A question of tipping

Half of consumers wouldn’t ask for a service charge to be reduced or removed from their bill if they had poor service in a restaurant, was one of the main statistics found in the October edition of The Good Food Guide.

Some 25% of diners choose to tip on top of service charges, meanwhile people in the north of England are least likely to tip, with 70% saying they tip at least sometimes. Diners in Northern Ireland are most likely to tip, with 87% tipping at least sometimes.

The most generous tippers live in the south of England, where 62% leave a tip of 10% or more.

Further findings suggest that people in Scotland are most likely to leave a tip every time they dine.

Elizabeth Carter, editor of The Good Food Guide, said: "Tipping in restaurants is a thorny problem. How much should you leave, and when should you withhold a tip? Most restaurants say service charges are optional, so customers should feel comfortable putting a line through the suggested tip if they feel the service didn't merit it."

She goes on to advice: "Also take care not to double tip by mistake – if you're not sure whether the service was included on the bill, just ask."

Words: Maria Bracken

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