While many Brits are willing to tip, one in six say they often refuse to pay additional service charges
Tipping is a social minefield, and differs from industry to industry and country to country. Should you leave another tip if a restaurant already has a service charge? What kind of workers should you tip? When is it acceptable to withhold a tip?
YouGov polling now reveals just how often, and who, Brits do and do not tip, as well as whether Brits pay optional service charges or not.
Where do Brits leave tips?
Brits are most likely to tip when dining out: 35% always do when eating at a restaurant, and another 28% often do. Only 5% of Brits never leave a tip for waiters or waitresses.
Older Brits are the most likely to leave something for their server, with 41% of Brits over the age of 55 always leaving a tip, compared to just 19% of 18 to 24 year olds.
Hairdressers and barbers are also likely to be on the receiving end of Brits’ generosity, with over a quarter (29%) of the public always tipping when they get a haircut, and a further 11% saying they do so often.
Again, older Brits are twice as likely to tip: 40% of Brits over the age of 55 tip their hairdresser or barber, compared to just 16% of 18 to 24 year olds.
However, 24% of Britons say they never tip their barbers, with men slightly more likely to never tip (27%) than women (22%). This is despite a recent YouGov survey revealing that men are far more likely to pay less for their haircuts than women [LINK].
One in five (22%) Brits also say they always tip their taxi drivers, and 7% say the same for delivery drivers.
Bar staff and workers in fast food outlets are the least likely to receive tips, with 56% and 69% of Britons respectively saying they never tip when using these services. However, three in ten Brits (31%) say they do on occasion tip when getting a round in at the pub.
How do Britons feel about service charges compared to tips?
Many restaurants now add an optional service charge to bills to cover staff costs, but if the service is not up to scratch many Brits are willing to withhold it. Some Brits also see it as more of a suggested gratuity, with 53% saying it’s the same as leaving a tip, and that they would rather leave cash.
Overall, 48% of Britons say they have asked for a service charge to be removed in the past, with one in ten (10%) Brits doing so every time they are asked to pay one. A third of Brits (37%) have never asked to remove the additional charge.
Click to enlargeBut what does it take for Britons to take a service charge off their bill? The top answer (26%) is receiving poor service. Another 17% take a moral stance and say they think service charges should be rolled into menu prices, rather than being an additional charge. Another 16% think they should be the ones to decide whether to pay extra, not the restaurant.
One in seven (14%) say they prefer to leave a cash tip rather than pay a service charge, and one in ten Brits who have refused service charges in the past have done so because they aren’t sure if the charge goes directly to staff.
This could be because Britons also say they are not confident that tips paid using credit and debit cards are actually passed on to staff.
Two in five (43%) say they are much less confident staff members will receive tips paid this way than compared to a conventional cash tip, and a further 21% are a little less confident.
Image: Getty
See full results here
