Restaurant tipping rules are changing across the UK — with new 20% service charge

Some restaurants now charge as much as 20% for service (Picture: Getty Images)

Key Points

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UK restaurants are increasingly adding higher service charges,with 15% becoming common and some reaching 20%

Legislation ensures service charges go directly to staff,but many diners are resisting changes to tipping norms

Experts suggest patrons can ask for service charges to be removed if unsatisfied,but etiquette advises politeness

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There’s nothing more awkward than the moment one person wants to contest the service charge at dinner,and the other wants to pay the bill and skedaddle.

And the whole situation becomes 10 times more uncomfortable when it happens on a first date… 

This point of contention isn’t going to get any easier any time soon; in fact,it might end up causing even more tension. That’s because the UK’s unwritten restaurant rules around service charges and tipping seem to be changing across the nation.

Service charges are being added to bills just about everywhere these days – from your local pub to the tiny cafe on the corner. And honestly,with the struggles the hospitality industry has been facing amid the cost of living crisis,it’s not much of a surprise.

But what might come as a shock to some is that it’s becoming the norm to see service charges of 15% these days on bills,instead of the 10 or 12.5% we’d all become accustomed to. 

And in some cases,the figure is rising to as much as 20%.

Service charges are quietly changing in restaurants (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

What is a service charge?

When it comes to the purpose of these charges,Kate Nicholls,chief executive of UK Hospitality,previously told Metro: ‘Service charge policies are set and determined by individual businesses,so it is up to them to determine the level of charge.

‘Service charges serve a variety of functions,but primarily reward staff and provide a boost to employees’ earnings,ensuring that venues can continue to provide the highest standard of service possible.’

15% service charge is becoming the new norm in the UK – but this could continue to rise (Picture: Getty Images)

How are service charges changing in the UK?

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