However, one thing the UK does share with Europe is that servers will be on at least a minimum wage, relaxing expectations on how much to tip.

More London tips:
• 8 travel myths about London
• Follow these 25 tips in London for a better trip
• Top budget hotels under $100 a night in London

When to tip in London and Britain

Here are a few pointers on how to tip like a Brit — that should save you some money in the process.

Tipping in Pubs, Bars, Clubs & Cafes

If it’s counter service…

If you’re doing the standing, waiting and carrying for yourself, there’s no need to give your server a tip. Many such cafes or coffee shops will have a tip jar displayed on the counter — people will put spare change in them at most.

While there’s no tipping at a pub counter, there is a custom of offering to buy an exceptionally helpful bartender a drink — rather than pouring themselves something, they’ll simply add one pound or so to your total price.

If it’s seated service…

If you’re presented with a check at the end of your visit, leave a tip of around 10% of the bill. Otherwise, if you’ve had good service, just leave them some change on the table.

Related: How to visit a traditional pub in London

No need to leave a tip if you pick up a few gin and tonics at the bar. Photo: Craig Nelson

Tipping in restaurants

Reckon on leaving from 10% to 15% of the total bill, depending on the quality of your service. However, do take a look at the check first. Some restaurants add on their own service charge as standard and you don’t want to pay twice.

You may also get the option to add on a tip if paying by credit card. Don’t feel pressured to do this — many people prefer to leave the tip in cash instead, feeling that it’s more likely to go to the serving staff than the owners.

Related: 10 Tips to save on dining in London

Just round up for the tip in a London taxi. Photo: technicolourcity

Tipping in taxis

Do tip if you ride in a London taxi, but simply by rounding it up to a nice round number, for example paying £30 for a £28 journey.

Don’t round up by more than a couple of pounds — if your journey cost you £29.60, you’d probably still only round it up to £30.

Tipping tour guides

Your guide will probably expect something but do feel free to modify your tip depending on the quality of the service they provided. A tip around £5 is probably about right for a half-day/day tour.

Tipping in hotels

Most of the hotels we’d recommend on EuroCheapo are smaller, family-run establishments where there is no need to tip (although it’s always a nice gesture to leave a little something in the room).

In larger, fancier places you may want to tip a porter who has carried your bags to your room a couple of pounds, and perhaps also some coins for your chambermaid (depending on how much work you’ve given them!).

Related: 5 London hotels in a central location under £100 per night

Tipping in public bathrooms

While you may need to pay to access public toilets, you should never have to tip beyond that. Some bars and clubs use bathroom attendants, who often provide users with an array of beauty products or sweets in the hope of earning a bit of extra cash. Of course, if you take advantages of their services, you should give them a tip. If you decide not to, it’s your chance to shuffle off awkwardly, avoiding eye contact like a true Brit.

Your experience

What are your tips for tipping in London? Tell us in the comments!

The post When (and when not) to tip in London and Britain appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

In general, British food tends towards the substantial and, while the unkind may say it’s kind of stodgy, that’s a definite bonus for travelers wanting to fill up on a budget. Here are five affordable British dishes to try before you leave London.

Pie and Mash

Pie and Mash served with liquor is one of the most authentic London dishes—it’s been served up since the 19th century. Unfortunately, it’s getting harder and harder to find the real thing, with many traditional establishments closing down. That’s probably because London pie and mash has a really distinct taste that may not appeal to all palates.

Check out Manze for a low-cost taste of pie and mash. Photo: Kake

The meal normally consists of beef-filled pastry, served with a side helping of mashed potato. So far, so good. However, the (non-alcoholic) liquor sauce is traditionally made using water that has previously been used to cook eels (at one time eels were also used as the filling for the pies), flavored using parsley. Hardcore eaters can also try the specialty side order of jellied eels. If this doesn’t appeal to your taste buds (and you’re definitely not alone in that opinion), it’s still worth trying to peer inside one of the pie shops: they’ve often retaining their original décor, giving a glimpse into a long gone London.

Where to get it: Try Manze, where a pie and mash should cost you less than £4.

It’s also worth noting that us Brits love our savory pasty concoctions in all kinds of forms: keep an eye out for steak and kidney pies, sausage rolls and pork pies on pub menus. All tasty, filling and definitely involving no eels.

It doesn’t get more traditional than a roast dinner. Photo: Annie Mole

Roast Dinner

Ask an English person about their favorite meal, and they’ll probably get misty eyed about their childhood roast dinner. Come Sunday, the majority of British households will probably be tucking into a roast: roasted beef, pork, lamb or chicken, served with Yorkshire puddings (made from a pancake-style batter cooked in the oven), roast potatoes, carrots and as many different vegetables we can stack onto our plate, all dowsed in a layer of thick gravy. Most pubs will serve up a roast on Sunday: in general you get what you pay for in terms of quality so it’s probably best to avoid the really cheap offers.

Where to get it: We’ve rounded up some reasonably priced London pub roast options here.

With a name like that, you know the fish & chips will be tasty. Photo: Clive D

Fish and Chips

While Britain’s best fish and chips are probably bought within sniffing distance of the seaside, London serves up some pretty decent options too. You’re looking for a perfectly battered piece of fish (London fish and chip shops tend to serve cod, while you’re more likely to find haddock on the menu in the north of England): crispy on the outside with a succulent flaky fish on the inside. By chips, we mean a deep-fried, chunkier kind of potato fries, rather than the snack served in a packet (we call those crisps instead). The crowning glory of this dish is the mushy peas: marrowfat peas that have been soaked overnight to give a distinctive lumpy texture and flavor. Add salt and vinegar to taste.

Although, you’ll easily find fish and chips on a pub menu, head to a dedicated ‘chippie’ for the real deal and to experience the fun of eating with a chip fork straight out of the paper.

Where to get it: Try the Fryer’s Delight near Holborn for a really old school chippie, or Poppies in Camden and Spitalfields for a generous portion of fish and chips and sides for under £15

A loaded jacket potato alongside a platter of fish & chips. Photo: Jason Swihart

Jacket Potato

The jacket potato is what us Brits call baked potatoes. And rather than being served as a side or stuffed, they’re often served as a main dish, topped with a choice of different ingredients. The best potatoes have a crispy, crackling skin on the outside and a soft and fluffy middle, the result of slow baking in the oven, perfect for smothering with butter.

Perhaps the most loved topping is a grating of cheddar cheese and baked beans. British baked beans are slightly different to those sold in the US: they’re more tomato flavored with no pork and less sugar. In fact, baked beans are a Brit store cupboard staple.

Where to get it: Again, you’ll find jacket potatoes on pub menus, while there are some businesses who consider them their specialty: you should be able to order one for £5 or less. Here’s a jacket potato directory (no joke!). Or—if you are staying in a hostel with a kitchen—you could easily recreate it in the oven for the quintessential British money-saving meal.

A classic English breakfast is always a full plate. Photo: Phil Campbell

English Breakfast

Forget delicate pastries or specialty bread. The typically English way to line our stomachs for the day ahead (or to soothe them after one too many beers the night before) is with an English breakfast. There are many components that make up an English breakfast: juicy sausages, crisp bacon, egg (fried or scrambled), baked beans (yup, again), buttered toast, cooked tomatoes, sometimes mushrooms and hash browns, and possibly black pudding, a rich blood sausage.

Add tomato ketchup or some tangy ‘brown sauce’ to lubricate all that meat and wash down with mugs of tea. Although the typical English breakfast is a meat lover’s dream, it’s fairly easy to get veggie versions too.

Where to get it: We’ve rounded up some of our favorite places to tuck into ‘a full English’. Be warned: you probably won’t want to eat anything else for the rest of the day.

Want even more British dishes?

Canteen is a restaurant chain that specializes in “Great British Food”, from sausages and mash to traditional desserts such as Eton Mess. It’s reasonably priced by London standards, but it’s also worth looking online for money-off deals.

The post London Budget Eats: 5 classic British dishes to try appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

There are plenty of menus catering to the London theater lovers, and they can offer brilliant value for money. On the other hand, West End theaters are perfectly located for some of London’s best cheap eats. Either option is better than filling up on over priced ice cream in the interval. I recommend saving that money for a post-theater ice at Scoop instead.

Set menus and pre-theater specials

These are pricier than the usual eating-out options usually recommended on EuroCheapo, but they offer an excellent value for the money and, combined with your theater ticket, offer a great London experience. Do remember to book ahead to guarantee a table, and let your waiter or waitress know when you need to be in the theater: it would be a tragedy to have to rush your dessert.

Go for the cheap set menus at classy Brasserie Zedel. Photo: Ewan M

Brasserie Zedel
20 Sherwood Street

Brasserie Zedel is really one of the best impress-for-less eating places in London. It’s a large, buzzy bistro that oozes Art Deco style. In fact, it’s so stylish it’s hard to believe their prices. The prix fixe is £8.95 for two courses and £11.75 for three: pretty unbelievable when it’s pretty hard to get a decent steak for that price in London. The service is swift and slick, so it’s a good option even if the prix fixe doesn’t take your fancy.

Boyd’s Brasserie
8 Northumberland Avenue

Going to see some classic British theater? This restaurant, within a 19th century hotel building, offers fantastic reworkings of classic Brit food. Prices are £16.90 for two courses, or three for £19.90. Their starters menu—a British take on tapas—gives an idea of the type of food on offer here: think potted shrimps, Devon crab and haggis.

Kettner’s has been going strong since 1867. Photo: Ewan M

Kettner’s
29 Romilly Street

From the outside you might think that Kettner’s is not suitable for a budget-conscious eats. Or perhaps when you’re on the inside too—we don’t normally recommend places known for their champagne bars! But, with their pre- and post-theater menus, there’s the opportunity to experience this famous restaurant, which opened in 1867, for less. Two courses are £18.50 and three courses are £21.50. I’d be tempted to go for the post-theater menu—it’ll be busier, but you’ll really get a taste of the old-school glamor for which Kettner’s is renowned for.

Related: Affordable hotels near London’s biggest attractions

Cheap eats always available

There are loads of cheap eats options in the nearby area: check out the recommendations in our guide to Soho for starters.  But, be warned, some of the most popular don’t take bookings sometimes leading to lengthy queues. Get there early so you have time to enjoy your food before you enjoy the theatre.

Leon
Multiple locations

Leon specializes in fresh fast food and can be found in a number of locations around London: the branches on The Strand or Carnaby Street are probably your best pre-theater bets. They’re open in the day, but offer casual dining from 6 PM each evening. Leon does a mean burger (we’re in love with their halloumi burger) for around £8, and an awesome range of sides. And leave room for their deserts. Their gluten free brownies are some of the best in London.

Flat Iron
17 Beak Street

This is a no bookings place. But, to be honest, you’d probably want to come here early to have any chance of getting a table anyway. It’s also not a place for veggies. Flat Iron does one thing and does it amazingly well: steak. A steak and house salad will set you back £10, although their tantalizing range of sides and impressive cocktail menu is likely to push the price up slightly. And, another bonus, popcorn while you wait. Very hip, very tasty.

Yalla Yalla
1 Green’s Court

We’ve already told you about Hummus Bros—there’s a branch handily located on Shaftsbury Avenue, but for more chickpea joy check out Yalla Yalla, a small chain specializing in Middle Eastern street food. There are three in London, but the Green’s Court branch is closest to the theatrical action. All the classics are here, from tabbouleh to baba ghanoush, from roughly about £5 a plate.

The post London: Where to eat for cheap near the West End theatre district appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.