Restaurant Tips

[ATB_roo]

I work at a pub/restaurant on a Friday night (I'm 17 years old) and I earn �4 an hour. Usually I would get �3-5 tips per night, provided I work 6 to 11 o'clock-ish. As of last night the manager has said we are to put all tips we receive straight into the cash machine, and we're not going to be receiving anymore.

Are the managers able to do this? Do the tips legally belong to them, or to the waitress' to which they are given? I don't think service charge is added on to the price of the meals if that makes any difference.

I know �3-5 doesn't really sound like a lot, but it would be an extra hours pay for me, and I need all the extra money I can get.

Many thanks

[Postdog]

Dunno about the UK but there was a court case in the US with Starbucks, where they sort of nicked the tips and gave them to shift supervisors. This was ruled illegal, and the waiting staff could keep all further tips and get a refund.

It might also be worth asking this in law.

[sammy snake]

You could just explain to all your customers that if they wish to leave a tip then they should be aware that it all goes to the management and that the actual staff do not receive a penny.

I bet not many people will leave one and the Management won't make any money!

[markysngc]

this has been debated on the news within last couple months

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7361248 .stm

Personally I would like to think that if I leave a tip it is going to the staff that cooked and served me the meal, not the manager.

[ATB_roo]

Aww damn, so its not illegal for them to steal my tips, it's just a 'Dishonourable scam'. They started to take our tips from last September in order to save towards our 'Staff Christmas Party', but now its May and we've still had no party. Apparently they had about �300 worth of tips up in the safe which they've been using to pay bills with.

I could explain to the customers where the tips are going, but not all of them leave tips anyway so it might seem a bit rude if I sounded as if I assumed they were going to leave a tip.

The co-manager at the pub suggested that I just pocket the tips when I receive them, but that would make me just as bad as the owners, wouldn't it? Plus, most of the tips are given in at the bar when the customer pays and leaves anyway.

I don't think there's much I can do about it I suppose, unless I get another job somewhere else.

[1rovert]

As an ex-waiter and steward at sea, ALL tips belong to the person who they are given to.
At sea, sometimes you worked with one or two others, the tips were put together, and shared.
In some restaurants, the tips are put in a 'tronk', and sheared between all the waiters.

[Whickerman]

Not illegal, but dishonourable.

Perhaps an anonymous tip-off to your local newspaper might help turn the tide...?

Actually, if it were me, i'd look elsewhere for work. I wouldn't want to work for these scrooges.