When was the last time you tipped a taxi driver? With tap-to-pay becoming commonplace in most walks of life, it’s easy to forget to hand over a little extra as a ‘thanks’ for getting you to your destination safely.
Tips are just one of the many perks of being a taxi driver. But are we now living in an age where tipping etiquette is fast becoming extinct?
Hopefully not. If you’re reading this blog post, you clearly have an interest in tipping the people who ensure we can all travel to wherever we need to be, safely and comfortably.
So, without further ado, here’s the ultimate, simple guide to tipping taxi drivers in the UK in 2020.
Rounding it up
Although there are several methods to work out the most suitable tip in the UK, rounding up your fare still seems to be the most common way of tipping taxi drivers.
For most people, the precise amount they tip may depend on how much change they have available, and/or the value of the fare. However, you can’t go far wrong by rounding up to the nearest pound for the average fare (or even the nearest £5 for longer, more expensive journeys). It’s why so many of us say “keep the change” as we hand over the cash.
Depending on the fare, though, that may not feel like enough, which is why a percentage might make you feel a little more comfortable.
Percentages
The amount you tip a taxi driver is entirely up to you, of course, but if you feel you’ve received a particularly excellent service, you might want to keep things simple and opt for a percentage.
In such circumstances, a tip of between 10-15 percent of the fare represents a nice gesture and is probably above average enough to put a smile on the driver’s face.
Do you have to tip taxi drivers?
Not at all; tipping isn’t a legal requirement. It’s simply a decision made by you as the customer, and you shouldn’t ever feel pressured to do so.
Despite this, there is such a thing as etiquette, and each country has its own when it comes to tipping taxi drivers.
This is why it’s customary to ‘leave the change’ in the UK. Aside from a nice tip, it’s just more convenient for everyone involved, and represents a relatively low outlay from the customer’s perspective.
Is tipping under threat from digital payments?
Hopefully not, but there’s no doubting the fact it does make tipping a little less convenient.
This is because you have to actively choose and do something in order to tip if you’re paying by card or contactless.
Thankfully, some of those within the industry have noted that customers will often continue to tip with cash even if they pay via card. And there are also now apps and services which enable customers to ‘thank’ drivers with a tip of their choice after the ride.
So, let’s keep tipping alive. No matter how small the gesture, it’s the thought that counts, after all.
