TIPPING CULTURE IS IMPORTANT in the USA, Mexico and Canada for service workers earning a livelihood, and it has crossed the ocean into Europe recently.
In Scotland, the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 enforced fair distribution of tips across workplaces. In few places is this more relevant than Edinburgh, which has become a year-round hub of tourism.
I spoke with Beth Wood, a Stockbridge barista, for their insights into tipping culture.
“I am currently paid minimum wage but as I work for an independent cafe, we are trying to convince the owner to pay us the living wage.” Miss Wood said,
Tips becoming a necessity for living is a new phenomenon in Scotland, but because of rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis, service workers are relying more on what was once a small bonus for doing a good job to pay the bills.
“Tips are necessary for paying my bills and having living expenses paid for. Otherwise, I would probably struggle to earn enough in a city like Edinburgh.”
When asked who tips the most and the least, Beth’s answer was expected and unexpected,
“Tourists from America often tip the most. But the most reliable tippers are actually students. They tip small amounts, but they do reliably tip. Americans tip larger amounts, but it is dependent on who it is.”
“The people who tip the least are often local or older people. We use an electronic tipping system and often, we have to skip tipping procedure because people of an older age say that they don’t understand. If they want to tip, they will tip in cash.”
“Most people will tip 50p on top of their bill.”
In this economically challenging time, tipping culture is coming about less as part of Scottish cultural identity and more of a lifeline.
Leave a Reply