Where do your restaurant tips really go?

[Catriona]

Restaurants and bars will be banned from using tips to top up staffs' minimum wage, but what really happens to tips after you leave the table? This is Money investigates

More...Where do your restaurant tips really go? (External link to This is Money)

[Paul Carcone]

I used to do some waiter work when I was at school and the distribution of the tips varied.

In some places, the tips were pooled and shared between the chefs and the waiting staff...and sometimes the waiting staff just kept what they received.

Of course, if the tip is given by the employer and a record is maintained, it is impossible to hide it from the tax-man (although my advice as an accountant would be that all tips should be declared ).

Personally, I think that the system of sharing the tips between ALL the staff involved in the prep of the meal is the fairest...but it really does rely on each waiter being honest and giving the WHOLE tip to the pool...!

[GlasgowGirl]

I'm not so sure: I tend to tip based on the service I've received. If I have a delicious meal but the waiter is surly, then I probably won't tip at all, since I'd assume that the tip would go to the waiter rather than the chef. On the other hand, if my meal is mediocre but the service is good, I'd leave a reasonable tip. I think it's a bit unfair for waiters to have to share tips with each other: if you're a particularly good waiter, you should be allowed to benefit from that.

[MBVH]

I agree with Paul. Customer service is a team effort, and it's not fair to reward just one individual just because he or she stumbled upon a generous customer.

[Tony]

It is a team effort, but the waiter does the lion's share and as GG says some are better than others, but there is also a large element of luck - everybody wants to serve the Americans.

Tony

[Matt26]

I've done quite a bit of waiting work myself.

Despite the fact that tips are often the difference between being able to live on a waiters salary in a city or not they're often the source of a lot of sharp dealing.

Some restaurants simply pocket all tipa and justify this by paying staff a little more - maybe as little as 50p more.

Another thing that used to annoy me was salaried managers taking a slice of the tips when they spend half the nightin the office doing 'admin.'

It's good that it's getting publicity though I dont think a lot of people understand how important tipping is.

[red]

I suppose it is a personal opinion but i dont feel right the well paid staff should get a cut of tips.

My brother-in-law is a head chef and he refuses to accept a slice of tips as he receives 3times what waiters etc are paid. He also tells me it is becoming looked at by the tax man with an ever increasingly focussed eye.

[Matt26]

I know, it's unbelievable!

By the letter of the law you're supposed to declare all gratuities but expecting a guy on £5.50 an hour to give up 20% of his extra grocery money just isnt realistic.