Rick Stein backs BHA over tipping transparency
His comments follow calls from the British Hospitality Association (BHA) for the Government to introduce a new law forcing businesses to disclose how tips are shared out.
Speaking at the Independent Hotel Show, Stein said the BHA’s plans were ‘not controversial at all’.
However, the chef warned that employers could potentially resist the proposals.
“I suppose with the minimum wage rising you will get a number of businesses who don’t want to explain how their tips are shared out, because obviously it’s not a requirement at the moment that all service charge should be delivered to the staff,” said Stein.
“Presumably one way of alleviating the effects of the minimum wage rise is to use part of the service charge, but that is not good PR in my view.”
While many organisations have already signed up to the BHA’s voluntary code of transparency, the trade body wants to make it a legal requirement.
Ufi Ibrahim, chief executive of the BHA, said: “Customers should be able to reward good service and know where their money ends up and how much of it goes to staff.”
The Government has launched an investigation in to what it called an ‘abuse of tipping’ within the hospitality sector.
It follows heavy media scrutiny around high street chains - including Pizza Express and Las Iguanas - deducting an administration charge from staff tips.
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