Tipping in British restaurants has become as much a moral process as a financial one, with the plight of the country's most poorly paid workers at stake.
Few topics have irked diners more in the past few months than the ultimate destination of their gratuity. For years, patrons of British restaurants have been willing to fork out 10 to 12.5 per cent - even up to 15 per cent - as a discretionary service charge on their bill.
Most do it without thinking, particularly in expensive cities such as London where tales of paltry pay in restaurants are legendary. The presumption is that the money supplements the waiters' wages.
The charge is optional unless stated otherwise: if the service is not up to scratch, there is no legal obligation to pay. Few diners, however, realised this cash was being used to meet basic salaries.
The past few months have seen a string of restaurants exposed for paying staff less than the minimum wage, then topping up the salary with tips to meet the statutory requirement of GBP5.73 (HK$65.50) an hour.
Leading chefs have rallied behind the plight of waiting staff: celebrities such as Jamie Oliver, Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay are some of the names putting their weight behind the issue. Hong Kong-born Alan Yau's restaurant chain, Wagamama, has also shown its support.
