Tipping: When The EFTPOS Terminal Is Handed to You to Enter Tip Amount

LHYX on 03/09/2015 - 14:58

To give some background, I only tip when convenient like leaving behind the change, otherwise I don't normally tip.

Recently I've come across the tipping function on the EFTPOS terminals. When the machine is handed to me and it notes 'tip amount', I feel extremely awkward and uncomfortable. I've come across this twice so far and both times I awkwardly stare at the machine wondering if A: Whether I should tip, only because it feels like they are asking for it. B: How much would I tip if I were to tip. C: What do I do if I didn't want to tip.

How do you guys feel about this if you're not normally a tipper?

I also always wonder whether fine dining restaurants expect you to tip. As if paying $150 per head isn't expensive enough, I can't bring myself to whip out another 20 bucks as a tip. Or if the 10% like some people say, in which case it would be $30 if you're paying for 2 people.

Poll Options

  • 10
    I don't normally tip but I feel obliged to by the machine
  • 97
    I feel awkward but I still don't tip
  • 460
    I don't care so I press enter and hand back the machine
  • 15
    I tip regardless
General Discussion

Comments

    • HYX on 03/09/2015 - 15:13
      +44

      I don't go often, I save up for it.

        • HYX on 03/09/2015 - 15:17
          +59

          Everyone has things they save up for.
          For me, good food is one of them.

        • nocure on 03/09/2015 - 15:21

          @XYH: Fair enough,well being new here you should see some great foodie bargains in the future.

        • HYX on 03/09/2015 - 15:24
          +1

          @nocure:
          will do :)

        • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 04/09/2015 - 09:23
          +17

          @nocure:

          People go and waste money on alcohol, so whats wrong with spending money on good food and enjoying a night out with family or friends?

        • [Deactivated] on 04/09/2015 - 17:47
          +3

          @zeggie:

          I recken. SOme idiots spend $100+ on a drug that destroys brain cells.

        • dji1111111 on 06/09/2015 - 10:35

          I'm sure you "blow" your money on things that may seem like a stupid financial decision to others.

          Value is a relative term. Some see driving a 80k car to be worth spending their money on for example. Some may see it as the most stupid thing to waste money on.

          You have absolutely no concept of individuality, do you?

    • nomoneynoproblems on 03/09/2015 - 23:49
      +29

      Sounds like something Joe Hockey would say.

      • DeafMutePretender on 05/09/2015 - 02:48

        There's nocure to Joe's malicious view of the poor and the destitute

    • [Deactivated] on 04/09/2015 - 12:31
      +4

      At $150 a head, they already handed over a bit of cash!!!

    • dazweeja on 04/09/2015 - 16:37
      +25

      Why should the responsibility to pay waiting staff for a job well done fall to the customer? If the restaurant is getting $150 - and part of the reason people go there is for the professional staff - the restaurant should reward the staff appropriately. I do a pretty good job for my company too but I don't expect money direct from my clients, I expect my employer to pay me.

      • DeafMutePretender on 05/09/2015 - 02:51
        +4

        Yes. If the restaurant can afford to charge customers $150 each and stay in business, then they can afford to pay the employees a fair wage to the extent that that tip wouldn't even enter into the equation.

        Remember: Tipping = You're basically subsidising a company's poor business/financial decisions.

      • 00 on 05/09/2015 - 12:39

        nailed it

  • fruit on 03/09/2015 - 15:12
    +267

    Do I tip?
    Let me check where I am: Oh yes Australia.

    So no, I don't tip.

    • Justtip on 05/09/2015 - 16:21
      -3

      Do I tip?

  • mick123 on 03/09/2015 - 15:15
    +17

    Tip is most likely to go to the restaurant owner i reckon.

      • [Deactivated] on 03/09/2015 - 16:17
        +53

        No such thing as crappy* wages in Australia, when the minimum hourly rate is in the vicinity of $20.00.

        *as compared to 7-11 standards.

        • kima on 04/09/2015 - 07:38
          +3

          but that's just it there are business abusing the wages and its often restaurants.

        • theguyrules on 04/09/2015 - 08:32
          +3

          @kima: That sucks, but how are we to know that?

        • [Deactivated] on 04/09/2015 - 10:23
          +8

          @kima:

          That is truly unfortunate, but moreover that is illegal. We all know it happens and it shouldn't, and to be fair those situations should be appropriately dealt with in a tribunal or court of law.

          Besides, if there is a business where intentional wage abuse is occurring, gratuities from customers likely wouldn't make their way into the pockets of those employees either.

        • Hirolol on 05/09/2015 - 00:09
          +2

          @KaptnKaos: you find any chinese/japanese/korean restaurant and i guarantee most of the staff there are paid cash wages between $10-15 maybe not so much in the suburbs but in the city, china town.
          i meet a lot of students and working holiday visitors and a lot of them end up working in these restaurants and get paid cash.

          if anyone complains they will just get fired and then the restaurant will hire someone else.
          sadly this happens and nothing is being done about it…

        • dji1111111 on 06/09/2015 - 10:42
          +2

          @Hirolol:

          It is a disgrace.
          I did once help a friend who not only got below minimum wage but got short changed on hours worked AND gor verbally abused for raising the issue with the manager.

          The problem is most of these people don't know their rights, don't know who can help them or don't speak English so they just accept it.

          I helped my friend report this shady restaurant to fairwork commission or whatever they are called. Surprisingly for a government department, they investigated the complaint very quickly and they were ordered to pay her AND pay superannuation contributions which they also haven't been paying

        • Mik on 06/09/2015 - 11:50

          @djc926:

          I had a friend who worked free for months on a rotating 'Work Experience Pool' basically the manager had a pool of teenage girls trying to get the paid job at the end of the rainbow.

          There wasn't one.

          And no, this was not a shady local restaurant. It was a national (perhaps international?) chain. Don't worry though, it was shut down in disgrace already.

        • SlickMick on 06/09/2015 - 20:10

          @Mik:
          My daughter worked at a cafe for a week as a trial. At the end they didn't give her a job, nor compensation for her time.
          These places should get hit with a fine that discourages such behavior.

        • The Gent on 06/09/2015 - 23:00

          **If you're 21 or over.

        • gummibear on 07/09/2015 - 12:34
          +1

          @Mik:

          Report them. It's terrible when businesses exploit people needing jobs.

          http://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay/unpaid-work/unpaid-trials

    • aim54x on 04/09/2015 - 19:12
      +1

      I've been told by wait staff not to leave a tip more than once due to this. Greedy owners who don't pass on tips

      • eatwell365 on 05/09/2015 - 11:13

        I give tips to directly to the staff with good service in discreet.

        • Shwayne on 05/09/2015 - 12:48
          +3

          They are required to give these into the restaurant.

    • divergent on 04/09/2015 - 21:02
      +4

      I did deliveries/installations for a few years, and the owners said that any tips (alcohol or money) had to be given over to them. Of course, I never did, but I received a few.

  • ESEMCE on 03/09/2015 - 15:17
    +21

    I've only experienced this once at a fine dining restaurant.
    In that case, the service was excellent and as a result I was happy to tip the waitress (I hope) an extra $10.
    We were there for our Wedding anniversary which was mentioned once when we arrived and ordered drinks.
    We were also there on a promotional offer (so paying less than normal - I've still got my OzB licence!) and the dessert came out on a platter with "Happy Anniversary" piped in chocolate. My wife took a photo and Facebooked it, and I was given the credit for organising it for weeks afterwards from all her friends. (I didn't organise anything, my wife booked the restaurant, I just rocked up on the night)

    I've voted "I tip regardless" cause it's the closest to my behaviour… I tip for exceptional service.

    • HYX on 03/09/2015 - 15:23
      +2

      Congrats on getting free credit XD

      • ESEMCE on 03/09/2015 - 15:27
        +5

        Well, I don't know about Free, I paid $10 for it effectively!
        Still a bargain though! :-)

        I should also note that initially I was a bit taken aback.

    • McFly on 04/09/2015 - 08:31
      +6

      I tip for exceptional service.

      Yes, that is the important part IMHO.
      The only problem I have with doing it electronically is - and this can be an issue with cash as well anyway - you don't know where the tip ends up.

      • redlover on 04/09/2015 - 09:19
        +7

        thats a good point McFly!
        I work in the accounts of a hospitality business and I do all the tipping distribution.
        the tip normally calculated in total quarterly and then distributed to all of the staff who worked on that day equally (they received it on their paycheck).
        having said that, good or bad staff who happened to be on shift on that day will get part of your tip.
        The staff does not even know how much tips they should be getting and they wont know if the business pocketing the tip money.
        so.. based on this knowledge, everytime I am blown away by a great service, I normally will tip in cash which I confident will go to the person I want to tip .

        • poboy on 04/09/2015 - 18:40

          Thanks for confirming what I also believed.

    • sausagedelay on 04/09/2015 - 23:10

      May I know which restaurant was this?

  • geek001 on 03/09/2015 - 15:33

    If it is a fine dining restaurant and the attendant actually made an effort then I round it up to the nearest $10.

    Otherwise I just pull out my Paywave card, and that skips the whole enter the tip amount process. :)

    • HYX on 03/09/2015 - 15:42

      Rounding to nearest 10 sounds reasonable to me :)

      I usually pull out paywave as well but if the bill is over $100 you need to enter a pin. And before that step is where they ask whether you want to tip :/

      • geek001 on 03/09/2015 - 15:48
        +6

        Well, if it is over $100, then rounding to nearest $10 applies.

        Though tipping is not such a big deal here, so don't stress too much if you don't tip because attendants get paid at least minimum wage here. Tipping is kinda your way of saying, thanks for doing an excellent job.

        In US, attendants hourly wage is like $2.50/hour, so you kinda have to tip them if they did their job properly.

        • Diji1 on 03/09/2015 - 20:08
          -7

          like $2.50/hour

          No it isn't.

        • yaziyo on 04/09/2015 - 07:09
          +1

          @Diji1: it was $2.13 an hour last I checked but it may have slightly increased by now

        • fruit on 04/09/2015 - 10:45
          -1

          @yaziyo:

          Source?

        • Third_Gear on 04/09/2015 - 13:46
          +1

          @fruit:

          It varies state to state but is as low as 2.13 /hr and there are a few rules regarding it. Source: me. Don't believe us? Wikipedia.

        • Letrico on 04/09/2015 - 17:53
          -1

          @Third_Gear: You know technically in Australia, minimum wages below $6 because some shop dodges tax by paying cash to the workers and the workers are without working permit, if you know where to look ;)

        • Matt P on 04/09/2015 - 18:09
          +3

          @Letrico: and those are exactly the type of shops who don't pass the tips onto their employees

        • geoffellis on 05/09/2015 - 00:46
          +1

          @Third_Gear:

          And some of those rules are that if 2.13+ tips does not make the federal or state mandated minimum wage, their employer is required to make up the difference. So at no point should they be making less than the minimum wage that everyone else adheres to.

          Which is why they like the tipping system. On a bad day they make the minimum wage. On a good day they make much more than the minimum wage. Either way they won't be walking home after a 10 hour shift with 21$ in their pocket.

        • 777 on 05/09/2015 - 06:48
          +1

          Reminds me when I was in US, we ordered just drinks whilst waiting for our room to get ready in a resort. It was 17USD, I handed 50bucks, she said do you need change??
          I said yes please, gave her 10bucks, she was not happy.

        • SlickMick on 05/09/2015 - 09:07
          +4

          @777:
          You gave $10 on a $17 order for perhaps almost rude service?? Rounding to $20 would have sufficed.

      • The Gent on 06/09/2015 - 23:01

        I believe they hand you the machine, you would probably just need to hit enter and it would skip it.

  • Phsyke on 03/09/2015 - 15:45
    +12

    The minimum wage in Australia is more than enough that wait staff do not need to rely upon it unlike in USA. As such, I would only tip in the event that the service was exceptional. If it was standard, or less than standard, then I would not offer a tip at all.

    You are not obliged to, no matter where you go, due to our reasonable minimum wages. If you do so, do it because you want to point out how good the service was.

      • SlickMick on 04/09/2015 - 08:03
        +8

        I reckon it has everything to do with it. Wait staff here earn sufficient to provide excellent service. If they don't, they should be replaced by someone who does.
        In the US, tipping is part of the income of wait staff.

    • arcticmonkey on 04/09/2015 - 07:56
      -7

      "The minimum wage in Australia is more than enough that wait staff do not need to rely upon it unlike in USA."

      How do you expect people in the minimum wage to buy a house with the mad house prices in Australia or are the waiters now the working poor like in the USA?

      We're sure doing good for ourselves when we race to the bottom and follow the US model.

      • McFly on 04/09/2015 - 08:34
        +6

        How do you expect people in the minimum wage to buy a house with the mad house prices in Australia

        Do I also need to worry about the cost of braces for the waiter's kid when I go out for a pizza?

        are the waiters now the working poor like in the USA?

        No.

        We're sure doing good for ourselves when we race to the bottom and follow the US model.

        Which is what we'd be doing if we went down the 'tip everywhere/every time' road…

        • HYX on 04/09/2015 - 09:44
          +5

          I would have to agree with McFly, why should I worry about whether the waiter can afford property or not. With the property market going up, everybody suffers. People doing retail never get tipped, do you worry about whether they can afford a mortgage?

      • altomic on 04/09/2015 - 08:36
        +2

        How do you expect people on an average wage to buy a house with the mad prices in Australia?

      • dazweeja on 04/09/2015 - 16:40
        +5

        I expect their employer to reward them for exceptional service, not the customer. You know, like every other job. Is waiting tables really harder than cleaning toilets? Do you tip the cleaner where you work?

  • spackbace on 03/09/2015 - 16:09
    +9

    Recently went out for a nice dinner with the Mrs. Had good food, good service, nice night. Used the Entertainment Card but tipped about $5 (brought it up to the nearest $10). So I saved but gave them a bit as a gesture I guess. And that's how it should feel, a gesture, not forced. We're not America!

    • Diji1 on 03/09/2015 - 20:11
      -7

      You don't have to in America either. If you can cop the social shaming that occurs.

  • djones145 on 03/09/2015 - 16:44
    +1

    if at a restaurant I most likely tip, depends on the level of service

    if café or something casual I don't usually tip

    if I have a voucher like entertainment book, I usually tip a bit more

  • KaTst3R on 03/09/2015 - 16:55
    +4

    If you guys decide to tip, always use Cash as it is the preferred method. No messing around with the books, no tax payable, 100% to employees.

    If you use EFTPOS, it is up to the owner's discretion to separate the amount as part of the tipping jar.

    • swiggity swag on 03/09/2015 - 17:02
      +10

      I'm fairly sure tips are taxable income.

      • airzone on 03/09/2015 - 18:35
        -4

        Not if it's cash in hand.

      • KaTst3R on 04/09/2015 - 00:47
        +1

        It is up to the employee to declare. Im not saying they shouldnt, in fact employees should declare all income but it is a grey area as the tip jar is officially not on the books so it is difficult to prove.

        • redlover on 04/09/2015 - 09:59
          +1

          it will listed on their group summary as "other income".

        • JimB on 04/09/2015 - 10:14
          +3

          I'm sure the tradies who ask for payment in Cash also declare it on their tax return! lol

        • Letrico on 04/09/2015 - 17:54

          @JB1: Trust me they don't declare all of it. Forcing payment in cash effectively leave no trace or proof of transaction, that way companies can put a lower amount to reduce tax.

        • JimB on 05/09/2015 - 22:19

          @Letrico:

          I'll correct your post, Trust me they declare none of it. Lol

  • Sheila Dealer on 03/09/2015 - 17:48
    +1

    I too always tip in cash for the same reasons as KaTst3R. I worked in the hospitality industry for 14 years but we weren't permitted to accept tips (it was a private club).

  • [Deactivated] on 03/09/2015 - 20:44
    +8

    I don't go to fancy enough places to be asked for tips in such a manner :(

    • HYX on 04/09/2015 - 09:47

      I think in both instances where I was presented with the machine, the venues weren't even fancy coming to think of it.. One was a cafe where we had brunch and the other was a modern thai restaurant.

  • PartyNextDoor on 03/09/2015 - 21:44
    +11

    I only tip when I go to a strip club so I can get a lap dance

    • teardrops21 on 05/09/2015 - 06:38
      +4

      I'm sure you'd like to give more than just the tip!

  • Rohnson on 03/09/2015 - 22:38
    +11

    I don't think that tipping should become the norm here in Australia. The only time I would consider doing it is if you know the person went out their way to do something exceptional for you.

  • forumninja on 03/09/2015 - 22:55
    +8

    Some people enter their PIN and tip the of the value of their PIN in cents.

    • McFly on 04/09/2015 - 08:39

      Lol yeah my mum did that the other day.

    • HYX on 04/09/2015 - 09:51
      +2

      I'd be concerned if I had a 6 digit pin :S

      • Letrico on 04/09/2015 - 17:55
        +1

        I have a 6 digit pin :/

        • aim54x on 04/09/2015 - 19:15

          So do i

  • bbourizk on 04/09/2015 - 01:45
    +1

    Our machine at work has this function. We hand the machine to the customer only to enter the card pin. Some think they're cool and want to do the process themselves but get confused about the tip part. We joke with them about entering a pin starting with 9.

    We have a little plate for tips if they wish to tip as well as a good Friday appeal tin and some local ones for schools.

    Some waitresses will get a tip directly from the customers.

    It's something I don't like pushing on people.

  • ankor on 04/09/2015 - 03:49
    +2

    I dont tip, unless the service was excellent.

  • DarkOz on 04/09/2015 - 06:24
    +10

    I know a few small restaurants intentionally break your change into gold coins with the intention of receiving tips. For example the change of $11 from a $39 meal they would break that $10 note into a $5 note with gold coins. I always grab the lot and leave.

    I only tip when I am happy with the meal or when there is some small change.

    • HYX on 04/09/2015 - 09:53
      +1

      Yes, I have noticed they do that! Does make you want to grab the lot doesn't it

    • pandabun on 04/09/2015 - 11:29

      A very good point. Reminds me when I received 50 cents change in 5 x 10 cents at bread talk yesterday. i thought they just wanted to get rid of coins but now I remember they also have tipping jar at the counter.

  • 2Poor4Ozb on 04/09/2015 - 06:44
    +21

    few months ago I tip hairdresser 100% haircut was 25 paid 50 told her to keep 25 as tip. hair was long(i'm a guy) but I had a good reason. there was 2 hairdresser, an older lady and a younger girl. so the older lady was cutting this short hair guy, as it my turn to cut by younger girl, older lady said "have fun with that". that pissed me off so when I paid I said loudly :keep 25 as tip" and smile. The look on the older lady was priceless.

      • 2Poor4Ozb on 04/09/2015 - 08:21
        +14

        no not that, just felt bad for the younger girl. Older lady shouldn't have said "have fun with that" just because my hair was longer then the other customers the older lady was cutting. felt good when none of her customer gave her a tip for cutting short hair. just wanted her to know don't pick on your colleagues because they have harder work. got nothing to do with me being more superior

        • 2Poor4Ozb on 04/09/2015 - 16:06
          +1

          @Davros: no not the plumber as I clean my own blockage!! and for the tight roof space I don't give them tip (had a few already) but what I offer is lunch and a few nice cold beer after the job. That why they come back job after job for me :)

        • 2Poor4Ozb on 04/09/2015 - 17:32
          +3

          @Davros: i dont know about the jobs you hire them for but for mine, it can take most of the day or even a few days as there alway some kind of complications, not small jobs. so yeh when i go buy some food i get them something as well with a nice beer. Be nice to traders and they do the job right and not rush things

        • teardrops21 on 05/09/2015 - 06:44

          @2Poor4Ozb: sorry should be +1 but I suffer from fat finger syndrome

        • 2Poor4Ozb on 05/09/2015 - 07:04

          @teardrops21: LOL ALL GOOD

  • driver33b on 04/09/2015 - 08:28

    We were in the US/Canada last year, most eateries, fine or fast…offer 15% 18% or 20% add on tip on the eftpos/Credit card transaction. Talking to a barman in Banff, he said on the eftpos they just devide the tips by the number of staff on that shift and take cash. I expressed my concerns that the tax man has hard copy proof and 'one day' might decide they are missing out on a lot of money….he was on $9.75/hour…and l gave him $10 cash in the hand tip. 2 pub meals, beers and wines was about C$60..so with tip about the same as here.

    Here I don't normally tip unless there is exceptional service or ambience created by a bubbly/friendly personality that improves the overall experience.

    • McFly on 04/09/2015 - 08:43

      I expressed my concerns that the tax man has hard copy proof and 'one day' might decide they are missing out on a lot of money

      I would expect their relevant laws would be similar to ours is. tips are taxable income.

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