Tipping in Ireland (foreigner asking)?

Self Made

Over several visits I've gotten the impression that tipping in restaurants in Ireland (taxis too) is much different than where I'm from. So I thought I'd just ask what % of tables do you think tip in Irish restaurants (assuming Irish diners)? Any other advice is appreciated too.

Pawwed Rig

There is no hard and fast rule. Many people tip taxi drivers but many don't. I never would for example as I don't see any reason for it.
I would often give my barber the chane of €10 after a haircut but if the cut was 10 or more I would not feel obliged to.
Restaurants however I would generally give 10% but would have no problem leaving zero if I didn't enjoy the meal or the staff were unfriendly.

You will never be expected to tip. Look at your bill as often in a restaurant there is a service charge. This is an automatic tip applied by some so be aware not to tip twice.

Generally staff are paid at least minimum wage so it is not like other countries where they rely on tips to feed themselves

SunnyDub1

Ireland is not big on tipping.

Restaurants I'd say 10%, as said above the staff are on fairly OK money compare to other countries they don't rely on tips.

Taxi's I don't I wouldn't tip. Don't see the need to. Their expensive enough as it is.

leeroybrown

Ireland doesn't have a big tipping culture. In restaurants I'd generally leave around 10% for good service but would quite happily leave without doing so if the service was poor. If the service charge is included on the menu I leave nothing. In cafés I might leave a tip if service was particularly good. As for taxis, most aren't worth a tip. The last time I was going to tip the driver cleared the meter sneakily and tried to round the trip up 50c to €10 so it'll be exact fares for them for quite a while.

Tipperary animal lover

If the service is good about 10% if your not happy NOTHING. Easy

im invisible

i was confused there for a second before i read the question on the poll...

Self Made

Yes, it seems most people responded to what they thought the poll would ask, so I'll disregard some of the answers.

fasttalkerchat

I would say more than half would tip. IMO we have more of a tipping culture than Eastern Europe, but less than the USA.
It should be taken into account that in the USA the tip often pays for the service, here it is a performance relate bonus.

LaChatteGitane

Seeing staff are paid at least a minimum wage (unlike in the US) there is really no need for tipping. Staff get paid anyway. Buuuut, if they make an extra effort or are just very professional and I had a great dining experience I would tip. I don't go by percentage, just depending what I have in the wallet at the time.

eviltimeban

It depends on what it is, what kind of meal, kind of place etc. Like, if you were just getting lunch somewhere like Munchies, you may not leave a tip. But it was somewhere like Yamamori, you might.

A friend of mine never tips for lunch, no matter where it is. :-) He does tip for dinner though.

Also does depend on quality. Only yesterday I was in a place and ordered a panini off the menu but asked for no onions; got the sandwich and it had onions in it, which I had to pick out. So no tip!

Melendez

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Sponge25

I didn't vote but if the service was good (including food etc.) and you have no complaints I think one is kinda obliged to tip even if it's small. Alot of the waiters etc depend on tips!

If they were muppets, ofcourse it's a different story.

Honey-ec

Yeah, I totally misread the poll question. I answered 10% as that's what I tip. I'd imagine far more than 10% of people tip!

Anyway, like I said, I'd always leave 10% unless the service was particularly appalling. Yes, staff get a minimum wage here, but it's a tough job. Having said that, if the service was bad enough to make me pull my tip, I'd always say it to the staff too. There's no point in leaving disgruntled but saying nothing.

Obviously, if service is included, then I don't leave anything extra. Very few restaurants do this on tables of less than about 6, though.

Greendiamond

I never tip anybody unless the service is exceptional which is rare. Like previous posters have said those in the service industry earn minimum wage, sometimes more. Why should someone on a similar salary in a customer focused role ( say in a call centre or retail) have to tip. Why are some professions worthy of a tip and others not ?

ShaneK101

I dont get tipped in my job so why should I tip someone else..??

Altho in saying that if a person went to the end of the world for something for me I would defiantly.

christmas2012

Tipping in general isnt the done thing in ireland,waiters and bar staff dont rely on tips like americans do..

Sponge25

ShaneK101 wrote: »

I dont get tipped in my job so why should I tip someone else..??

Altho in saying that if a person went to the end of the world for something for me I would defiantly.

Shane - just cause you don't get tipped in your job doesn't mean you shouldn't tip anyone else.

I don't get tipped in my job neither but I still tip waitresses etc. if they were nice and provided a good service. Alot of these employees depend on tips!

christmas2012

Alot of these employees depend on tips!

Not in ireland as such,in america they do depend on these tips but not here..

Sponge25

christmas2012 wrote: »

Tipping in general isnt the done thing in ireland,waiters and bar staff dont rely on tips like americans do..

I always thought tipping was quite common in certain jobs. I've never seen a barman get tipped but I have a friend who carries drinks to tables etc. and she gets tipped quite alot. Some weeks better than others and she's often came home with 70-80 quid in tips in one night around special occasions!

I dunno if it's pervy old drunk men tipping her because she's female and male employees get the same tips though.

Mimikyu

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Faith

I worked in retail for years, in a shop where I could easily spend 30 minutes with a customer, doing all the leg work and getting them absolutely everything they wanted. They didn't even need to move from the counter. Once, in 3 years, did I get a tip. I earned minimum wage in that job. If waitresses and bartenders deserve tips, then my co-workers and I did too. So as a result, I don't tip very often. I will for dinner, and that's about it. I tipped one bartender in my local a lot because she looked after us very well, but apart from that, I rarely see the need to tip in Ireland unless the service is outstanding.

Mr Benevolent

0% unless the meal/service is very, very good. We're in a recession.

rubadub

Sponge25 wrote: »

Shane - just cause you don't get tipped in your job doesn't mean you shouldn't tip anyone else.

Do unto others...
I would like to see tipping eradicated whether my job got tips or not.

Sponge25 wrote: »

I don't get tipped in my job neither but I still tip waitresses etc. if they were nice and provided a good service.

Many people have jobs dealing with the public and are nice and provide good service and are on min wage yet get no tip. People irrationally have different rules for different jobs or even different establishments with very similar offerings. e.g. I have often seen food being dropped to tables in McDonalds, I doubt they get tipped as often (if ever) as people in cafes doing a pretty much identical service.

Sponge25 wrote: »

Alot of these employees depend on expect tips!

Many are on min wage on the expectation/hope that they will get tips. If they got no tips they might get another min wage job they prefer. Employers are taking advantage of this knowing they can get away with min wage for work some people would not otherwise do.

bamboozle

used live in the states and i always hated the OTT attention we'd get in restaurants etc from waiters working hard for their tip.

here i keep it simple, good service & good food = tip. Bad service & bad food = me b1tching and moaning. - different topic i guess but us irish seem to care more about not offending that complaining about bad service.