Tipping via card machines - not anymore?

[thismonkeyhere]

As with most people, I suspect, I like to leave a tip when eating out etc, assuming the service has been, at the very least, acceptable.

As I'm sure is true of lots of people also, I am rarely carrying much or any cash as I just don't need it on a daily basis.

Tipping via addition to a card payment used to be a standard option, which solves the above conflict.

However - recently, the option seems to have disappeared when making a card payment.

Am I just frequenting the wrong places, or has something changed?

[Maracus]

We just ask them to add £xx on to the bill and they take the cash out of the till and pop it in the tip jar.

[vikingaero]

I've seen a decline in places that offer tipping on the machine when paying the bill. I would say it's more common in London and has died down in the provinces.

It pishes me off, especially if there is a service charge added and I can't imagine I'm the only one. In fact it would push me to refuse to pay the service charge as well.

[MikeGTi]

I see it just as frequently. What I'm noticing more of, however, is automatically adding a service charge to the bill.

[thismonkeyhere]

Maracus said:

We just ask them to add £xx on to the bill and they take the cash out of the till and pop it in the tip jar.

Sounds like a good idea.

Unfortunately, half asleep and disorganised as I invariably am, I tend to not think about it until it's too late, and the transaction is complete. Then I go and ask SWMBO if she has cash, which like me she usually doesn't. Then I just shrug and do without, which is a shame for the staff.

Should I do better - yes. But it'd be great if the prompt was still there to help make it happen!

[A993LAD]

MikeGTi said:

I see it just as frequently. What I'm noticing more of, however, is automatically adding a service charge to the bill.

This is what I see most often. I don't mind tbh and it makes life easier.

I used to ask the staff if they definitely receive it and if it would be better if I asked for it to be removed and left cash instead. But there were so few occasions when they wanted the cash that I just let it go these days and pay it on the bill.

If it's not automatically added to the bill then I leave cash if I have it or ask them to add an amount to the card machine if I don't.

[IanJ9375]

Most the places I eat out at have started to include a 7-8% service charge for the tips - I guess in reaction to less cash transactions.
Usually highlighted on the bill so everyone can see it

[RicksAlfas]

I used a great card machine in a restaurant which had a "tip" button on it. When pressed it brought up a screen with a list of percentages and the value next to it. You just pressed the one you wanted and it added on to the total. Very easy, but not seen one since.

[thismonkeyhere]

RicksAlfas said:

I used a great card machine in a restaurant which had a "tip" button on it. When pressed it brought up a screen with a list of percentages and the value next to it. You just pressed the one you wanted and it added on to the total. Very easy, but not seen one since.

I've seen that too, but just the once unfortunately.

Good idea.

[Funk]

Is it possibly because the restaurant will be a paying a % of the tip given as a fee to the payment processor? That would mean when the tip was given in cash it would actually end up costing the restaurant money (assuming the tip was given without any deductions).

[psi310398]

If it actually led to establishments paying their staff properly, I’d be all in favour of going down the Scandinavian and Swiss route of not tipping at all.

Why on earth should working people have to depend on the generosity and/or good mood of others to ensure that they got paid adequately for simply doing their jobs?

[eldar]

psi310398 said:

If it actually led to establishments paying their staff properly, I’d be all in favour of going down the Scandinavian and Swiss route of not tipping at all.

Why on earth should working people have to depend on the generosity and/or good mood of others to ensure that they got paid adequately for simply doing their jobs?

The government could impose a minimum wage for everybody.

Never catch on, though....

[vikingaero]

Funk said:

Is it possibly because the restaurant will be a paying a % of the tip given as a fee to the payment processor? That would mean when the tip was given in cash it would actually end up costing the restaurant money (assuming the tip was given without any deductions).

Some of the larger chains also take a % for administration fee, as well as the card fee, before passing it on to staff. (The restaurant industry is very sharky).

[Flying machine]

What I have experienced a couple of times recently when buying food at takeaway shops (sandwiches, coffee etc) is being handed the card machine and told to "follow the instructions", which seems to be code for agree to a tip of x% (to be selected) and it seems a bit much to me for such places (not a sit down restaurant). Is this a new 'thing'?

[Rich Boy Spanner]

Waitress friend of mine says that if tips are made on the machine they pay tax on them. I try (but don't always succeed) in bringing cash for the tip, if not the full cost.

[QJumper]

psi310398 said:

If it actually led to establishments paying their staff properly, I’d be all in favour of going down the Scandinavian and Swiss route of not tipping at all.

Why on earth should working people have to depend on the generosity and/or good mood of others to ensure that they got paid adequately for simply doing their jobs?

I guess the flip side is why should a customer have to depend on the demeanour or mood of a server to get good service.

Unlike the US, where it's established that servers get little to no basic pay, and so rely entirely on tips, in the UK tips are seen as a bit of a bonus on top of their pay. I'm not sure whether the best approach is a largely tips based one, or a decent wage and no tips, but tend to feel that the halfway house we have is not the answer.

[TheLurker]

QJumper said:

I guess the flip side is why should a customer have to depend on the demeanour or mood of a server to get good service.

Unlike the US, where it's established that servers get little to no basic pay, and so rely entirely on tips, in the UK tips are seen as a bit of a bonus on top of their pay. I'm not sure whether the best approach is a largely tips based one, or a decent wage and no tips, but tend to feel that the halfway house we have is not the answer.

It's always seemed a strange notion to me to give people extra money for doing their job. You don't tip the checkout operator when doing your shopping, or the cashier in the bank or the pilot when you go on holiday.

That said, I do tip for good service in a restaurant, and always give a few quid extra for my hair cut. Does seem strange cultural norms though.

[knk]

Rich Boy Spanner said:

Waitress friend of mine says that if tips are made on the machine they pay tax on them. I try (but don't always succeed) in bringing cash for the tip, if not the full cost.

They should pay income tax on them, at their marginal rate, although not NI contributions.

[QJumper]

TheLurker said:

It's always seemed a strange notion to me to give people extra money for doing their job. You don't tip the checkout operator when doing your shopping, or the cashier in the bank or the pilot when you go on holiday.

That said, I do tip for good service in a restaurant, and always give a few quid extra for my hair cut. Does seem strange cultural norms though.

I agree, it does feel strange. That said, it also feels strange/wrong to pay two people the same money when one is doing their job better than the other. I think also in service related jobs that employees feel a greater sense of being valued/appreciated if they receive some kind of individual reward.

If I were an employee I think I'd prefer to be paid based on my output/performance rather than simply hours worked.

[eldar]

knk said:

Rich Boy Spanner said:

Waitress friend of mine says that if tips are made on the machine they pay tax on them. I try (but don't always succeed) in bringing cash for the tip, if not the full cost.

They should pay income tax on them, at their marginal rate, although not NI contributions.

The government changed the law a while back, to ensure workers got the tips. A side effect Tax and NI became payable. Most tips were thus reduced.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employee-gets-tips-gra...