A growing number of British hospitality and service providers are adopting a US-style tipping culture, with gratuities prompts routinely added to card payment machines.
And while there may be a strong nudge from businesses, the UK public is in no rush to change – and in many cases are refusing to play along.
The percentage of business owners applying a suggested tip on their card machines has skyrocketed by more than a third, according to the contactless payment firm SumUp.
But despite these prompts, and 20% being the standard in the US, stubborn Brits on average cling to a 10% gratuity, The Times said.
The amount of cafes, coffee shops and restaurants utilising tip prompts leapt by more than two-thirds between 2022 and 2024, with the average tip hovering between 10.2% and 10.6% during the same period, the data revealed.
And while many UK restaurants have a longstanding tradition of asking for a gratuity for staff, Brits are wary of being asked for one in businesses that have in the past not expected them – such as a pub.
Phil Inzani, who runs the Polo Bar in central London, said: ‘With our system, the tipping prompt comes pre-programmed but I take it off as I think it’s a p*** take.
‘It’s all a bit American. I’ve just come back from over there and it’s the norm, it’s just part of their psyche but here, we’re not like that.
A growing number of British hospitality and service providers are adopting a US-style tipping culture, with gratuities prompts routinely added to card payment machines (stock pic)
But despite the strong nudge from businesses, the UK public is in no rush to change – and in many cases are refusing to play along (stock pic)
The percentage of business owners applying a suggested tip on their card machines has skyrocketed by more than a third (stock pic)
‘If I go somewhere and someone has gone that extra mile then I leave a tip but I don’t like a prompt. It’s a bit irritating and that’s the philosophy I have applied here.’
The number of venues using tip prompts has shot up by more than a tenth (12%) according to the new research.
Even hair salons, nail bars and other beauty industries are getting in on the action, with a 6% uptick in gratuity requests.
However, the biggest surge has been seen in the hotel and B&B industry, which has overseen a colossal 112% rise in requests for tips over the last two years.