In such a cosmopolitan city as London, with inhabitants from around the globe, the protocol on tipping is very blurred as tipping is not a universally accepted act. So if you are working in the service industry and you are relying on tips to make ends meet, here are a couple of pearls of wisdom for you to increase your chance of receiving a tip and help you earn bigger tips in the future.
A tip or a gratuity is a small amount of money given voluntarily to servers as appreciation for good service. You may leave a very small amount of money, or no tip at all as a sign that the service was substandard.
The word “tip” is thought to have originated in the 17th century and was believed to be used as a verb to “hand over” or “to give”. This theory aligns with many stories from Feudal times where lords would “tip” or throw gold coins to peasants, to ensure their own safe passage.
The main reason for tipping is more down to guilt than to gratitude. Often we will tip someone as we don’t want to offend someone or act out of protocol. We also have the belief that if we don’t tip, the server may remember us for our next visit to that bar or restaurant.
Although good service will invariably earn more tips than poor service, excellent service does not necessarily result in that much more of a tip. Researchers have found that excellent service only results in a marginally higher tip than normal, however the following specific actions end in much greater tips.
Touching - Waiters experienced a tip increase from 11.8 percent to 14.8 percent of the check total when they briefly touched the shoulder of the customer. Both men and women left higher tips when touched, and although younger customers increased their tip amount more, all ages increased the tip by some amount
Squatting - Two studies showed that waiters who squatted next to the table when taking orders and talking with customers increased their tips from 14.9 percent of the bill to 17.5 percent of the bill in one study, and from 12 percent to 15 percent in another study. Apparently, the eye contact and closer interaction creates a more intimate connection and makes us want to give the server more money
Giving sweets - A study that involved giving customers mints or sweets with their bill showed an increase in tip percentage from 15.1 percent to 17.8 percent. Another study in which servers gave each customer two sweets with the bill increased the tip from 19 percent to 21.6 percent of the bill. Still another study showed that the way the server gave the customer the sweets had the largest impact on the increase of the tip: This study had the server initially give each member of the customer's party one mint or sweet and then "spontaneously" offer a second one. This method increased the tip to 23 percent of the bill.
Being helpful - A study of hotel bellhops revealed that just taking a few extra minutes explaining to guests how to operate the television and thermostat, opening the drapes for guests, and offering to fill the ice bucket increased tips from $2.40 to $4.77
Introduction – In another study, servers who introduced themselves by name at the beginning of the dining experience, went on to earn a tip of 23% of the bill as opposed to servers who did not introduce themselves by name, who only earned an average tip of 15%.
Plastic - Research has shown that tips are significantly higher when the customer pays with their credit card as opposed to paying with cash.
The bill – Servers who took longer to bring a customer their bill, once requested, ended up with smaller tips on average. Servers who wrote thank you, or a small message on the bill, received slightly larger tips on average.
While the above will all help servers receive greater gratuities, there is no substitute for friendly, efficient service. You may increase your tips by a small percentage due to the actions above, but you will need to earn the tip in the first place with decent service.
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For more information, check out: Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell .
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