Stop feeling guilty about handing over tips, says LEE BOYCE, ‘optional’ service charge hater

This week the new tipping legislation came into effect. It means that restaurants and the like must share tips with employees in a fair and transparent manner.

While many eateries and other businesses already do this, there are some high-profile examples where this practice was not the norm.

And where that isn’t the case, workers will have more rights to fight back.

But beyond the fairness of how tips are shared, I’m becoming increasingly frustrated with the tactics used by some in the hospitality industry to guilt us into tipping.

I recently visited a local cafe where I have been a loyal customer for years. It has revamped its payment system, meaning that if you want to pay by card, you have to go to the counter – instead of an employee coming by with the machine.

It’s one of those tablet-style payment devices and when I turned it over to pay, there was initially a screen to navigate.

You can click on a green smiley face for a 20 percent tip, a yellow, slightly sadder-looking face for a 15 percent tip, or a red angry face for a 10 percent tip.

Buried at the bottom of the screen, without a face, was the no-tip option.

Listen, I like the cafe, the service and food are always good, and I do tip – but only in cash. However, the tip jar was gone.

There’s something so impersonal about tipping with a card in my opinion, so I opted not to – and when I tapped the No Tipping tab, I felt a momentary pang of guilt.

Would the owner, waitress and customers all know what I had done? But then again, why should I feel bad? It had given me a childish happy face/sad face system that honestly belongs in an elementary school classroom.

In short, all this nonsense feels like a new Americanization of Britain and, speaking to colleagues, friends and family, I know many feel the same.

I get it in the US. Some states have incredibly low minimum wages, which are often offered to hospitality positions and tips make up a large portion of their wages. It’s just different here.

More than a decade ago, I lamented the rise of the not-so-‘optional’ service charge. Since then, things have only gotten worse.

When you ask to have the optional service charge waived, it often feels like you could hear a pin drop in the restaurant you’re in. It’s honestly somewhat embarrassing.

Nothing has changed my opinion of that piece. I wrote in 2013: I’m not saying we should stop tipping waiters/waitresses, but it should be on merit – not because a bar or restaurant wants to lump it in.

And it’s not just cafes and restaurants that do this, other places like bakeries do this too. There was a controversial post on social media last week from TV personality Kate Lawler.

She revealed she paid almost £9 for a loaf of bread… and was asked at the payment machine if she wanted to leave a tip.

“I didn’t tip and then I had the nerve to get stingy, what’s going on in the world?” she said in the clip.

I know that feeling and it leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Another example is that of taxi drivers, who nowadays often use debit cards. It’s a strange feeling not to tip this way, considering the tight space you’re in.

And don’t get me started on pubs that do this, when the drinks are simply placed in front of you at the bar – not even brought to your table.

As this new tipping law comes into effect, it should mean that any tips you give now go fairly to the staff. In fact, it will be illegal for companies not to ignore them.

That takes the question away from a waiter/waitress: If I leave a tip, will you definitely receive the money and not just fill the coffers for the owner?

The government says around £200 million will be taken home by millions of workers as a result of the changes.

But chances are there will be winners and losers. Labor tribunals can compensate violations, potentially creating further headaches for hospitality owners who are already dealing with higher overhead costs.

Under the regulations, staff have the right to view their employer’s tipping policy and record how many tips have been given by punters.

It’s estimated that about four in five tips are made with a debit or credit card, and doing so has likely made it easier for bosses to keep the money. This new legislation seems much fairer on paper.

Crucially, however, I will continue to give cash tips if I deem it worthy. I won’t blindly tap my card to do that, or be guilt-tripped by a screen in a behavioral economics way.

Sorry, 10 percent sad face.

Did you leave a tip out of guilt or was a tip asked in an unusual place? Contact: editor@thisismoney.co.uk