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Waiter slams tourists who leave £57 on £569 bill after ‘perfect’ service
24 March 2023, 13:57
An American waitress was outraged after being tipped 10 per cent on a £596 bill, despite 'flawless' service.
A waiter has criticised holidaymakers for leaving a 10 per cent tip on their bill earlier this week.
The woman, from America, explained how the group left a $70 (£56.96) tip on top of a $700 (£569.76) bill.
But after they were reportedly ‘over the moon’ with the service, she was expecting to be given more than double this.
Taking to Twitter, she fumed: "This table just left $70 on a $700 check after chilling for hours.
“My manager even asked about their service and they were over the moon about my service so he explained the customary tip is 20 per cent and they were like 'OK' and left."
She added: "Oh God I already know that this is going to get the most insufferable 'tipping isn't mandatory, just get a new job or magically change the laws overnight, I am such a genius to say this' type of replies.”
Unsurprisingly, there were plenty of comments on the post, with one person writing: "Only Americans would complain about a $70 tip."
Someone else wrote: "If the bill is $700, then you have every right to complain about a $70 tip if you're an American waiter. And one should learn the tipping customs of places one is visiting."
American servers typically expect an additional 15 to 20 per cent tip on top of the overall bill to compensate for their service.
Employers in many states are entitled to pay waiting staff at a special below-minimum-wage rate, on the expectation that diners will make up the difference.
This differs from the UK, which is typically seen as more of a personal choice to tip than an expectation.
Advice from the UK Post Office reads: "In most of Europe, tipping is very common. In many cases, it's just built into part of the bill – very similar to the UK. Tip sizes vary from country to country, but if you get stuck or you're strapped for cash – just add on 10 per cent, or round the bill up to the nearest €5 or €10.
"As in all countries, it's polite to tip porters, taxi drivers and the people cleaning your hotel room – the expected tip is much smaller than the standard in bars and restaurants. If the service has been poor, don't hesitate to hold back on the tip. As in the UK, it's meant to be a reward for good service."
