How Much Cash to Bring to UK

[gumshoe958]

10 hours ago, anadi said:

We are transferring from LHR to London, but already pre-paid a Black Taxi tour company. We are also doing a tour with them the next day, also pre-paid. What do we do about a tip? Should we use cash for that, since we have already paid? And is USD OK, as mentioned above? Also, what is the rate for tipping for a transfer, and for the 4 hour tour?

Tipping is less prevalent in the UK than it is in the US. 10-15% is absolutely fine for a cab driver. They’ll be fine with US$.

[John Bull]

49 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

They’ll be fine with US$.

 

As will anyone else who deals a lot with international travellers,

USD or €, not less-popular currencies 

But not for servers in provincial or country restaurants, pubs etc, though in most cases you can add tips to credit card payments

 

I used to drive ships' transfer coaches, and swap $ or € with colleagues depending who's going where on vacations or continental tours

But some years later I still have a 20 Zlotych bill 😏

 

JB 🙂

Edited April 10, 2023 by John Bull

[Harters]

2 hours ago, John Bull said:

As will anyone else who deals a lot with international travellers,

I'm really surprised to read that, JB.  That said, I find it hard to credit that anyone travelling to a foreign country would even think it might be OK to pay in their own currency. But, from what you say, they must do. I ask myself what would happen in their own country, if a tourist wanted to pay in sterling.

 

On the taxi tipping issue, until the beginning of the pandemic, my brother in law had driven a cab in Stockport for many years. When he started, tips were fairly common but, by 2020, they had all but disappeared. He said it was rare to get a tip, even of the "keep the change" variety - maybe a couple of times a week.

[John Bull]

13 minutes ago, Harters said:

I'm really surprised to read that, JB.  That said, I find it hard to credit that anyone travelling to a foreign country would even think it might be OK to pay in their own currency. But, from what you say, they must do. I ask myself what would happen in their own country, if a tourist wanted to pay in sterling.

 

On the taxi tipping issue, until the beginning of the pandemic, my brother in law had driven a cab in Stockport for many years. When he started, tips were fairly common but, by 2020, they had all but disappeared. He said it was rare to get a tip, even of the "keep the change" variety - maybe a couple of times a week.

 

 

Hawkers in Egypt & Jordan happily quote in sterling, euros & USD. 

Including £1 & €1 coins !!  We've changed coins into notes for them 'cos they struggle in exchanging foreign coins.

Euros at mainstream outlets in Gib. and Croatia plus of course USD in most of the Caribbean, again at advertised prices. And (at one time at least) euros in Marks & Spencer.

As we all know, tourism outlets in a lot of countries will accept USD or euros - at their own private exchange rates 😡. But "their" exchange rates don't come into it when tipping.

 

Downturn in taxi tipping in the UK as well, mainly down to card payments & Uber accounts.

And that includes us -  hailed taxis we'll usually pay in cash and tip, but when there's no money involved we don't tip. No real logic to it, especially when hailed taxis are more expensive - just the way it is.

 

JB 🙂

[Harters]

2 minutes ago, John Bull said:

Euros at mainstream outlets in Gib. and Croatia plus of course USD in most of the Caribbean,

No surprise at € being accepted in Gib, with the number of folk crossing each day from Spain for work. And I think a number of Caribbean currencies keep parity with USD.