Originally Posted by
lhrsfo
10-15% tip is standard for taxis here - basically the same as in restaurants. However, the 10% surcharge for cc usage is interesting - that's normally around the 3-5% range.
I don't think that's true at all.
I once took a black taxi from Heathrow to my home, outside London so they charged me £stupid. No way were they getting a penny on that, no matter what they did
OTOH, if I take a minicab to Heathrow (at less than half the cost) and they help me with bags I will add no more than £5 (I don't think a percentage is really appropriate with this kind of journey, you just add a few pounds, according to the length of journey).
When it comes to black cabs, you are tipping the owner of the business, whereas in a restaurant you tip the waiters. It's a big difference, and for the typical central London journey when they do no more than ask you your destination and drive you there, and there's simply no reason to pay any more than what it says on the meter.
That said it is common, if the fare is say £9.20, not to bother with change. But asking for change is by no means rude.
I thought 'well it will cost about the same with the 10% surcharge, because I won't feel obliged to say 'keep the change'', but then they ask for a tip anyway, so I was not impressed.