Pizza Express customers have vowed a boycott until it gives staff all their tips

The restaurant chain currently charges an 8 per cent admin fee on all tips paid by card

Staff at the chain say customers, not just the workers, think the 8 per cent charge is unfair (Rex)

Thousands of people people have signed a petition calling on Pizza Express to scrap the 8 per cent “admin fee” charged on all tips to its staff paid by card.

Last week, the Independent on Sunday reported that the union Unite was planning a series of protests against restaurants which deduct the percentage from staffs tips when it is added onto the bill as customers pay by card.

Unite has called on Pizza Express and other restaurants, such as Giraffe and Zizzis, to scrap the policy, saying there is “no excuse for [its] unfair tips policy”.

Although Pizza Express has said it makes no profit from the fee and it is purely to offset admin costs, the union has claimed the company could be “pocketing £1m”.

In its message to the chief executive, Richard Hodgson, it said: “With Pizza Express celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, there really is no better time to show your staff you care. Until you do we will continue to call on customers to tip in cash.”

And it seems their appeal has captured the imagination of the public at large, with more than 7.000 signing the petition, many saying they will boycott the restaurant until the issue is resolved:

Alex M
Tips are for the workers not for the fat bosses. I shall never eat at Pizza Express until this is resolved.

Jeremy C
It's greed. If people were asked if they wanted to give 8% to the the company I'm sure there would be zero take ups

Lisa F
When I pay and gratuity is added, I want that gratuity to go to the lovely person who served me. ALL OF IT. Not be hived off somewhere else.

Elizabeth C
This has been going on in restaurants across London for over 10 years. Pay your tip in cash!

Tina H
It's outrageous that Pizza Express should be taking this money from their hard working staff. When we visit we always tip in cash. Shame on you Richard Hodgson.

John D.
Staff should be paid properly and then tips would not be necessary. Until that happens stop being so small minded. I have eaten 100's of Pizzas from PE. No more until this stops. Thank you for hearing me.

Diane H
Tips are for the staff and not the owners. Shame on them for the 8% deduction. Pay tips with cash is the short term solution.

Karen M
Because they are paid a pittance to start with and then the bosses cream the money the staff have earnt from their hard work. It's done in such an insidious underhand way. Shameful. I'll be boycotting Pizza Express and their products .

Marc R
Lost my custom.

Martin A
The only way these restaurant chains will change is if customers vote with their feet. I'll be avoiding any of those listed until they change their policy.

Matthew S
If I tip someone, it's because I want to tip THEM; I already paid the company when I paid my bill.

A statement on the Pizza Express website said: “There is a small admin charge of 8% on tips made by credit card. The remaining 92% is split 70-30 between your waiter and the kitchen team. We have a legal duty to pay tax, and so do our waiters.

“We have to make sure that all credit card tips and service charges are taxed. We use a tronc system for this. The 8% charge is what it costs us to run this. It's a standard administration charge and we don't profit from this.”