LONDON — A former waiter at Metropolitan Mayfair in London filed a complaint with an employment tribunal regarding the distribution of cash tips and service charges. The worker alleges that casino managers took an unjust share, violating new UK legislation.

The former worker claimed management, including senior management, received a larger share of the service charge despite not being directly involved in serving customers. He stated that the company refused to provide details of how it distributed the service charge. Managers also took an equal share of cash tips, according to workers.

Metropolitan Mayfair adds an optional 12.5% service charge on food and drinks in its restaurants and bar. The worker bringing the tribunal case said he and other staff regularly received tips and service charges from customers who believed they were rewarding frontline workers, but that both service charge and cash tips were shared with casino management.

Payslips at Metropolitan Mayfair do not detail how the share of service charge is calculated and do not mention card tips. Two other former workers stated that the distribution of tips and service charges was opaque. They also reported having no knowledge of how or if tips paid on cards were shared with staff, and that it was not clear who received a share of all payments or how those shares were calculated.

The worker stated he was dismissed after asking questions about the service charge and card tips. He is also bringing a tribunal case for wrongful dismissal. A letter from Metropolitan Mayfair stated he was dismissed because the company claimed to have evidence he personally kept a large cash tip; the worker denies this claim.

A spokesperson for Metropolitan Mayfair stated that the company does not benefit from tips given to employees and that allocation arrangements are determined independently in accordance with legislation. The spokesperson added that the company is confident its policies and procedures are compliant with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements.

Why It Matters

Legislation implemented in October 2024 in Britain requires employers to distribute 100% of service charges and card tips to workers in a fair and transparent manner. This legislation also gives employees the right to know how tips are allocated and distributed. A tips policy for the casino states that an independent person, known as a troncmaster, allocates the service charge pot to eligible workers, based on objective criteria such as hours worked, role, and contribution to service delivery. The policy also states that tronc rules will be accessible and displayed within venues, though workers stated they had not seen these rules displayed.