I need to travel to the UK in August. Never been there so I need some help: I might need to travel around in taxis, do you tip a taxi driver there? Any idea of what amount is usually given? Do they have any meters in the cab, or do you ask how much the fare is before getting in? For a bellboy in a hotel, how much should I tip for carrying my stuff to my room? I don't want to offend with a very low tip and don't want to give too much either.
i think you normally set an amount before you travel in a taxi, i would say a tip between 5%-10% (but it is completely optional, and many don't) I would say £2-£4 ($4-$8) is about right for someone carrying your luggage to your room. ( Again this is optional)
The sort of Taxis you hale on the street, called Hackney Carriages, are metered and the maximum fares are regulated so you shouldn't get ripped off. Make sure you only head for a Taxi with an official council plate on the rear. Ten percent is about the right tip rate but as haynesey said, it's entirely up to you. Which part of the UK you going to?
Well not sure about the thread creator, but personally I'm heading to nottingham. I have some family/relatives living there.
Go and see the oldest pub in the world at Nottingham cannot remember wot it is called but it is under the castle
I would also stick to balck cabs (the classic london taxi you always see on tv etc) as they have a meter in them. personally i only tip cab drivers by rounding it off to the nearest £1 as to be honest they make a fortune especially in london. as for bellboy well i think a lot of there earnings is actually tips so i'd give them a couple of quid.(pound). as for the other person that going to notts watch out for the ramdon "drive buys" lol
I do the same thing. If the fare comes up to £18 or something i just let them keep the change. Simply because i want to be out of the taxi asap and don't want any excess weight in my wallet Ahhh... Nottingham! Can you give my ex a slap while you are there for me? lol Last time my mate went there his car got blown up. Not to mention the drive buys thewizardofodds remembered.
We DON'T tip in the UK....at least, it isn't expected, if you do tip, you're being very generous. All the taxi's have meters also..
£2 is the norm for a tip, it buys them a drink. thats the same for most places in the uk. a barmaid you just tip once, the taxi just the once, bell hops you can tip when they do some work lol high class eating places, 10% expect someone to shout "hey you left your bus fare on the table, if you piss them off.
Nottingham has had quite a lot of bad press recently about the amount of gun crime. Even the local Police Chief Constable has expressed his concerns at how some parts of the city are ghetto-like.
just make sure you dont get in an unregistered cab or if you go to kings cross and anyone offers to carry your bags to a taxi, dont do it , you'll be ripped off, stick to black cabs in London!!!
Go for the black cabs and you will be fine. Be prepared to pay though, London is not the cheapest place.
Btw British Airways don't suck, there a fine British Airline that us brits like 5-10% is fine and very generous, not many people in england have the decency to tip.