Tips for Taxi Drivers in London
Oct 5, 2014 | 1:47 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold;BA GGL; hhonors lifetime diamond; Marriott lt Gold; IH Plat Amb; Amex Centurion
Posts: 4,850
Tips for Taxi Drivers in London
This week London is the venue for my (large, global) law firm partners meeting. (We have apparently booked all or most of the Hilton Park Lane, the Intercontinental and the Grosvenor House, but not of course the Dorchester, for partners and visiting clients. Be warned and avoid!)
The guide for visiting partners tells them that it is not necessary to tip London taxi drivers. Am I one of a dying breed of Londoner that still does tip or is the guide, which I suspect from other matters in it was not written by a local, just wrong?
The guide for visiting partners tells them that it is not necessary to tip London taxi drivers. Am I one of a dying breed of Londoner that still does tip or is the guide, which I suspect from other matters in it was not written by a local, just wrong?
Oct 5, 2014 | 2:44 am
#4
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Piedmont, Italy; Cheshire, UK
Programs: British Airways Gold For Life
Posts: 404
For short journeys I'll tip between 1.00 and 1.90 (rounding up as appropriate). For longer journeys I'll tip more but rarely much over 2.00.
When using Halo for short journeys I'll usually leave a 1.00 cash tip.
Oct 5, 2014 | 4:14 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,941
I tip a couple of quid as well. More if they have helped with luggage etc.
Usual rule of thumb is 10% but a minimum of a 1
I'd say the guide was wrong. Would it say not to tip if the conference was in the US?
Usual rule of thumb is 10% but a minimum of a 1
I'd say the guide was wrong. Would it say not to tip if the conference was in the US?
Oct 5, 2014 | 4:35 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London & White River, South Africa
Posts: 24,566
Under a tenner, round up to the next pound
10-20, add 1 and round up
20+ add 2 and round up.
Gets the right reaction, grateful but without the gushing that shows you have overtipped!
10-20, add 1 and round up
20+ add 2 and round up.
Gets the right reaction, grateful but without the gushing that shows you have overtipped!
Oct 5, 2014 | 5:11 am
#8
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 7,566
Does this mean I've getting this wrong all my life???
I was brought up to tip taxi drivers (along the lines suggested in earlier posts), to leave a tip in restaurants (10% or thereabouts), and to tip my hairdresser. And I don't know anybody who doesn't.
Are we all wrong?
Oct 5, 2014 | 5:13 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London & White River, South Africa
Posts: 24,566
REALLY???
Does this mean I've getting this wrong all my life???
I was brought up to tip taxi drivers (along the lines suggested in earlier posts), to leave a tip in restaurants (10% or thereabouts), and to tip my hairdresser. And I don't know anybody who doesn't.
Are we all wrong?
Does this mean I've getting this wrong all my life???
I was brought up to tip taxi drivers (along the lines suggested in earlier posts), to leave a tip in restaurants (10% or thereabouts), and to tip my hairdresser. And I don't know anybody who doesn't.
Are we all wrong?
Oct 5, 2014 | 5:38 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold;BA GGL; hhonors lifetime diamond; Marriott lt Gold; IH Plat Amb; Amex Centurion
Posts: 4,850
Oct 5, 2014 | 8:42 am
#12
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 196
(By the way, in a city that is, what 25% non-white and 50% female, why are virtually all the Londonm taxi drivers white men? London cabs are one of the most entrenched bastions of institutionalised racism in the UK.)
Oct 5, 2014 | 10:33 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA Plat, MM *G for life, AY Plat, BA Silver
Posts: 10,514
Oct 5, 2014 | 10:40 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold;BA GGL; hhonors lifetime diamond; Marriott lt Gold; IH Plat Amb; Amex Centurion
Posts: 4,850
I am afraid that that is simply not accurate (as to tips, I mean). It is certainly true that fares are high and that is why I tend to tip less than 10%.
Oct 5, 2014 | 12:07 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,809
In New York, for contrast, you can swipe-and-pay in the backseat and the screen will suggest percentage tips to add. So you can make a $7.80 fare total $9.21 (adding a generous 18 percent). This will actually save you money by avoiding round-upping; the natural tendency on a $7.80 fare would be to toss the cabbie a tenner and be done with it.