Concise. To the point. I like it :D

This is literally the exact same thing I do. Easy, objective, reasonable.

I can't claim for tips on expenses. Have no idea if I'd need to take out a service charge or not.

That seems unfair... You wouldn't be in a position where you had to tip if you weren't on a business trip, so why is the tip deemed non-expensable? And what do you do? Give a tip and pay it yourself, or not tip at all? Both options are unfair to someone...

I don't mind when this happens because I would've usually left a higher tip had I written it in myself! If they are automatically adding it then I guess this is enough for their servers...

Good point(s). Since the meal is totally free then I wouldn't have any qualms about paying just the tip out of my own pocket.

I don't really follow that logic though. If I were at home I could knock up a spaghetti carbonara for two people about 2 pounds, but if I am out with 4 clients and the bill comes to 50 pounds a head then why should I feel it's ok for me to pick up the tip when 15% is 37 quid? Even if I dine alone in an average restaurant then the bill would be around 30 pounds so I am paying 3-5 pounds of my own money to do the company's business. That's not right. It penalises people who travel for work.

Nobody is saying you have to pay the tip when you're out with 4 clients.

But if you're out alone then you should fork out the tip for your own meal. Or grab a pub meal instead. :)

If an amount is automatically added then, to me, it is a fee.

To be fair, you didn't specify any parameters. You just said that you'd be happy to pay the tip out of your own pocket if you were out for a meal.

I usually give a tip myself, unless the service is poor then I don't bother.

You presented a scenario and I agreed with you - if you are out with say 4 people on a business dinner and picking up the tab then I don't think the tip should be out of your own pocket.

But if you are travelling solo and have the chance to enjoy a meal at a nice restaurant - and the receipt will be refunded to you - then I do believe you can at least cover the tip.

Fine. Life's too short to quibble about stuff like this.

+1 A tip is inherently discretionary, and it's classless for restaurants to include it automatically.

OP, you make some legitimate points, but it seems like your real problem is with your travel/expense department. You should add this to Ridiculous things your company has done to reduce travel expenses

No, I'd rather not have the tip included.

The reason being is if the service sucks or is pretty meh, I don't tip. I work in the service/food industry as well and I do my best to provide the best service I can to my guests whether they decide to tip me or not. I don't tip for bad service, and if the service is okay to excellent I usually leave about 18-20% tip and if it is outstanding then above 20%. It just depends on where I eat and what the service is like. I can tell from when I walk into a Restaurant how the service can be and I hate it when the tip is included.

But the only place I have noticed it at is a place in Glendale, California, where if there are over 6 people in a party they add an automatic 15.00$ tip. It's the restaurant and there choice, but I'd rather decide how much I want to tip. That's just me personally.