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What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

Old Apr 24th 2013, 12:07 am
  #46  
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Default Re: What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

Originally Posted by AmerLisa
I'd say that was very true! The food is rubbish in these places and they want a quick turnover so they can make $$$ Not even worth a consideration when we go out to dinner...
Aren't they frozen dinners?
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Old Apr 24th 2013, 1:30 am
  #47  
 
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Default Re: What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

Originally Posted by Manc
of course food and eating out costs more in the UK.

There's social responsibility like paying for national insurance and more than $3 an hour in wages to pay.
And of course it is well known that US restaurants are exempt from payroll taxes and minimum wage legislation!
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Old Apr 24th 2013, 1:56 am
  #48  
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Default Re: What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

Originally Posted by Pulaski
And of course it is well known that US restaurants are exempt from payroll taxes and minimum wage legislation!
Payroll taxes, probably not but they do not pay minimum wage, at least to servers. That's why we have the 20% tip.
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Old Apr 24th 2013, 2:20 am
  #49  
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Default Re: What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

Originally Posted by cheers
Aren't they frozen dinners?
I'm sure there is something frozen in the ingredients...
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Old Apr 24th 2013, 2:44 am
  #50  
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Default Re: What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

Originally Posted by SultanOfSwing
Payroll taxes, probably not but they do not pay minimum wage, at least to servers. That's why we have the 20% tip.
That is not nationwide. In Oregon servers receive the same minimum wage as all others. I believe its around $9:15 per.
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Old Apr 24th 2013, 3:15 am
  #51  
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Default Re: What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

Originally Posted by Beaverstate
That is not nationwide. In Oregon servers receive the same minimum wage as all others. I believe its around $9:15 per.
Fair enough. That's quite a bit higher than minimum wage in Illinois, almost a buck.
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Old Apr 24th 2013, 3:20 am
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Default Re: What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

Originally Posted by SultanOfSwing
Payroll taxes, probably not but they do not pay minimum wage, at least to servers. That's why we have the 20% tip.
Restaurants are obligated to ensure that pay + tips >= minimum wage. ... BTW, that whole post was sarcastic.
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Old Apr 24th 2013, 3:29 am
  #53  
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Default Re: What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

Originally Posted by Pulaski
Restaurants are obligated to ensure that pay + tips >= minimum wage. ... BTW, that whole post was sarcastic.
Thanks, I can still get sarcasm, I haven't been here that long
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Old Apr 24th 2013, 5:42 am
  #54  
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Default Re: What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

When I was a server a few years ago my hourly wage was $3.01 an hour. My 2 week paycheck if I was lucky was like $80. In some restaurants servers have to tip out of their own money to bus boys and bar people. What you tip out is based on sales. So if people don't tip you at least 15% then you are usually out of pocket. If my sales are $400 if I get minimum 15% in tips I get $60 in tips but I have to tip out of that $60. If I still get $400 in sales and somebody stiffs me or pays less than 15% and my tips are say $45 then I still pay out based on $400 worth of sales. Thus I come home with jack shit. Also servers are expected to do certain things - we are supposed to come to your table at least once during meal to see how things are etc.. I was a good server but the never knowing from one day to next what i was going to make did my head in..
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Old Apr 24th 2013, 12:11 pm
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Default Re: What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

sub conscious that both my lists were the same length!
going for another toby carvery tonight so maybe the brit list is in the lead somewhat however I cant for the life of me get good coffee here so that evens it out again!

Oh and I miss half and half SO much!!!
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Old Apr 24th 2013, 12:12 pm
  #56  
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Default Re: What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

Originally Posted by Pulaski
Go post that on the Returning to the UK forum ..... you'll get flamed!
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Old Apr 24th 2013, 12:13 pm
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Default Re: What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

Originally Posted by SultanOfSwing
On the other hand, the £3.99 carvery sounds like a winner
it is!!!! going again tonight!
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Old Apr 24th 2013, 12:48 pm
  #58  
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Default Re: What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

Originally Posted by coastieexpat
The one thing that really gets me when eating out in the U.S. is having to add around 25% on top of the bill for tax and tip, doesn't look so cheap then
When we were there with the children, we took them to McDonalds for a familiar place and found that we had to pay tax if we ate in but not if we took it out! It could have changed, that was back in 1980

A problem from that trip arose from the currency change that had taken place, we weren't familiar with it. After a couple of days, our accents morphed back to full London, Yorkshire for my wife, and we got some strange reactions sounding like locals but not knowing what coin was what when paying for something.
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Old Apr 24th 2013, 1:11 pm
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Default Re: What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

Originally Posted by paddingtongreen
When we were there with the children, we took them to McDonalds for a familiar place and found that we had to pay tax if we ate in but not if we took it out! It could have changed, that was back in 1980. .....
Yeah, restaurant (eat in) and take away food used to be treated differently for VAT purposes in the UK. Now VAT is the same for both, .... though there was a similar argument as recently as last summer about VAT on Cornish pasties, depending on whether they were warmed or not.
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Old Apr 24th 2013, 2:34 pm
  #60  
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Default Re: What im loving/not loving about visiting UK

Originally Posted by CAdreaming
Oh and I miss half and half SO much!!!
Oh no, has America ever got its hooks into you, then! Just kidding! I myself like a lot about the US but NOT the love affair here with half&half. I can't abide that stuff! (Tastes & feels like white paint--bleurgh!)

Last edited by WEBlue; Apr 24th 2013 at 2:46 pm.
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