Gordon Ramsay has become one of the first celebrity chefs to introduce a 20 per cent discretionary service charge at his London restaurant, Lucky Cat, marking a significant shift toward American-style tipping in the UK. The charge was applied to diners' bills on New Year's Eve, adding to an already expensive menu that included Japanese A5 sirloin at £138 and spiced lamb chops at £50.
Details of the service charge
The 20 per cent charge was stated in small print at the bottom of the menu, reading: "A 20 per cent discretionary service charge will be added to your bill." Lucky Cat, which opened in 2019, is located on Level 60 of the 22 Bishopsgate skyscraper, offering 350-degree views of London. Ramsay typically charges 15 per cent at most of his restaurants, which is higher than other renowned chefs such as Marco Pierre White (10 per cent) and Rick Stein (12.5 per cent at the Seafood Restaurant in Padstow).
Broader trend in hospitality
The move reflects a growing trend in the UK hospitality sector, where more pubs and restaurants are automatically adding discretionary tips to bills rather than leaving the decision to customers. This mirrors the US, where tipping is widespread and 20 per cent is standard. Tips are generally expected to supplement waiters' below-average salaries.
The change also highlights increasing cost pressures on restaurant owners. Last month, minimum wage thresholds increased, and bosses face rising taxes, energy bills, and unpredictable public spending. A survey by UKHospitality found that one in five hospitality businesses fear collapse within the next year.
Kate Nicholls, chair of UKHospitality, said: "Restaurants continue to face increasing cost pressures, from rising business rates to the cost of food, drink and energy going up. Hospitality has one of the highest cost burdens in the economy and it’s crucial the government brings this burden down to support the sector. Throughout these challenging times, our staff continue to work tirelessly to deliver fantastic experiences to our customers, and 100 per cent of all tips or discretionary service charges go directly to them as recognition of their hard work."
Public reaction
Despite the rationale, social media reaction was largely critical. David Kerry wrote: "Pay your staff properly!" while Christopher MacCulloch added: "Charge 20 per cent more and just pay the staff a proper wage. It's a disgrace in the US, making staff live on what is essentially charity."
