Andrew Neil, very much not the waiter's friend

News that American-style tipping has crossed the Atlantic – widely reported after it emerged Gordon Ramsay had hiked service charges at one of his London restaurants as high as a US-style 20 per cent – did not surprise Times Radio pundit Andrew Neil.

Discussing the issue on the station’s breakfast show on Monday, the journalist and presenter told host Kate McCann of how he was recently confronted by a New York waiter who moaned that Neil’s tip had not been generous enough. Happily, the multi-millionaire Monaco resident dealt with the man in the way he learnt serving at Rupert Murdoch’s side for all those years: ensuring he got the sack.

“I was upbraided for leaving only 15 per cent – in cash, by the way. The waiter came back in that New York aggressive way,” explained Neil.

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Rats in a Sack

“I was taking some people out to dinner, I was the host, I was picking up the bill. And he said quite loudly, ‘Was there something wrong with the meal or the service, Mr Neil?’. And I said, ‘No, no, it was fine’.

“‘Oh, ‘cause it’s a bit light’, he said. A bit light! And this was in front of everybody and it was embarrassing. And I ruffled in my cup and got out more dollars and gave him a bigger tip.

“However, he was unlucky. Because I happen to know the owner of that restaurant, and I called the owner later that night, and he was fired in the morning,” he added, to the audible gasp of McCann.

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Rats in a Sack

The revelation of Neil’s revenge comes just a couple of weeks after Rats in a Sack revealed that the former Sunday Times editor and BBC Daily Politics host, who helped launch and enjoyed a short-lived dalliance with the fledgling GB News, had moved to Monaco, according to filings at Companies House.

The tax haven, long favoured by racing drivers and tycoons, officially became his ‘country of residence’ from April 15, according to the filing by Glenburn Enterprises, Neil’s long-standing artistic creation company.

Set up in 1990, Glenburn reported £3.7 million in assets in its 2025 accounts, which were filed last month. The broadcaster’s riches included £2 million in subsidiary company investments, £1.4 million in investment property, £262,000 in monies due in, as well as £69,000 in cash. Its net worth comes in at £3.5 million after accounting for bills, including £25,000 in “other taxation and social security”.

Meanwhile, the average base salary for a New York City waiter before tips is approximately $10 per hour – or absolutely nothing, if you’re sacked at the behest of a grumpy patron.