# Do you tip in England, is the service charge already on the bill, and can you ask for it to be removed?

> Most English restaurants add a 12.5% discretionary service charge. How to check the bill, when to leave 10% instead, and why you never tip at a pub bar.

- Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/tipping-in-england-uk-restaurants-service-charge-guide
- Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries)
- Published: 2026-01-10

England is the country where the tip is most likely to already be on your bill, and the most likely to be misunderstood because of it. A 12.5% service charge is normal in sit-down restaurants, it is legally discretionary, and whether you need to add anything on top depends entirely on whether it is there.

## Quick answer

**Check the bill first.** If a 12.5% service charge is already added, you do not need to leave anything more.

**If there is no service charge:** about 10% for good table service.

**Pubs:** you do not tip when ordering at the bar. If you are served at a table, 10% is fine.

**Taxis:** round up, or 10% for a long airport run.

**The charge is discretionary**, so you can ask for it to be removed for poor service — politely, and before paying.

## How the service charge works

The typical charge is **12.5%**, most common in London and in larger cities, and often added automatically for tables of any size or for groups.

It is described as *discretionary*, which is a legal description rather than a marketing one: you may ask for it to be taken off. In practice most people pay it unless something went wrong.

Because it is discretionary, some restaurants now distribute it to staff differently — some as a share of the bill, some pooled, some not passed on at all. That is a live issue in the UK, not a settled one; if it matters to you, ask.

A few places add a smaller charge, or none at all. There is no national rule.

## Pubs, cafés and counter service

At a pub, ordering at the bar: no tip. You may be offered *and one for yourself* as a courtesy; declining is entirely normal.

Counter-service cafés and bakeries: no tip expected. A tip jar may sit by the till.

Table service in a pub or restaurant: the service-charge rule applies as above.

None of this is enforced and nobody will challenge you, but a 12.5% charge already on the bill is the line to notice.

## Two things visitors get wrong

**Adding 20% on top of a 12.5% service charge**, which is a common American reflex and is not expected here.

**Tipping at a bar in cash** while the service charge is already on the food bill — check before you add anything.

Card terminals often prompt for a tip even where a service charge is included. Read the prompt; it is usually asking for something additional.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is the service charge in England mandatory?

No. It is a discretionary charge and you can ask for it to be removed, though most people pay it unless the service was poor.

### How much should you tip in England if no service charge is added?

Around 10% for good table service. Nothing is required at a pub when ordering at the bar.

### Should you tip on top of the service charge?

No. If 12.5% is already on the bill, you do not need to add more unless the service was exceptional.

### Do you tip at an English pub?

Not when ordering at the bar. If you are served at a table, the normal restaurant rules apply.