Sir, – While I welcome the 2024 Budget’s significant increase to the minimum wage, it’s hard to ignore the service industry’s recent attempts to foist a US-style tipping culture upon customers.
Good service in restaurants should be rewarded, although the takeaway industry should instead look to pay its staff fairly, instead of imposing this additional cost on its customers.
The awkward interaction of being handed a card machine with tipping options has now painfully become the norm.
The cashier has limited time to impress with small-talk before you decide on whether the already expensive sandwich you are yet to eat is worthy of an additional 10 per cent.
Is it now only a matter of time before prices are shown without VAT? – Yours, etc,
Dr MICHAEL PRENDERGAST,
Ballsbridge,
Dublin 4.
