Gordon Ramsay has been pulled into Britain’s tipping debate after one of his London restaurants added a 20% discretionary service charge to diners’ bills.
The charge appeared on the New Year’s Eve menu at Lucky Cat, Ramsay’s Asian-inspired restaurant on Level 60 of the 22 Bishopsgate skyscraper. The venue offers sweeping views of London, but the prices were already steep before the added charge. On top of the high prices, at the bottom of the menu, in small writing, customers were told: “A 20 per cent discretionary service charge will be added to your bill.”
That number set off criticism because 20% feels a lot closer to American tipping culture than the traditional U.K. restaurant model.
Ramsay’s Charge Is Higher Than Other Celebrity Chefs
Ramsay opened Lucky Cat in 2019. Most of his restaurants reportedly charge around 15% service, making the Lucky Cat New Year’s Eve charge stand out.
Other well-known chefs tend to go lower. Marco Pierre White’s restaurants typically charge 10%, while Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant in Padstow charges 12.5%.
Niaz Caan, who runs Paro in London’s Covent Garden, said a 20% charge feels excessive. “I think 12.5 per cent is okay, but the minute you start going 15, 16, 20, I think it’s very exorbitant,” he said. Caan said restaurants may be raising service charges to recover rising costs or attract staff, though he added that New Year’s Eve may be a special case. “If it’s on New Year’s Eve, then maybe there’s a reason to do it,” he said.
Critics Say Britain Is Moving Toward U.S. Tipping Culture
The backlash comes as more U.K. restaurants and pubs automatically add discretionary charges to bills.
That shift has made diners worry Britain is drifting toward the U.S. model, where tipping is more deeply embedded, and 20% can feel standard. In America, tips often supplement lower wages for service workers.
Caan said he has seen more mandatory-style service charges in the U.K., especially in London’s West End, but does not believe Britain will fully copy the U.S. “I know the culture in America, even in high-wage states like New York, the tipping culture is still quite ludicrous,” he said. “I don’t think the UK will ever get there because it’s based on different cultures altogether.” He also argued that mandatory charges can “defeat the point” of rewarding strong service.
Diners Tell Restaurants To Pay Staff Properly
Restaurants are dealing with rising pressure from wages, energy, taxes and food costs. UKHospitality recently warned that one in five hospitality businesses feared collapse within 12 months.
Kate Nicholls, chairman of UKHospitality, said restaurants face heavy cost burdens and added that “100pc of all tips or discretionary service charges go directly” to staff.
Online critics were less sympathetic. “Pay your staff properly!” one person wrote. Another added, “Charge 20% more and just pay the staff a proper wage. It’s a disgrace in the US, making staff live on what is essentially charity.”
For Ramsay, the issue is not only one expensive New Year’s Eve bill. It is the bigger fear that London dining is importing one of America’s most unpopular restaurant habits.
