Women are not dazzled by big tippers

Eating out is no longer a luxury but almost a way of life for most people. And dining out with friends can often be an enjoyable way to spend your leisure time. However, according to findings by Fool.co.uk, your guests will judge you by the size of tip you leave at the end of the meal.

Men should note that most women are impressed by people who are prudent with their money. Almost seven out of eight women (87%) say they are not won over by a host who slaps a hefty gratuity on the silver salver after a meal. But some men see things differently. One in ten say the size of tip they leave depends on whether they are dining romantically with a potential partner.

Women are good tippers

On the whole, women are quite generous tippers. One in two (46%) leave a tip if a service charge is not included, and one in three (33%) tip if they think the service has been exceptional.

Where men and women agree

Three out of five women (56%) will ask for a service charge to be removed if they aren’t satisfied. Slightly more men (63%) will ask for a tip to be deducted from the bill if service has been below standard. Men and women are also in agreement about two other things. Over half (54%) confess they feel pressurised into leaving a tip, and nine out of ten (97%) say tipping should be discretionary.

Scots are the best tippers

One in five people (20%) who live in Scotland say they will always leave a tip. They are closely followed by residents of Northern Ireland, where almost one in five (19%) unfailingly leave a tip. However, diners in East Midlands are more discriminating with just one in ten diners (10%) tipping every time.

The cost of over-tipping

As a nation, we spend around £40 billion a year eating out. This equates to around £1,650 for the average household. This means that we are typically forking out £165 a year in gratuities based on a 10% gratuity charge.

However, the cost to a generous tipper is considerably more.

Over a year, a generous tipper who leaves a 25% tip, spends £415 more than the frugal non-tipper. That’s equivalent to three extra monthly outings a year.

David Kuo, Head of Personal Finance at Fool.co.uk, says: “To tip or not to tip is a question that has left many diners hot under the collar.

“But whatever your views about tipping, we should never reward poor service. Additionally, we should never feel obliged to pay for something that we are not satisfied with.

“Put another way, money will always feel better in your own pocket than in somebody else’s. And if the money is put to work properly, the interest earned can even pay for your next meal.”