so important for good customer service. It'

by lsb 18y ago

Once you've been to the UK, and experienced the blazé waiters and bartenders, you realize why being paid by tips is so important for good customer service. It's probably terrifying to be paid $3/hr + tips, which is common, but that's a big incentive to being nice.

jodrellblank 18y ago
I live in the UK. The thing about tipping is that he cost of tipping is a small addition to the bill of an unknown socially set common percentage depending on place and culture which I don't enjoy guessing. But the cost of not tipping or tipping too little is incalculable and potentially completely disproportionate to the situation, and potentially long term. Hence, however much you explain the ideal of tipping being a kind of feedback, ensuring prompt service, etc. I will never not tip well, so it will never work like you idealise. There is no way to differentiate a poor tip due to bing a cheapskate, one due to misreading the socially accepted norms, an unjustified poor service complaint or a valid poor service complaint. The whole tipping system works against the customer. Just tell me you're adding a set % to the bill and if the service is no good I'll vote with my feet and not come back... Remember the scene in Monty Python's life of brian? "how much for this?" "20" "ok" "no you have to haggle - offer me ten" "how about 10?" "ten for this? Are you mad it cost me twelve!" etc.
- chaosmachine 18y ago
  As long as the server is working under the belief that quality service = bigger tip, the system works in favor of the customer. Whether that belief is rational or irrational is of no consequence.
- jerf 18y ago
  Do tipping customs vary widely within the UK? In the US, as far as I know they are quite stable across the country so it doesn't stress me out. If I traveled to another country, I would consider learning the tipping customs to be just another thing I need to learn, along with the electric system voltage and whether or not to shake hands. But if it varies widely within the same country, I could see how it would annoy you.
  - deleted 18y ago
    [deleted]
  - jodrellblank 18y ago
    Do tipping customs vary widely within the UK? _blink_. I don't know. I've been going to the same barber for a decade, but I don't know if tipping is customary for haircuts in the UK, either in cities or in small towns, or in that establishment. Maybe next time I ought to ask.
critic 18y ago
Are you sure it's tipping? How come the sales staff in some supermarkets in the US are nice, even when they don't work on commission and tips? Perhaps it's a combination of many factors: tips, commission, weather, culture, religion and guns that makes Americans nice (For the record, I'm not religious)

by lsb 18y ago

jodrellblank 18y ago

I live in the UK. The thing about tipping is that he cost of tipping is a small addition to the bill of an unknown socially set common percentage depending on place and culture which I don't enjoy guessing. But the cost of not tipping or tipping too little is incalculable and potentially completely disproportionate to the situation, and potentially long term. Hence, however much you explain the ideal of tipping being a kind of feedback, ensuring prompt service, etc. I will never not tip well, so it will never work like you idealise. There is no way to differentiate a poor tip due to bing a cheapskate, one due to misreading the socially accepted norms, an unjustified poor service complaint or a valid poor service complaint. The whole tipping system works against the customer. Just tell me you're adding a set % to the bill and if the service is no good I'll vote with my feet and not come back... Remember the scene in Monty Python's life of brian? "how much for this?" "20" "ok" "no you have to haggle - offer me ten" "how about 10?" "ten for this? Are you mad it cost me twelve!" etc.

chaosmachine 18y ago
As long as the server is working under the belief that quality service = bigger tip, the system works in favor of the customer. Whether that belief is rational or irrational is of no consequence.
jerf 18y ago
Do tipping customs vary widely within the UK? In the US, as far as I know they are quite stable across the country so it doesn't stress me out. If I traveled to another country, I would consider learning the tipping customs to be just another thing I need to learn, along with the electric system voltage and whether or not to shake hands. But if it varies widely within the same country, I could see how it would annoy you.
- deleted 18y ago
  [deleted]
- jodrellblank 18y ago
  Do tipping customs vary widely within the UK? _blink_. I don't know. I've been going to the same barber for a decade, but I don't know if tipping is customary for haircuts in the UK, either in cities or in small towns, or in that establishment. Maybe next time I ought to ask.

critic 18y ago

Are you sure it's tipping? How come the sales staff in some supermarkets in the US are nice, even when they don't work on commission and tips? Perhaps it's a combination of many factors: tips, commission, weather, culture, religion and guns that makes Americans nice (For the record, I'm not religious)