London culture & etiquette

On Tube escalators, stand on the right and leave the left clear for people walking up. Blocking the left will earn you tuts and sighs.

The British queue for everything and police it socially. Never push in — wait your turn, and you will be silently respected for it.

In a group at the pub, people take turns buying everyone's drinks ('getting a round in'). Buy yours when it's your turn — skipping your round is bad form.

London is near-cashless. Tap a contactless card or phone on buses and the Tube (no need for an Oyster), and almost everywhere else. Daily and weekly fare caps apply automatically.

Restaurants often add a 12.5% optional service charge — check the bill before adding more. You do not tip in pubs (at the bar), for taxis you just round up, and tipping is far lighter than in the US.

'Sorry' rarely means a real apology — it means excuse me, pardon, or 'you're in my way'. Mirror it: a quick 'sorry' smooths almost any small social friction.