Cost of daily items & tipping

General product price guide

Here is a general price guide for a few common items:

• A hotel breakfast  £5-£15
• Dinner (3-course, no wine) £15-£45
• Lunch snack/sandwich £2-£4
• Cafe lunch £4-£7
• A postcard stamp to anywhere abroad 50p
• Hamburger £2.50
• Cappuccino £1-£3
• Kodak Film, 36 exposures £4-£5
• Can of Coke 40p-£1
• Pint of beer in a pub £2-£4
• Glass of wine in a pub £2-£5
• Single cash bus ticket £2
• Single Oyster bus ticket £1
• Single cash underground ticket £4
• Single Oyster underground ticket (zones 1-2) £2

Tipping & service charges

Tipping is not always appropriate in the UK. If you feel the service was good and you want to show your appreciation, here is a guide to customary practice:

Hotels
Most hotel bills include a service charge, usually 10-12%. Where a service charge is not included in a hotel restaurant, it is customary to give 10-15% of the restaurant bill. For rooms, you can leave an optional amount to room staff.

Restaurants
Many restaurant bills include a service charge; make sure you check the bill to avoid tipping twice. Where a service charge is not included, it is customary to leave a tip of 10-15% of the bill. Some restaurants now include a suggested tip in the bill total.

Taxis
10-15% of the fare

Porterage
discretionary

Hairdressers
discretionary