🇬🇧United Kingdom · Restaurant (Counter Service)
How much to tip at a counter-service restaurant in the United Kingdom (2026 Guide)
OptionalCash or card
£0 — not customary; round-up or tip jar appreciated
No calculator for this service in United Kingdom— tipping isn't practiced here in a way that maps to a percentage.
Cultural notes
At counter-service spots — Pret, Greggs, Leon, food trucks, sandwich shops — tipping is not expected. A tip jar at the till is common, and dropping in loose change is appreciated but unusual. Recent card-machine prompts asking for 10–20% tips at quick-service chains have drawn pushback from UK consumers as "tipflation" creep from the US.
Common mistakes
Feeling pressured by a card-machine tip prompt at a counter; declining is entirely normal in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
Should I tip at Pret or Greggs?
No, tipping is not customary at UK counter service.
What about the new card-machine tip prompts?
You can decline them without offence — they are a US import, not a British norm.
Tipping other services in the United Kingdom
- Sit-down restaurant10–12.5% — check bill first; many restaurants add a discretionary service charge
- Café£0 — round up or drop change in tip jar
- Bar£0 — or offer "one for yourself" (~£1)
- Housekeeping£2–5 per night for mid- to high-end stays
- Porter£1–2 per bag
- Concierge£5–20 if they secure something hard to get
- TaxiRound up to nearest £ or ~10%
- RideshareOptional — £1–2 or ~10% via app
- Food delivery£1–3 or ~10% via app
- Grocery delivery£0 for supermarkets (Tesco/Sainsbury's policy bars it); £1–2 for app couriers
- Hairdresser10% standard
- Spa0–10%; many high-end spas add service charge
- Tour guide10–15% of tour cost, or £5–10 per person for free walking tours
- Tattoo artist£0 — not customary; 10–20% if you do tip
- Valet£2–5 on return of vehicle
- Airport baggage£1–2 per bag (porter service is rare at UK airports)
- Busker£1–5 if you stopped to listen
- Movers£20–50 per mover for a good job
- Tradesperson£0 — not customary; tea and biscuits preferred
Tipping at a counter-service restaurant in nearby countries
Last verified: · Sources: travelawaits.com, visitlondon.com