London

The answer is don't. If you all are smart, you'll start a "zero tip" movement and put an end to this nonsense before you end up like we are in the US. Some jackasses will attempt to frame the argument as about the workers. It's not. Business will abuse basic human kindness to turn this into a way to offer less pay and benefits. If employees want more pay (or anything for that matter), they should be organizing to claim it from their employer, not trying to get their fellow working people to make salary decisions. Please believe that tipping has no pleasant end for anyone but the wealthy.

It exists, so therefore it is out of control.

It’s out of control everywhere. Pay real wages and stop relying on tipping.

12.5% standard? I'd ask to get that off the bill immediately. Average service gets no tip, above average max 5% and good gets 10%, which happens very rarely. Most of the time the bill is just rounded up. 12.5% out of the gate is flippin' bonkers.

I've pretty much always tipped in restaurants unless the experience was bad, so I don't mind having the service charge added to the bill. It makes it easier not having to calculate it and not having to carry cash. If I was really disatisfied with the meal I'd be perfectly ok with asking to remove the charge.

We've always tipped in restaurants.