Question is in the title. When I was young (long ago) it was expected that one would tip a taxi driver, but I am not sure how much. I think “keep the change” (which would often amount to a pretty small tip percentage wise) was a common custom. I think that I may have heard that it is no longer much expected that one will tip at all, but I am not sure about that. (I am going to need to use a taxi in a couple of days, but, although I am not broke, I am almost certainly more poverty stricken than the driver will be.)
Americans, please note that the customs and issues surrounding tipping are very different in Britain from those in the USA. Please do not chime in unless you have knowledge of specifically British customs and expectations.
I never do: taxi driving, including minicabs, is a very good source of income. I don’t see why I should tip someone when I’m already paying about 5 times as much as the bus fare would cost to someone who’s probably making 30-40K per year.
I’m a UK cabbie and I don’t know anyone who makes that kind of money driving a cab. Unless you’re talking US Dollars in which case you’re closer to the truth. Even then, by the time you take out expenses actual earnings are far below that.
So any tip is welcome. Not automatically expected but welcome. Nobody here thinks in terms of percentages but rounding up or just adding a pound is always appreciated.
I usually round up, or add a couple of quid if I have any change. Conversely, if I don’t have anything suitable on me, I don’t stress about it too much.
condgerone seems to have a fairly authoritative perspective, and I’m pleased that their understanding fits with mine.
I always tip cabbies, unless I’ve had a very bad service (not helping me get my daughter and her pushchair in will automatically lose you your tip). And I usually round up to the next pound.
How much more than bus fare do you think you should have to pay for having someone pick you up individually from precisely where you are and take you to precisely to where you want to go?
Anyone with an ounce of understanding of logistics and overheads would think a mere 5x was a bargain.
I always tip the cabbie, maybe it’s only a pound but if I’m coming home from the city centre then it’s a fairly short journey anyway. The only one I didn’t tip was the one who was driving in the rain, fiddling with a phone on his lap instead of watching the road. He got reported instead.
I usually tip round about £1, or less for short journeys. Say a fare is £5.40, I’ll hand over a tenner, keep the four pound coins, and leave the 60p. When I’m coming home from Edinburgh airport, the fare is usually around £18 and I’ll hand over a twenty and say “keep the change”.
If, however, the driver does something to piss me off - not helping with luggage, taking a long route, using mobile phone - I’ll take all my change, thank you very much.
I tend to use the same company whenever I need a taxi (this is a small place, so there’s only half a dozen or so different firms) and tipping, and just generally being easy-going, leads to very good service. I’ve had a driver phone me on my mobile to explain he’s going to be a bit late because his current hire is having a bit of trouble with a wheelchair, for example.
This is actually a reasonable question. Our tariffs are set by the local council at a level that should ensure we can make a reasonable living. Giving someone more money than is required simply for doing their job does seem a bit odd.
However, as in any service industry there are ways to do your job that can impact on the customer’s experience.
Despite it being a fairly menial job I take pride in what I do. My car is always clean, I do my best to be courteous, help people with their luggage, drive as smoothly as possible and I’ve taken the trouble to learn the history of the local area (which is not where I grew up) so I can answer visitors’ questions.
I don’t have to do any of these things. All I am obliged to do is to drive someone from A to B and I’d get paid the same anyway. I like to think that the extra effort I put in is considered by some people to be worthy of a tip.
Thanks. It sounds as if the customs haven’t really changed very much from when I was young. The standard is still pretty much “keep the change” (up to the nearest pound). I don’t mind doing that. Of course, given general inflation it presumably means that cabbies are making proportionately less in tips than they used to, but I expect fare income has kept pace, or better, to compensate.
I don’t think it is a menial job at all. Taxi drivers round here pick up people to go to and from airports at fuck o’clock in the morning, ferry around people with mobility issues, take special needs kids to school and back, get massively drunk people home on the weekend etc.