Londoners leave 10.57% tip on average when dining out: study
They are also the most likely to go to restaurants on a weekly basis.
Londoners are the country’s most generous diners, leaving a 10.57% tip on average, according to a recent survey by Fourth.
Data also revealed that they would go to restaurants on average 2.4 times a week. Diners across the south of the country are classified as “usually more generous”, tipping an average of 9.05% of the bill compared to their northern counterparts, who tip an average of 8.34%.
In contrast, diners from Northern Ireland are “least likely” to leave a generous tip, offering on average 6.86% of the total bill.
When determining tips, diners across the UK cited friendly demeanour and attentiveness as the most important factors in deciding how much to leave at the end of a meal.
Diners’ frustrations, value for convenience
Examining diners’ frustrations when eating out, data showed that price is the most common source of irritation at restaurants. London diners are most likely to put up with rude service, with only 14% of people surveyed highlighting it as an annoyance when dining out, whilst 30% of diners from the South East thought otherwise, noting rude service as a main frustration.
Diners from the Midlands and Wales, meanwhile, are the least confident in the kitchen, with people in these locations more likely to go for dinner at a restaurant than other groups “because they don’t like cooking or believe that eating out tastes better than what they can prepare at home.”
Food quality is also a focus for UK consumers, with 78% of diners listing it as the most important factor driving their dining out choices.
For Londoners, convenience is key, with data showing that ease of getting a table and instant booking via online platforms are two of the most important factors when choosing a restaurant, more so than in other UK regions.
Diners from the North East are the most cost savvy, with 45% selecting value for money and highlighting offers and discounts as their main attraction when deciding where to eat.
Across the board, the findings also highlighted that Brits would rather dine with their pet than their colleagues.
“What it demonstrates is that operators with estates across the UK need to be pragmatic to the cultural nuances and demands of each region. Differing approaches to tipping is indicative of the convoluted and often confusing nature of this practice, both in how much to leave staff and also how to split up tips,” Fourth communications director Catherine Marshall explained.
