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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
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Tip vs. service charge
I've come across a handful of apparent confusions between these two terms. The menu indicated "for groups of 8 or more, a 10% gratuity will be added to the bill" (well, I forget if those were the real figures). But when the bill came, some others were saying in response to the figure, "that's the tip".
It's just come back in arrangements for my departmental Christmas dinner this time around: "Cost is £21 including tip." To which my response would be, if I'm paying a tip, it's up to me how much I pay.
My general inkling has always been that a tip is a voluntary payment, and a payment that's automatically added to the bill is called a service charge. It's implied in CALD:
"a small amount of money given to someone who has provided you with a service, in addition to the official payment and for their personal use:" ...
"We don't need to leave a tip for the waiter, because there's a service charge included in the bill."
What would you people say to this?
(I'm guessing that AmE and BrE are basically the same - CDAE simply gives "to give money to (someone) for service which is in addition to the amount being charged").
Stewart.
It's just come back in arrangements for my departmental Christmas dinner this time around: "Cost is £21 including tip." To which my response would be, if I'm paying a tip, it's up to me how much I pay.
My general inkling has always been that a tip is a voluntary payment, and a payment that's automatically added to the bill is called a service charge. It's implied in CALD:
"a small amount of money given to someone who has provided you with a service, in addition to the official payment and for their personal use:" ...
"We don't need to leave a tip for the waiter, because there's a service charge included in the bill."
What would you people say to this?
(I'm guessing that AmE and BrE are basically the same - CDAE simply gives "to give money to (someone) for service which is in addition to the amount being charged").
Stewart.
Top answer
[nq:1]I've come across a handful of apparent confusions between these two terms. The menu indicated "for groups of 8 or ... [/nq] In cases where a service charge has been added to the bill in a restaurant, it's my feeling that the automatic charge is a means of ensuring that the server(s) gets at least a minimal amount for his/her efforts.
- [nq:1]I've come across a handful of apparent confusions between these two terms.
- The menu indicated "for groups of 8 or ...
- [/nq] In cases where a service charge has been added to the bill in a restaurant, it's my feeling that the automatic charge is a means of ensuring that the server(s) gets at least a minimal amount for his/her efforts.
- In large parties, it sometimes happens that everyone thinks someone else is tipping, or that the person that is handling the bill doesn't believe in tipping.
- I compute what I think is a fair tip, subtract the service charge amount from that figure, and tip the balance.
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189 Answers
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[nq:1]I've come across a handful of apparent confusions between these two terms. The menu indicated "for groups of 8 or ... - CDAE simply gives "to give money to (someone) for service which is in addition to the amount being charged").[/nq]
In cases where a service charge has been added to the bill in a restaurant, it's my feeling that the automatic charge is a means of ensuring that the serve
In cases where a service charge has been added to the bill in a restaurant, it's my feeling that the automatic charge is a means of ensuring that the serve
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[nq:1]I've come across a handful of apparent confusions between these two terms. The menu indicated "for groups of 8 or ... - CDAE simply gives "to give money to (someone) for service which is in addition to the amount being charged").[/nq]
I'm not sure what your question is. If there's a service charge, you don't need to tip. If you want to call "service charge" what they charge you, and "tip
I'm not sure what your question is. If there's a service charge, you don't need to tip. If you want to call "service charge" what they charge you, and "tip
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[nq:1]but the US server isn't paid by the restaurant (other than minimally) and the UK server is.[/nq]
True, but not usually very well. It's likely to be around the National Minimum Wage: four pounds 85p an hour over the age of 21. I think it's as low as three pounds for under-18s.
Mike.
True, but not usually very well. It's likely to be around the National Minimum Wage: four pounds 85p an hour over the age of 21. I think it's as low as three pounds for under-18s.
Mike.
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[nq:2]but the US server isn't paid by the restaurant (other than minimally) and the UK server is.[/nq]
[nq:1]True, but not usually very well. It's likely to be around the National Minimum Wage: four pounds 85p an hour over the age of 21. I think it's as low as three pounds for under-18s.[/nq]
It was only from reading the Barbara Ehrenreich book "Nickeled and Dimed in America" that I discov
[nq:1]True, but not usually very well. It's likely to be around the National Minimum Wage: four pounds 85p an hour over the age of 21. I think it's as low as three pounds for under-18s.[/nq]
It was only from reading the Barbara Ehrenreich book "Nickeled and Dimed in America" that I discov
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[nq:2]I've come across a handful of apparent confusions between thesetwo ... for service which is in additionto the amount being charged").[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm not sure what your question is. If there's a service charge,you don't need to tip. If you want to ... I think you can find better things to argue about. Take it metaphorically, if you like, like "That's the ballgame."[/nq]
No, it's a tho
[nq:1]I'm not sure what your question is. If there's a service charge,you don't need to tip. If you want to ... I think you can find better things to argue about. Take it metaphorically, if you like, like "That's the ballgame."[/nq]
No, it's a tho
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[nq:2] True, but not usually very well. It's likely to ... I think it's as low as three pounds for under-18s.[/nq]
[nq:1]It was only from reading the Barbara Ehrenreich book "Nickeled and Dimed in America" that I discovered that waitstaff are paid below the regular minimum wage, and expected to make up the difference with tips.[/nq]
In the old days at fancy restaurants like Maxim's, tips w
[nq:1]It was only from reading the Barbara Ehrenreich book "Nickeled and Dimed in America" that I discovered that waitstaff are paid below the regular minimum wage, and expected to make up the difference with tips.[/nq]
In the old days at fancy restaurants like Maxim's, tips w
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[nq:2]It was only from reading the Barbara Ehrenreich book "Nickeled ... wage, and expected to make up the difference with tips.[/nq]
[nq:1]In the old days at fancy restaurants like Maxim's, tips were so lucrative that waiters had to pay the headwaiter for the privilege of working there.[/nq]
At one of my nearby supermarkets, the baggers aren't paid they just get tips. I can't imagine ther
[nq:1]In the old days at fancy restaurants like Maxim's, tips were so lucrative that waiters had to pay the headwaiter for the privilege of working there.[/nq]
At one of my nearby supermarkets, the baggers aren't paid they just get tips. I can't imagine ther
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[nq:2]I've come across a handful of apparent confusions between these ... for service which is in additionto the amount being charged").[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm not sure what your question is. If there's a service charge, you don't need to tip. If you want to call "service charge" what theycharge you, and "tip" what you decide to give them, fine.[/nq]
One might think that the service charge is part
[nq:1]I'm not sure what your question is. If there's a service charge, you don't need to tip. If you want to call "service charge" what theycharge you, and "tip" what you decide to give them, fine.[/nq]
One might think that the service charge is part
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Of course whether the American tipping system is moral is a topic of worth and importance. I wasn't dismissing that at all but it's not what the original poster raised. He simply outlined some facts and asked for comment.
Please note that I began, "I'm not sure what your question is." When I say stuff like that, that's exactly what I mean. Perhaps you can point to something he put in his origi
Please note that I began, "I'm not sure what your question is." When I say stuff like that, that's exactly what I mean. Perhaps you can point to something he put in his origi
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[nq:2]In the old days at fancy restaurants like Maxim's, tips were solucrative that waiters had to pay the headwaiter for the privilege of workingthere.[/nq]
[nq:1]At one of my nearby supermarkets, the baggers aren't paid they just get tips. I can't imagine there's much money to be made that way.[/nq]
Is that legal? I never heard of tipping a bagger.
[nq:1]At one of my nearby supermarkets, the baggers aren't paid they just get tips. I can't imagine there's much money to be made that way.[/nq]
Is that legal? I never heard of tipping a bagger.
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