big-will 7 Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 The other night, was in a restaurant and on the menu it said that there was an optional service charge of 10 percent. OK understood I thought, but then the bill comes out with that 10 percent stuck on the total - still saying optional of course. A bit cheeky I thought but I wasnt going to make an issue of it, perhaps its how these Londoners do things I thought. But the service was totally crap and we waited ages. I wonder if anyone opts out on paying. And if anyone else pays more when they have still paid the service charge. It seems to me that UKers still do not totally know what to do with service/tips. Perhaps taking a calculator and knowing a number is in fact better! Link to post Share on other sites
farquah 0 Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I am coming back to the UK on Thursday, haven't been back for 3 years and was chatting to a French fellar who was over there last week. He gave me a word of warning about restaurants and bars if you pay by card, apparently some of the bars he went to it was standard practice for the manager to add a few extra quid onto the bill at the end?! Whether this was just because he was French I don't know but made me a bit weary. Certainly not looking forward to seeing how expensive things have become, mind you glad the pound just dropped a fair bit recently. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 excuse me pardre, it's "optional service" charge Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Yeah but Thursday...does that mean it is a compulsory charge for the service they may or may not choose to give you? LOL! Nothing speaks louder in the resturant game than money. If you are not happy with the service or the food you simply adjust the bill - get out your parker pen and draw a line through the service charge and write the new amount on the account. Best option - stick the right amount of cash down with the bill. If they approach you to ask for an explanation - simply answer "The service was poor, we waited far too long for our meals, we were very dissatisfied and will not be returning". If they want to stay in business they will change thier approach! Link to post Share on other sites
joshnii 2 Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 You just have to opt out by making a big fuss and being embarrassed... so, very few people do. Saying it is optional and putting it on by default is almost more annoying than just sticking it on without giving us the impression that we have a choice. Link to post Share on other sites
klingon 10 Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Same chain, 10% in Newcastle, 12.5% in London. (And that was optional too, but no option to also pay for the employees health care or bonus scheme it seemed). Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Originally Posted By: klingon Same chain, 10% in Newcastle, 12.5% in London. (And that was optional too, but no option to also pay for the employees health care or bonus scheme it seemed). isn't that what regular tax is for? Health care is free for all in the UK, no company needs to pay for employees health care. The optional charge sounds fishy and in a way a perfect way to scam a tip from a non-tip paying pubic, as people in Britain will often not make a fuss and just complain bitterly afterwards about it. Did you pay the charge Big-Will? Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Remember to bring your sacks of cash, ger, and also cloths and things to wipe down the tables before you sit down -- it seems service here doesnt include, er, service at all. Cups, plates, all left on the tables until you ask for them to please move them, then they come over in a strop and wipe the crumbs and everythinh onto the floor (or even your lap if you are lucky!) Oh yes, and remember to pay for that service. Having been to Japan and other countries that value good service has really opened my eyes to the generally poor lot we have to put up with here and it does annoy me a lot. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 OH BOC - how right you are! I must admit travelling has opened my eyes to QUALITY and GRACIOUS service. Countries like Japan do it well without tipping, I found the USA did it well because thier tip depended on it. COuntries like Aus and the UK - FAIL the test! Shame. I just hope I can raise my kids to provide good service and have industrious work habits despite the trend. Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Originally Posted By: Mamabear Shame. I just hope I can raise my kids to provide good service and have industrious work habits despite the trend. Dunno MamaB, I've had pretty decent service whilst being in sydney this week, though wining and dining on the Co. at decent establishments may be the difference! Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Yeah that often makes a difference Indo. We eat out at the ritzy establishments upon occassion and the service is really good for the most part. There is a shocking trend in customer service in other area's of industry though. Retail is a biggie. At a training session today it was suggested that we (as trainers) recommend that our lower position (2hrs training) staff stay for the higher position training (2 more hours on top of the 2) as it will hold them in good stead and might be of benefit to them in the future, and us if we need to promote them in a hurry into the higher position. Problem is they get paid for training. And they will not get paid to stay for 2 extra hours. If it was ME...I would probably stay....but it will be interesting how many of them will actually CHOOSE to stay voluntarily, and what the ages of the stayers will be! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 I would be one of the leavers Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 I wouldn't even turn up. Link to post Share on other sites
lin 0 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 I dont always want to eat at an expensive place. Sometimes a good down to earth good value meal is called upon. But I still expect some level of service. Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 About expensive prices - lots of places now actually have some good deals on. Quite a few "50% on Monday"-like deals at restaurants near where I work and also in the centre of London as well. Just need to know where they are. Always brings a bit of relief to the dishing out cash hand and wallet. Link to post Share on other sites
spook 0 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 when i was in the uk i used to ignore the optional service charge if the service was poor. i didn't make a big song and dance about it, i just wouldn't pay it and they never said anything. in the US it really irks me having to tip everyone, but i do it because it's just the way it is. but in the UK the tipping culture is different. if the service is great i'll tip, but i feel no obligation to do so for standard service - last time i checked it's their job. the fact that they are demanding a tip shits me to tears and is enough to make me not tip just to prove a point. Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 The way some places do it now spook is put "optional service charge" on the bill and UNDER that put the "Amount due" which includes that service charge. It makes it difficult and troublesome to not pay it, and for that reason most people probably don't say anything and just pay it. Annoying it is, but the way it is. Other places, when you pay by card they bring you the bill on a lovely silver plate (oh so very posh) and there are two unfilled in lines on the bill - one for "Tip/Service" and the last one being "Total to pay", so you fill them in yourself. If I have crap service, I will not pay it. Actually once in a place that cost 80 quid for two people and we had what I thought was terrible and slow service, I put the amount 1p in the "Tip/Service" part. Link to post Share on other sites
spook 0 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 ahaha i love that silver plate, especially when they use it in a bar to give you your change - it always seemed to me that they tried to shame you to leave your change as a tip. i would just smile and tip the tray into my pocket. that is very cheeky with the way they are adding service to the bill now though innit? i'll happily pay for service if it deserves it, but i won't be shamed or tricked into it. i'm beginning to sound like an old man, but fark it. my quid is my quid. i'm not going to let some hipster scam it from me. turn it back on them and they should be the ones embarrased, not the customer. Link to post Share on other sites
aomorigum 0 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Is the silver plate not a present? I won't take it next time..... Link to post Share on other sites
snowboarding-sally 0 Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 You only get that in posh places. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 yeah like Harvesters Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share Posted August 25, 2008 or Beefeater. Link to post Share on other sites
scouser 4 Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Place I went to last month and they put the optional 10% on the total bill. Service was lousy. When it came to paying I paid the amount minus the service amount. Normally I would pay it but there is no way when the service is a joke. Link to post Share on other sites
the snowboarding vicar 1 Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Calling a charge optional and then putting it on the bill before the total is not good. Link to post Share on other sites
JA2340 16 Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 In my mind, a tip is NOT an option. The staff are paid to perform the service. If they don't provide the service I expect, I do not go back AND I tell my mates! If they DO provide good service, I tell anyone who'll listen, and a few others as well! A tip is a miserable way for the employer to not pay full value to their employees, and is only available to some people (ferinstance, teachers cannot - no matter how good a job they do - get a "tip" from the clients, they are stuck with the base salary and no perks, no overtime no matter how much they do, and no way to improve the income other than getting promoted ut of the classroom!) :OK, rant off: Link to post Share on other sites
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