Tipping culture in Ireland is becoming more and more like the American style of tipping, according to several hospitality customers. 

The iconic tourist spot of Saint Tropez in France is said to be taking tipping culture to extreme heights. 

Several restaurants are said to be taking note of customers they don’t think tip enough – and then refuse those customers a table in the future. 

Tips have always been a huge part of hospitality in the US – but is the culture creeping over to Ireland and across Europe? 

Rory told Lunchtime Live Ireland is “Americanising” its tipping culture across hospitality. 

“Historically, you never really tipped in a bar, but now we’re in much more of a case of rounding up,” he said. 

“If you order a drink for €9.50, you just give them a tenner and let them keep it.” 

American-born Corinne said she has definitely noticed a change in tipping since she first came to Ireland. 

“When I got here the first time in 1994, it was weird when I went around places – no one was tipping anybody,” she said. 

“Now, especially with dinner, everybody tips at dinner, or at least they should, in my opinion. 

“It’s not as prominent as in the States, in the States is a completely different story regarding wages. 

“My daughter worked in a restaurant in Missouri a couple of years ago - $3.26 (€2.99) an hour was what they paid her because they assumed she's going to make up her wages with tips.” 

Money in tip jar beside cash register. Image: Chuck Pefley / Alamy Stock Photo

Corinne thinks everyone should offer a tip to workers when they can. 

“If I'm getting a coffee if they have a tip jar, I might throw euro in there,” she said. “At lunch, I’d leave a euro or two per head, at dinner about 15%. 

“I think it’s a nice thing... if it looks like they’re working hard and they’re pleasant, I don’t mind. 

“I’m a giver, not a taker.” 

Service charges

Despite that, Corinne said the supposed tipping rule in Saint Tropez is “madness”. 

“If they have a problem with tipping, just have a rule that any table over three people is going to have automatic gratuity over 12% or whatever it is,” she said. 

Rory, who previously ran a restaurant, agreed a service charge might make more sense than a ban on poor tippers. 

“We had a 12.5% service charge for parties of eight or more,” he said. 

“A service charge is a tip – it's to make sure the waiter or waitress can get a tip. 

“It’s not tied into ability, it’s not tied into speed of service... but I have seen waiting people go up against chefs [for customers] saying like ‘they ordered medium rare, that steak is not medium rare’. 

“A good waiter versus a mediocre waiter makes a huge difference.” 

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