Tips
The tips policies of restaurant operators, normally only a discussion point for disgruntled waiting staff and tax experts, was thrust into the public consciousness in 2008 when two national newspapers piggybacked a union campaign calling on the Government to outlaw the practice of using tips to make up staff pay to minimum wage.
The Independent and Daily Mirror coverage, based on a Unite campaign, saw a number major restaurant groups in the firing line for paying waiting staff as little as £2 an hour basic salary, with non-cash tips making up the shortfall.
And despite industry pleas, firstly to keep the loophole in the law open and then, when that failed, to delay implementation of new legislation because of the recession, the Government announced the practice was to be outlawed in May 2009.
The announcement meant that, from October 2009, all staff must be paid a salary of at least the national minimum wage - £5.80 per hour for adults aged 22 and over - with tips on top.
The British Hospitality Association (BHA) estimated this would cost the industry £450m, threatening 45,000 jobs. Italian restaurant chain Carluccio's, for example, was thought to be facing a bill of about £1m to make up the shortfall
The Department for Business rejected the BHA's claims that the changes will cost the hospitality industry £450m, instead estimating the cost would be around £92m.
On this page, we round up all the news, analysis and comment on one of the most controversial issues to affect the hospitality industry in recent years.
News on Caterersearch.com
Using tips to make up minimum wage to be outlawed in October Unions and consumer groups welcome Government decision on tips
Unions and consumer groups welcome Government decision on tips
BHA unveils its first code of practice on tipping
Government rejects job loss argument against tipping reform
Annabel's owners lose staff tips case appeal against tax man
Waiters demonstrate outside Commons over tips
Government legislation on tips is misguided, say operators
Loch Fyne dragged into tips row
Wagamama gives customers tipping information on menus
Fair tip campaign launches in Manchester
Michelin chefs back calls for government to close tips loophole
Newspaper launches fair pay campaign
Annabels appeals against tronc ruling
HMRC appeal over NMW tronc payments will affect few businesses
Trade union Unite joins forces with newspaper over tips
Unite continues campaign for fair tips with protest outside Pizza Express
Government looking at taking direct action on restaurant tips
Union leaders launch campaign for fair tips
Tips can count towards minimum wage, finds tribunalCarluccio's slammed for paying less than minimum wage
Tronc climbdown hailed as a victory
News analysis on Caterersearch.com
Rulings on tips draws mixed feelings from the industry
Can we justify using tips to top up staff wages?
Time for the industry to come clean over tipping
How will the tronc ruling affect me?
Opinion on Caterersearch.com
Tip-off - how to keep cash tips within the law
New tronc guidance shows that industry was right all along…well, almost