Should we tip?

The UK government wants to stop restaurants from using tips to bring salaries up to the minimum wage. The National Minimum Wage in the UK is £5.52, but staff at the Hard Rock Cafe in London are paid a basic wage of only £2.06 and tips are added on top of this to make up the minimum wage.

Quite apart from the fact that some employers do not pay their staff the legal minimum wage, this news raises the question of whether you should tip or not in restaurants. In many countries (such as in Europe), tipping is rare. But in the UK and the USA it is common to leave a tip of about 10%. Some people feel that tipping is outdated, and that diners should only pay the menu price, as this would force restaurants to pay fair wages.

What's your opinion?