Business

How and When Should You Tip for Great Service?

Do you regularly tip people that deliver a great service to you? Some people do, and some people don’t, but either way it can be confusing to know what is expected of you. Tipping is a way of paying somebody a little extra when they have gone beyond the call of duty for you – but it has become such a way of life that restaurants even go as far as making you ‘opt out’ if you don’t want to tip your waiter or waitress. Because it is assumed that you will tip in certain situations, it can be a little stressful for you if you are not sure of how to go about it. In this article we are going to tell you about a few occasions when you should tip, and how you should do it:

In a Cafe

If you have had great service in a cafe, or you have really enjoyed your coffee, then you definitely should tip the staff. If it is table service, then leave a little extra for the waiter or waitress when they come to take your bill. If it is counter service, then generally you will find a little bowl on the counter somewhere which is for all staff tips. Throw some money in here and it will get regularly divided up between all of the staff.

tip for good service

At the Hairdressers

A hairdressing salon is another place where it is good practice to tip. The person who washes your hair should get a cut, as well as the person who cuts it for you. Slip the hair washer some money after they have finished – or if you are not that organized then tip the hairdresser at the end, asking them to share it with the hair washing. Bear in mind that staff in hairdressing salons don’t generally get paid that much, so they heavily rely on your tips in order to make up the shortfall. It is generally assumed that you will tip, unless you are very unhappy with the service that you have been given.

In a saloon

In a Restaurant

As we said before, it is now standard practice for a restaurant to add the tip (or ‘gratuity’) to the bill. This puts a lot of extra pressure on you to pay it, because it is always slightly embarrassing to indicate that you don’t want to pay it! You should only opt out if you have had particularly bad service, and explain the reasons why you are opting out too. Generally at the restaurant point of sale you will get a chance to pay your bill including any tip that you wish to pay. Some people give a cash tip on top of the gratuity – and this can be discreetly handed to your waiter or waitress so that you know it is all going directly to them.

In a Restaurant

Tipping is a very confusing subject, so if you are in any doubt it’s always better to tip rather than to not tip – that way there is less chance of you offending someone!