Restaurant Tips Topping Up Salaries At D&D

On 1st October, D&D who own several well known, high end restaurants in London took the bold step of scrapping the 12.5% "discretionary" service charge applied to all bills following new legislation on tipping. Instead, they committed to allowing customers to tip as they wished to reward good service and to pool and share the money fairly between all waiting staff.

While it was good news for the customers, staff at Quaglino's - swank venue for the St Trinian's premiere afterparty the other night - have accused management of using their tips to top up salaries above the minimum wage. Some claim they're worse off under the new system to the tune of about £100 a week. We assume whereas their salaries were previously supplemented by a share of service charge with all cash tips on top, London's diners aren't tipping New York style hence everyone's getting less, even though as D&D say, they have "always paid staff significantly in excess of National Minimum Wage".

Whilst we're not entirely clear about the D&D staff's gripes and reliant on the ES's slightly vague report, we are interested in your views on tipping. Given good service, if the 12.5% isn't there, what do you do? Do you ever refuse to pay a discretionary service charge? What qualifies as 12.5% worthy good service? Do you work as waiting staff? What's your experience with tipping? Let us know in the comments.