h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

All British people know this: you do not tip cash at the bar in a pub. If you are impressed with the barkeep's service, you can offer to buy them a drink. Such an offer will be genuinely appreciated, even though it may not be accepted. If it is, the barkeep might take the tip in the form of cash to "have one [a drink] later". This will generally be for half a pint of beer, or a small measure of spirits -- you would not expect them to take for a larger drink unless you specifically asked them to.

It seems to me to be a grey area whether to tip for meals served in a pub. Generally I don't, and my landlord friends seem to indicate that I am with the majority. It can sometimes be hard to decide whether a particular establishment is a pub that serves food (don't tip) or a restaurant with a bar (do tip).

Conversely in the US and Canada you are expected to put a dollar or two into the pot at the bar. However, since you usually pay only at the end (rather than for each drink as you go) then this does not get too excessive!

I will never tip when a "gratuity" is included in the price, as I regard this as a bad practice.

I can also never understand why in US/Canadian restaurants a larger "gratuity" is often added to the bills of groups of eight or more. Is it really more difficult to serve eight people on one table than four people on each of two? Admittedly it is a bit harder to get all the meals ready at the same time but it still seems hard to justify.

I think in general it is bad form to tip the owners, they set their own prices! But if the owner of your local bar or pub is a friend then you can always buy them a drink.

Oops - when I worked as a barman, I used to take the equivalent of a pint from the change, explaining that I couldn't drink while working. Perhaps this was a huge error, but no-one ever said anything...

Well, with a large party there is usually dedicated service assigned. Do not put up with added "gratuity" if there is no special service.

>I can also never understand why in US/Canadian restaurants a larger "gratuity" is often added to the bills of groups of eight or more. Is it really more difficult to serve eight people on one table than four people on each of two? Admittedly it is a bit harder to get all the meals ready at the same time but it still seems hard to justify.

Obviously there are exceptions to my generalisation, but I think a "small" drink (half-pint or a small shot of spirits) is more usual. Of course if someone explicitly offers you a pint you take a pint.

Many landlords in rural areas do not mind bar staff drinking a few halves on duty, but this is far less common in town or city pubs/bars. Technically it is illegal to drink, eat or smoke behind the bar because of the danger of mouth-to-hand contaimination. But it is not against the law to drink in front of the bar while working. (Not that you suggested it was.) It is, however, illegal to serve anyone who appears to be drunk--- but does that include yourself?!

S.

Nor would I suggest that I haven't drunk 'on duty', as it were. Just make sure you have your pint glass is on the bar, about half-full. Then, if the manager comes in, 'collect' it as if it was an abandoned glass.

A chap I used to work with coveted a 'special' half-pint glass that was taller than the others (even though it was stamped), so he could get more beer for his 'half-pint'.

I tried to show him that the glass was indeed exactly half a pint by various methods, nevertheless he was convinced it was larger.

My housemate works in a gay bar and last friday recieved over twenty four pounds (UK) in tips. Admitedly he is young, blonde and pretty, and most of these are from older men hoping to sleep with him.

So to add to tipping ettique, in gay bars in Birmingham, any tips will be politely taken by the barman, but will label the custormer a dirty old man, and ruin any chances he might of had of pulling any memeber of staff.

A friend of mine once worked at the Hilton International at Gatwick. He looked after an elderly couple for a week and did everything he could for them. When they left they din't tip on their cheque as was normal and he was starting to mutter unmentionables. As they were about to leave they came over to him and pulled him to one side. The gentleman said, we wanted to give you something to say thankyou for all your help and pushed a tip into his hand. When he looked at it he found 50p! Against all tipping acceptance etiquet he pushed it back into the gentlemans hand with the comment "I think you need it more than me."

Also the biggest tip I've ever had was also at a Hilton hotel when I got 20 quid from one customer. A guy who had just started work that day saw it happen and obviously thought it was normal, although he did note my femaleness and blondeness as also contributing.