NEWS COPY
One in 10 Brits never leaves a tip, a study has revealed.
Bad service, rudeness or simply feeling they have already paid for the service within the bill mean millions admit to never or rarely paying a gratuity in restaurants, hairdressers, hotels or cafes.
One in five have refused to tip someone because they look untidy or scruffy and another one in ten have walked out without leaving a little extra behind as the server wasn’t wearing a uniform.
But the average Brit leaves just seven per cent of the total bill amount – less than the customary 10 per cent - with waiters most likely to be tipped, followed by taxi drivers, hairdressers and takeaway delivery drivers.
One in five of those polled, by uniform provider Simon Jersey, have even been told they don’t leave enough of a tip, by a friend, relative, work colleague and even the person they were tipping.
However, the season of goodwill is only a good thing for tips, with 23 per cent admitting they will leave an average of £3.54 more over Christmas than they do at any other time of the year.
And almost one in ten will leave a tip during the festive period even though they rarely do at any other time.
Staff working harder and more anti-social hours at this time of year are among the top reasons for the larger tips, as well as generally being in a better mood, feeling more generous or feeling like you should because it’s Christmas.
A spokesman for Simon Jersey, which dresses more than half a million of the UK’s working population each day and commissioned the research, said: “Tipping is something which is customary and not compulsory, but this can make it quite confusing as there are no hard and fast rules.
“Some people always leave 10 per cent of the bill, regardless of how much this is, whereas others put down a random amount based on their experience or what they have in their purse or pockets.
“And it seems it’s not just the level of service you receive which is the deciding factor in how much money you leave as a tip, or even if one is left at all.
“Being polite and friendly is a big factor in whether any extra is left on top of the bill, but even the appearance of the server contributes to the tip left.
“A simple, smart uniform and clean and tidy appearance seem to all help when it comes to earning the biggest tips.”
The study, of 2,000 Brits, found that despite 74 per cent considering themselves to be ‘good tippers’, less than one in twenty say they always pay a gratuity.
And almost one in ten admitted to never leaving a tip, with another 31 per cent only doing so if the service has been particularly good.
Waiters and waitresses can expect to earn the highest tips, with the average Brit leaving £4.21 after a meal in a restaurant.
Taxi drivers are left an average of £2.71, hairdressers and barbers are paid an extra £2.68 and hotel staff receive £2.32.
Those who work in cafes or coffee shops are left a tip of £1.98 while takeaway delivery drivers get the least at just £1.93.
But 62 per cent of Brits reckon they would leave a bigger tip if the person who served them was polite, while another 61 per cent would reward someone putting in more effort than they really needed.
More than half would also tip more if they had a friendly and chatty member of staff with others being generous with the gratuity if they smiled, appeared busy but still served them well or completed work earlier than expected.
Others will also leave a bigger tip if the server looked smart and tidy or was wearing a nice uniform
And more than one in twenty admitted to leaving a bigger tip than usual simply because they thought they were attractive.
But while 72 per cent leave a tip because they feel they’ve had good service, 30 per cent leave one because they feel it’s the ‘done thing’ and is expected of them.
Another one in 10 feel embarrassed if they don’t tip someone while 11 per cent simply don’t want people to think they are tight.
A spokesman for Simon Jersey added: “Our study shows that appearance has a major role to play in how we perceive and reward good service.
“We work with some of the UK’s biggest hotel and restaurant chains as well coffee shops and beauticians to make sure their staff always look their best in their uniforms.”
Top ten professions most likely leave a tip for:
1. Waiters/Waitresses
2. Taxi drivers
3. Hairdressers/barbers
4. Takeaway delivery drivers
5. Hotel staff
6. Café/coffee shop workers
7. Bar staff
8. Beauticians
9. Window cleaners
10. Plumbers
Things most likely to mean you leave a higher tip:
1. If they were polite
2. If they had put more effort into their work than they really needed to
3. If they were friendly and chatty
4. If they smiled
5. If they appeared to be extremely busy but still completed my work to a high standard
6. If they had completed the work earlier or quicker than expected
7. If they looked smart and tidy
8. I asked something out of the ordinary of them
9. If they were wearing a nice uniform
10. If they were attractive or I fancied them
ENDS
