What makes Brits so incredibly CHEAP when it come to gratuities?

Question

I work as a chauffer and I find Brits to be the worst tippers of anyone. Why is that?

Answer 1

We're cheap is why

Answer 2

Actually, despite what some have said, tipping is very much a British practice!

The trouble is one of two things;
1. We're never entirely sure who we're supposed to tip! We normally tip hairdressers, waiters / waitresses, taxi-drivers, and hotel staff after they've carried our cases up to our rooms. In other situations we're just not sure, so if we decide to tip 'just-in-case' it's likely to be a small tip! You, as a chauffeur, don't fit into the taxi-driver category - so no-one's really sure whether you'll be insulted by a tip or if you EXPECT one...!! And as you've probably cost them an arm and a leg already, why do you expect a huge tip on top? THEY don't know how much your wages are...!
2. Some people - and not just from Britain - are skinflints!!! They're just too mean to give a big tip, although sometimes the service is so appallingly bad that any civilised person would say "I'm sorry dear, but your attitude while serving our food (or driving our car) was just SO outrageous that I can't possibly give you a tip." And why not? If people treat you like dirt, why the heck should you give them a cash bonus for the privilege?!!

Answer 3

When it comes to tips the Brits give a good one if the service is good and if the service is bad they get nothing, that is the way it is suppose to be you dint deserve a tip just because you did your job! if you go beyond what is expected of you then a tip is will be given.
Perhaps you only did what is expected of you and that is why you got a bad tip, next time you have a Brit try harder go that little bit further than you usually go and if the tip sucks then just go back to what your doing and put it down to them being tight fisted as they say in the UK.

Answer 4

I always give a 10% Tip to Waitresses, Taxi Cab Drivers and also the Chambermaid when on Holidays,mainly because they are the Worst Paid.
Chauffeurs are normally working for the Big Knobs,and get a good wage working for one person or Family only.

If this person is Moonlighting then he is a Cab Driver and if courteous and doffs his Cap on opening the Cab door would most probably deserve a Gratuity

Answer 5

I only tip in restaurants, because I know that A) it's expected and B) because it's expected they get crappy wages - I know when I used to work as a waiter in the USA there was a separate lower minimum wage for service staff to account for the tips, so tips were vital. In the UK I always tip 10% (rounded up to the nearest £1) unless the service was AWFUL enough that I get angry, in which case no tip. If it was fantastic I'd give more. I hate not leaving a tip, it's embarrassing, but if the service is bad enough it's what is deserved. I've probably only stiffed on a tip three or four times ever.

I wouldn't know who else to tip? Cabbies? No chance. Doormen? Bugger that, just because the hotel sticks him there to open the door I am supposed to give him money? I can open my own door, thanks. It wouldn't even enter my head to tip a chauffeur (not that I'd use one.) I'm glad the tipping everyone culture hasn't caught on here. It's a pain.

Answer 6

Wages in the types of jobs where you would be tipped are generally are higher, so tipping is only used if the service is good instead of under every circumstance. I believe this encourages people to offer genuine better service.

At the end of the day it's a cultural difference and I can't speak for every Brit, but I and my family tip exceptionally well for good service, whereas we will not offer a reward for poor service.

Answer 7

Oh for God's sake!

We do NOT commonly tip in Britain. Its not our culture to do so. Deal with it. Its usually only done if the service is exceptional. Its is not to be expected as a given that you will be tipped and you need to budget your wages accordingly. It amazes me the way Americans just "expect" a tip as they think its part of their wages. We Brits would object to every greedy Tom Dick or Harry who serves us holding out his greasy hand for a freebie when we've already paid over the odds in the bill anyway.

In a British pub the most you would do is buy the bar man/barmaid who serves you a drink. You wouldn't give them money.

We don't usually tip in resturants etc either or taxi drivers unless we are really chuffed to bits with the service we received. Why the **** should we - they charge us enough in the bill so why should we part with extra hard earned cash on top of that?

Actually if you had any idea how expensive the price of living is in the UK you'd see why we have to hang on to our money.

What is funny though is if you work in a resturant or pub in Britain and you get American tourists in. They are so busy flashing about their money and they have no idea that tipping is not customary over here and they leave huge great big massive unexpected and inappropriate tips! I once, while waitressing, had an American give me a £50 note for a tip! I don't think he understood how much it was worth. Naturally I didn't tell my supervisor as they'd have taken it off me!!!

Answer 8

You are totally wrong. Just because in your personal experience you have not had many tips of British people does not mean we are cheap.
i am from England, and tip IF and only IF someone deserves it. Also, its more common to tip at restaurants etc.
Most people leave 10% if the service received is excellent and conforms to the standard expected. If its okay you generally leave less.
If its crap nothing, which would suggest you do nothing to deserve a tip.
And all you do is take them from one place to another, which you get paid for. Do you tip them for paying you?
Do you tip somewhere if you just buy a coffee, or CD?
No, theres your answer

Answer 9

I'm not a Brit but I think tipping sucks. Nobody tips me at my work, why should you get tipped? Maybe the Brits are the wise ones here and have the guts to not get into all that tipping B.S.

Answer 10

perhaps you are the worst chauffuer on planet earth? maybe peole in other countries tip you because they are scared of your driving and hope you will drive better? In England we are used to bad drivers like white van men, so we just think you are rubbish and never tip you?

Why not work in England, be a white van man? Once you get used to rubbish wages, expensive cost of living etc, lets see how generous you are with "gratuities"?

Answer 11

As a Brit i very rarely tip, its just not part of our culture. If something has a price on it, it stays that price and we don't have to add x% to it to cover a tip. I only ever tip if someone goes above and beyond to help, i certainly wouldn't tip for someone just doing their job.