Chunk!

The silver tray hit the bar with all the subtlety of a Jade Goody goodwill trip to the subcontinent. Resting upon it is a single pound coin, a fifty pence piece, and twenty pence piece and a five pence piece. That is one pound and seventy five pence for those too lazy to add it up. This was my change from ten pounds having bought a round of drinks for myself and two friends.

The tray confused me because my hand was held out, waiting for my change, yet he completely ignored this fact and decided instead to place the tray directly beneath my outstretched hand. I caught his eye and he gave me a look that said, “Look at our lovely silver trays, leave as much of that change on there as you feel is appropriate.”

Have a guess how much felt appropriate?

He was actually creating more work for me. This is not how you earn a tip. Whereas previously my change would have been in my hand in one smooth motion, now I have to make the effort to pick it up from the tray. Not a huge effort admittedly, but an effort nonetheless. Perhaps they are relying on people being exceptionally lazy and not being being bothered to pick up their change?

I am not averse to tipping. Good service deserves it. However, being served by a barman at a busy bar is as deserving of a tip as as having your weekly shopping totalled by the checkout girl at Tesco. Yet I don’t see small silver trays at every till in the supermarket?

If he had offered to bring the drinks over, or if he had taken our order at the table I could understand his belief that he was entitled some small financial reward. But serving me, in a manner not dissimilar to every other bar in the town, is not going to earn you a few extra pennies.

After watching the bar for a few minutes it appeared that everyone was being offered their change on a silver tray, yet not once did I see anyone leave any money behind. In fact, people where making a deliberate display of removing every last coin. Me included.

“Can I keep that tray then?”, I asked on my next trip to the bar.

“Err, no.” was the barman’s reply.

“So what’s the point of it then?”

“It’s a new policy. Improving customer service and all that.”

“And exactly how does putting my change on a silver tray, from where I have to pick it up, improve my service experience?”

“I’m not really sure.” was his unambiguous justification.

If you want a tip, earn it with exceptional service and going beyond the call of duty, not by creating extra work for me, no matter how lovely your little silver tray is.

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