The one time I got to visit England it was with a band touring up and down the main island (started in London, worked our way north to Glasgow/Edinburgh then back down to London again).
 
Most of the time the bars we played at made sure we had plenty of booze so we weren't having to pay for/order drinks (and we mostly just bought our own and drank in the tour van). Of course we DID go out on our own on off nights or linger at the gigs and I kept getting told you don't tip your bartender. You buy them a drink.
 
Like you don't have to buy them a drink every time but every few you buy them one.
 
I thought people were yanking my chain (which seems to be quite the little pub hobby... lol) and being a Canadian it's just completely impolite and disrespectful to not AT LEAST leave 50 cents or so on a beer. So I tipped as I normally would and got weird looks... then tried the "buy them a drink thing" and it was all "Cheers, mayte".
 
So, my query... what the heck is that all about?

No you don't tip bartenders/barmen/barmaids. Ordering the round and asking '...and one for yourself?' used to be considered polite, but even that's unusual now unless it's your local boozer and you know the bar staff.
 
Hotels might have a tip jar which they may or may not share out amongst the staff.

jamesg1213
No you don't tip bartenders/barmen/barmaids. Ordering the round and asking '...and one for yourself?' used to be considered polite, but even that's unusual now unless it's your local boozer and you know the bar staff.
 
Hotels might have a tip jar which they may or may not share out amongst the staff.

Is there any history/reason as to why? I hope they at least get paid better than over here in that case. You can make a buttload being a bartender over here but it comes from tips. Dead night? Bad tippers? You outta luck, son. Busy night? Lotsa drunks who just got flush? Kabing!

I think it depends on the pub. In your more "homely" local or rural pubs it's common to say "have one for yourself" (which of course is just a fancy way of tipping without it being an actual tip), but I saw this less often in your big city center chain pubs (which you'd probably want to avoid like the plague anyway). 
 
Of course your earnings are a lot more stable when there's a solid hourly rate involved and you don't rely on tips, but I would think that bartenders earn more in places like NYC than they do in Britain. Personally I'd rather have a fluctuating income that worked out as more in the long run, than the security of lower earnings from a stable hourly rate. It certainly makes you approach the job with a better attitude. I've worked performance based jobs twice in my life - first as a fitted kitchen and double glazing salesman in the UK, and then by working the Christmas markets in New York. I'd work like crazy in the markets to get that commission and it becomes a sort of personal daily challenge to see if you can top your record. 

I don't know why, sorry. The tipping culture has never really caught on over here, we're just a bunch o' tight-arses.

I actually did notice a couple times that when I said (the awkward Canuck equivalent) of "and one for yourself?" that the bartender said "Cheers!" and then just pocketed/tilled the money... which was absolutely fine with me because I was just trying to tip the bugger. Of course I never went out of my way to stick around to see whether anyone else actually bought and drank themselves a drink (many did and drank with me if they weren't rushed which was cool) so I just assumed maybe it was a law or tradition but by "buying them a drink" it was a way of tipping them cash without violating some thing I totally don't understand.
 
This has been enlightening though. I still wasn't sure if that was a thing or just in certain situations or what.
 
Now how about at restaurants or delivery people or the usual things us westerners tip for. I think I recall cabbies not being opposed to tips.

I always tip at restaurants. Never add it to the bill, I leave cash for the waiting staff. Delivery people - nope. Bin men at Christmas, if I see them. The guy who empties my septic tank, definitely. I don't take taxis often but yes, 'keep the change' if I do.

jamesg1213
I always tip at restaurants. Never add it to the bill, I leave cash for the waiting staff. Delivery people - nope. Bin men at Christmas, if I see them. The guy who empties my septic tank, definitely. I don't take taxis often but yes, 'keep the change' if I do.

but probably a lot less than we would tip over here, right?  we're "expected" to tip a minimum of 15% and in the last few years that has been creeping up to 20%.
 
we have these "pay at the table" kiosk thingys in some of the bars/restaurants now where you can pay your bill with your credit card at the table.  the "default" tip is set at 20% of your bill, but you can choose to change it to anything.

I guess I should clarify by "delivery people" I mean like food/booze delivery guys. Not like the postman or fed ex guys. They get a decent wage and bennies.
 
Guy riding his bike/driving his own beat up Gremlin to your house to shovel greasy take out into your face... ya that shlub deserves a tip.

Beagle
 
but probably a lot less than we would tip over here, right?  we're "expected" to tip a minimum of 15% and in the last few years that has been creeping up to 20%.
 
we have these "pay at the table" kiosk thingys in some of the bars/restaurants now where you can pay your bill with your credit card at the table.  the "default" tip is set at 20% of your bill, but you can choose to change it to anything.

Assumed tipping tactics annoy me.
 
Also many of the places that pull that crap are pocketing that (or at least a **** of that) for themselves.
 
I'm too poor to go to places like that anyway but if I weren't I'd leave that bugger at 0% and wander around with some sawbucks in my pocket to fill/grease palms as they deserve to be filled.
 
Old school, yo.