UK restaurants will soon have to give all tips to their staff. There are new plans to make it illegal for restaurants to keep tips given by customers. Many restaurants keep most of the tips customers add to their credit card payments or put in tip jars. Some restaurants use tips to pay workers. Many people in England are angry about this. Restaurant workers are some of the lowest paid staff in Britain. Many of them rely on tips to survive. The food and drink industry in the UK is huge. Over 150,000 hotels, bars and restaurants employ about two million people.
Many waiting staff are happy with the new law. They are fed up with international chain restaurants keeping the money from tips. The staff said restaurant managers often use the tips to help pay chefs and kitchen staff. Workers at one restaurant chain went on strike earlier this year because of low pay. The new law would make sure restaurant workers are treated fairly. It will make sure that workers get to keep all of their tips. The restaurant industry said a new law was unnecessary because the industry makes sure working conditions are fair.