New Which? survey exposes UK’s tipping habits - as one in five admit they didn’t tip after a meal out in last 12 months

In January 2025, the consumer champion surveyed over 2,100 members of the public about their tipping behaviour for services they used over the last 12 months such as restaurants and cafes, deliveries, personal grooming, cleaning and refuse collection.

Which?'s survey revealed a divided nation when it comes to tipping, with differing approaches over who to tip, when and how much. The consumer champion found that those working as postmen, cleaners and bin collectors were least likely to benefit from tips. Three quarters of respondents said they never tipped bin collectors (75%) or postal workers (73%), while over half (52%) reported that they never tip their cleaners.

As many as a third of people (34%) confessed to never tipping their taxi or Uber driver, and just a fifth (19%) said they make sure to tip on every journey. 

Food delivery services like Deliveroo and Just Eat have boomed in recent years, but it appears tipping culture hasn’t quite caught up, with nearly half (46%) of people revealing they didn’t tip their food delivery driver or courier in the last year, while just one in ten (11%) said they tipped every time. 

In contrast, those working in restaurants - where a service charge is often automatically added to the bill - were far more likely to get a tip. Three in ten respondents (28%) said they tipped workers every time, and a quarter (23%) said they tipped more often than not. However, one in five (21%) owned up to never tipping at the end of a meal out. 

When it came to getting a hair cut, three in ten (28%) said they tipped their hairdresser every time, while a quarter (26%) tipped their barber on each visit. A bigger proportion never tipped at all though, with four in ten (38%) admitting to never tipping their hairdresser or barber in the last 12 months. 

The survey revealed that many people tip out of politeness or obligation, with a quarter of respondents (26%) admitting that they had left a tip in the last year despite receiving bad service.

Of those, four in ten (39%) shared that they left a tip as they felt it was expected, and a quarter (25%) said they would have felt embarrassed not to.

Confusion over who receives tips is also rife. Since new legislation came into effect last October, employers are now obliged to pass on all tips to workers without deductions, which could benefit more than two million workers in England, Scotland and Wales. 

However, as many as three in ten (31%) respondents who had tipped in a restaurant in the past year said they were still not confident in their understanding of who would receive their tip. For example, tips left by card can be distributed in a variety of ways - some pooled tips will be distributed depending on a worker’s role, while others may be split by hours worked. 

Which? spoke to a part-time waitress who explained how a transition to a card-only system significantly dented the value of tips she was taking home each month. Rather than taking home all the tips she processed, tips were pooled and those who worked longer hours were in line for a bigger slice of the pot. As a part-time employee, her monthly tips dropped from an average of around £150 to just £40 as a result.

For those worried about the person who served them not receiving the full tip, cash could be a simple solution - and indeed the survey revealed that most people still tip this way. Of those who tipped in restaurants in the past year, seven in ten (70%) said they tipped in cash, and eight in ten (80%) of those who tipped their hairdresser also did so in cash. 

Reena Sewraz, Which? Retail Editor, said:

“Tipping can be a great way to reward good service, but our survey reveals widespread differences in tipping etiquette - with workers in some sectors unlikely to see a tip at all.

“You should never feel obligated to leave a tip, but if you wish to, tipping in cash can ensure it gets into the pocket of the person who served you, if that’s what you want, rather than ending up in a pool. In some cases, small gifts like chocolate could also be a welcome alternative, and a nice way to thank your postie or bin collector at the end of the year.”

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

Which? surveyed 2,134 adults in the UK between 10th-13th January 2025. Fieldwork was carried out online by Deltapoll and the data has been weighted to be representative of the UK population (aged 18+). The figures in this press release are based on respondents who have used the service in the previous 12 months.

How to tip well:

• Take cash with you: You may prefer to tip in cash if you want to reward a specific member of staff rather than a whole team. Plus, there’s not always the option to add a tip when paying by card. 
• Talk to the staff: Feel free to ask staff how tips are shared and who gets what in the system. That will help you decide how to best reward those you want to acknowledge - for example, often card tips will be pooled. 
• Say thank you another way: If you’re feeling cash-strapped, you can still reward good service without leaving a tip. Leaving a good review online, perhaps naming specific staff, can be invaluable - some businesses will reward staff who are name-checked in this way. Non-cash gifts are also an option, for example, you could give your postie a box of chocolates.
• Check the bill: Many restaurants add a discretionary service charge to the bill, so if you don’t want to tip twice, check if this was included. 
• Don't be embarrassed: Don’t feel obliged to tip if the service received wasn’t up to standard. You can ask for any service charge to be removed if you’ve had a bad experience.

About Which?

Which? is the UK’s consumer champion, here to make life simpler, fairer and safer for everyone. Our research gets to the heart of consumer issues, our advice is impartial, and our rigorous product tests lead to expert recommendations. We’re the independent consumer voice that influences politicians and lawmakers, investigates, holds businesses to account and makes change happen. As an organisation we’re not for profit and all for making consumers more powerful.

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