Revealed: how the restaurant chains pocket your tips

Britain's restaurants are creaming off millions of pounds of customers' tips to boost their profits, an investigation by The Independent has found.

A series of legal ploys are being used by major companies including Strada, PizzaExpress and Carluccio's to take a slice of the £4bn a year that diners leave for low-paid staff in tips.

Today, The Independent launches a campaign toimprove the treatment of the country's 231,845 waiters and waitresses – and ensure that customers know where their money is going when they leave a tip.