Tipping in Britain.

On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 10:06:03 +0000, chancellor of the duchy of besses o'
th' barn wrote:

> The Reids <dontuse@fell-walker.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Following up to Icono Clast
>>
>>>One evening one of a party of three was sitting in "my" seat. Seeing
>>>that I had arrived, the hostess forced three people to move. Yes, she
>>>got a nice tip.
>>
>> how rude of her!
>
> Indeed. I wouldn't have budged. What an odd notion of good service!

That sort of thing used to happen here, and still does occasionally. In
most bars there's a table reserved for regulars, the "Stammtisch", often
identified by a large ornamental ash-tray or bell. It can happen that
strangers are ousted if a regular comes and demands "his" seat. - but ime
it rarely actually happens nowadays, except out in the sticks. You have to
be a bloody long-standing regular to get this privilege though.
--
Tim C.

On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 13:13:32 +0000, chancellor of the duchy of besses o'
th' barn wrote:

> Tim Challenger <tim.challenger@aon.at> wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 10:06:03 +0000, chancellor of the duchy of besses o'
>> th' barn wrote:
>>
>>> The Reids <dontuse@fell-walker.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Following up to Icono Clast
>>>>
>>>>>One evening one of a party of three was sitting in "my" seat. Seeing
>>>>>that I had arrived, the hostess forced three people to move. Yes, she
>>>>>got a nice tip.
>>>>
>>>> how rude of her!
>>>
>>> Indeed. I wouldn't have budged. What an odd notion of good service!
>>
>> That sort of thing used to happen here, and still does occasionally. In
>> most bars there's a table reserved for regulars, the "Stammtisch", often
>> identified by a large ornamental ash-tray or bell. It can happen that
>> strangers are ousted if a regular comes and demands "his" seat. - but ime
>> it rarely actually happens nowadays, except out in the sticks. You have to
>> be a bloody long-standing regular to get this privilege though.
>
> Well, if it was clearly labelled, I'd at least know what to expect. If I
> were asked to move from a seat in a US bar, I'd complain vociferously to
> the manager. It's just not done IME. In 11 years of living there, it
> certainly didn't happen to me once!

They're normally clearly labelled "Stammtisch" but often in clearly
engraved, illegible German script ("Ftaiiiiiitifch"), and unless you know
the custom it won't mean much to you. :-(

The thing is it really doesn't happen that often. In fact it's only
happened to me once, and I was warned that they were "expecting the locals
in tonight" so I might have to move.

--
Tim C.

On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 13:47:40 +0000, chancellor of the duchy of besses o'
th' barn wrote:

> The Reids <dontuse@fell-walker.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Following up to Tim Challenger
>>
>>>the "Stammtisch", often
>>>identified by a large ornamental ash-tray or bell. It can happen that
>>>strangers are ousted if a regular comes and demands "his" seat.
>>
>> do they put a beach towel on it?
>
> Before breakfast? :)
Yes, when they're leaving in the early hours. ;-)

If you've ever been in an Austrian bar (I'm sure you have, Mike) it'd be
the table in the corner, often larger and perhaps a different shape to the
rest. Some places won't let you even sit there at all, but that's not
normal.

--
Tim C.

"Icono Clast" <IClast@jps.net> wrote in message
news:1111492027.a977639ccc19b3620dd0d3af1837278a@t eranews...
> Ian F. wrote:
>> Well, in the US, they tip bar-staff just for plonking a drink on
>> the bar in front of you - ridiculous, although I always do it when
>> in the US.
>
> I tip a buck a drink. At one of my hangouts, from time to time the
> tender waives off payment and tip. Sometimes I'm charged much less
> than the norm for the same drink.
>
> One evening one of a party of three was sitting in "my" seat. Seeing that
> I had arrived, the hostess forced three people to move. Yes, she got a
> nice tip.

Here in the UK she would probably have got a knuckle sandwich.

JohnT

JohnT wrote:
>
>>One evening one of a party of three was sitting in "my" seat. Seeing that
>>I had arrived, the hostess forced three people to move. Yes, she got a
>>nice tip.
>
> Here in the UK she would probably have got a knuckle sandwich.

Or a Glasgow kiss in Scotland:-

A Glasgow Kiss

He's descended from the great warriors of Gorbals fame,
A master in the art of the street fighting game.
The perfect example of a fighting machine,
Hard as nails and twice as mean.

He was born off tradition, bred to fight,
The "Great Glasgow Gladiator" of Saturday night.
He meets his fans at the designated place,
Where custom dictates a fast drinking pace,

Soon his week's wages are but a memory,
It's time to go forth to victory.
His battle cry.. short pungent words designed to scare,
To drive his enemy from his cowardly lair.

With luck he'll find a "Dancing Nancy",
All dressed up and looking fancy
Guilty of that great Glasgow sin
Of standing there when he walks in.

In an instant.. the deed is done'
Battles over the day is won.
Just one blow with no reply
More pungent chords of the battle cry.

The sound of bygone battles was steel on steel,
Even cannon's roar had some appeal.
There is one thing I'll never miss,
The sickening sound.. of a "Glasgow Kiss".

Frank McNie

Deep Foiled Malls wrote:
> On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 07:30:38 +0100, The Rev Gaston <me@>
> wrote:
>
>> On 2005-03-23 01:29:46 +0100, Hatunen <hatuunen@cox.net> said:
>>
>>> On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 23:08:02 +0000, Jack Campin - bogus address
>>> <bogus@purr.> wrote:
>>>
>>>>> In the UK, people are used to tipping
>>>>
>>>> I'm not. I can't remember the last time I left a percentage.
>>>
>>> Whew! I was getting worried that I have been stiffing the staff.
>>
>> But you wonder why you get bad service?
>
> Don't you pay after you get the service?
> --
> ---

O/T ie not europe.
Not in a self service buffet restaurant my mother & sister went into in
Florida!!!!
When they paid the cashier pointed out the space for them to add a tip onto
the bill !!! And this was before they'd eaten or sat down.
Jan

"Jan" <jan@freeinternet.com> wrote in message
news:3afk8gF66ka1qU1@...
> Deep Foiled Malls wrote:
>> On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 07:30:38 +0100, The Rev Gaston <me@>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> On 2005-03-23 01:29:46 +0100, Hatunen <hatuunen@cox.net> said:
>>>
>>>> On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 23:08:02 +0000, Jack Campin - bogus address
>>>> <bogus@purr.> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>> In the UK, people are used to tipping
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm not. I can't remember the last time I left a percentage.
>>>>
>>>> Whew! I was getting worried that I have been stiffing the staff.
>>>
>>> But you wonder why you get bad service?
>>
>> Don't you pay after you get the service?
>> --
>> ---
>
> O/T ie not europe.
> Not in a self service buffet restaurant my mother & sister went into in
> Florida!!!!
> When they paid the cashier pointed out the space for them to add a tip
> onto
> the bill !!! And this was before they'd eaten or sat down.
> Jan
>
If it is self-service surely the only person one could tip would be oneself.

JohnT

On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 03:31:32 -0800, Icono Clast wrote:

> Tim Challenger wrote:
>>>> Icono Clast said:
>>>>> One evening one of a party of three was sitting in "my"
>>>>> seat. Seeing that I had arrived, the hostess forced three
>>>>> people to move. Yes, she got a nice tip.
>>>>
>>>> how rude of her!
>
> Although the beneficiary of what she did, I agree. Her boss saw her
> do it and I commented to him "She shouldn'ta dun dat" but he seemed
> to not mind mirthfully saying "You own this place!"
>
>>> Indeed. I wouldn't have budged.
>
> Me, too, at least not without a fight. I don't know what she said to
> them but they were smiling and coöperative.
>
>> You have to be a bloody long-standing regular to get this
>> privilege though.
>
> I am.
>
> Mind you, I said and did nothing to complain about "my" seat being
> occupied. I would never dream of doing so. I have asked them to hold
> two seats for me for fifteen minutes after starting time. If I ain't
> there by then, I ain't agonna be.

That puts a different complexion on the whole thing. She very probably
warned them before they sat down. In which case I see nothing wrong with
it. Some might think it's a matter of principle, whereas I see it as
consideration for all parties. The customer *might* be king, yes, but which
customer?

--
Tim C.

JohnT wrote:
> "Jan" <jan@freeinternet.com> wrote in message
> news:3afk8gF66ka1qU1@...
>> Deep Foiled Malls wrote:
>>> On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 07:30:38 +0100, The Rev Gaston <me@>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 2005-03-23 01:29:46 +0100, Hatunen <hatuunen@cox.net> said:
>>>>
>>>>> On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 23:08:02 +0000, Jack Campin - bogus address
>>>>> <bogus@purr.> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>> In the UK, people are used to tipping
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm not. I can't remember the last time I left a percentage.
>>>>>
>>>>> Whew! I was getting worried that I have been stiffing the staff.
>>>>
>>>> But you wonder why you get bad service?
>>>
>>> Don't you pay after you get the service?
>>> --
>>> ---
>>
>> O/T ie not europe.
>> Not in a self service buffet restaurant my mother & sister went into
>> in Florida!!!!
>> When they paid the cashier pointed out the space for them to add a
>> tip onto
>> the bill !!! And this was before they'd eaten or sat down.
>> Jan
>>
> If it is self-service surely the only person one could tip would be
> oneself.
>
> JohnT


Give or take a few words, That is what my sister told the cashier!!

Jan

Tim Challenger <tim.challenger@aon.at> wrote:

>... The customer *might* be king, yes, but which customer?

In many establishments, it is the customer who spends the most.

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED