Let’s rethink the rules of tipping

Ending the confusion over gratuities will benefit staff, employers and customers

Who to tip, and how much to tip? These are burning questions in the UAE. (Nicole Hill / The National)

We’ve all experienced that awkward moment while dining with friends at a restaurant when it comes to pay the bill and the discussion turns to tipping. How much should we tip, and should we add it to the bill or give it directly to the person who served us? It’s doubly confusing in the melting pot that is the UAE because there are local traditions and the customs of people from all over the world.

For an American, it’s an automatic response to add at least 15 per cent to the bill. An Australian might baulk at such a figure but agree to round the bill up, while someone from Japan, where tipping is considered insulting under certain circumstances, might not think a tip is necessary at all.

The argument in favour of tipping is straightforward: it is a way to reward the people who give you good service. But the reality is somewhat more complex. Some would argue that it is the employers’ responsibility to pay their staff properly, not let them rely on the good nature of others. Others might question whether tipping is necessary when a service charge is already levied, or ask whether money given to a particular staff member is kept by that person or goes into a pool that also benefits people who aren’t so efficient.

It is that idea that has led American restaurateur Danny Meyer to make the revolutionary – for the United States – decision to abolish tipping altogether at his Union Square Cafe in New York. Mr Meyer’s reasoning is that the server’s income should be established by agreement between them and their employer, as it is in most other businesses, not by the whim of their customers. The argument goes that restaurant bosses are best placed to determine whether their staff are doing a good job and to reward them appropriately.

Waiters are among the lowest paid workers and should be treated fairly and rewarded for their efforts, especially if they go above and beyond the call of duty. Perhaps it’s time to have a conversation about what is an appropriate approach to gratuities for this country. The large restaurants and hotels that employ service staff could lead the way in establishing a convention on gratuities that is understood and adhered to by all parties.