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

      • Matt P on 04/09/2015 - 18:35

        they are.

        I can't speak for Canada (eh) but in the USA, there are defined occupations where you are expected to be tipped. The IRS conducts their own research with major employers and there is a standard amount of tips you're expected to be paid per hour. Thats why they get so cranky if people don't tip them, not only are they getting a shitty hourly wage but they've also just paid tax to serve you

        • meggowaffle on 13/09/2015 - 19:49

          In Canada you're generally expected to tip as well, though I don't believe the server minimum wage is as low as in the US. At a restaurant automatic gratuity usually applies for large groups. Depending on the establishment tips may be pooled and then split at the end of the night between servers/cooks/dishwashers/etc. My sister worked as a server/bartender at a pub that pooled tips this way. The managers even took a cut (which is extremely shady). For each bill she would have to "tip out" to the communal tip pool. Since tipping is expected, if a person didn't leave a tip it would cost her money to serve them. Tips are considered income which should be reported to the CRA, but I don't know how diligent they are about auditing people.

          As a general rule, when I'm in Canada I will tip 20% for good service, 15% for standard, and 10% as a minimum. For amazing service I'll tip as high as 25-30% (e.g. my hairdresser). I think pooling tips is stupid, so I like to leave the tip in cash if I can because it doesn't leave a paper trail. I've only ever not tipped there once and was confronted by the server. (The service had been abysmal.)

          In Australia I generally feel awkward about not tipping, but I've chosen to embrace the non-tipping culture. I find the service usually isn't as good as when people are trying to get tips, so not tipping helps balance the higher cost of dining out here.

  • bradsmrbetty on 04/09/2015 - 08:34
    +11

    My ozbargain brain is having a meltdown with sentences 100% haircut, 25 as tip and the name 2Poor4Ozb.

    • [Deactivated] on 04/09/2015 - 12:16
      +1

      Mate, ozbargain is 100% love.

    • 2Poor4Ozb on 04/09/2015 - 16:10
      +2

      don't judge a book by it cover!!! maybe I should change it to 2PoorBcozOzb

  • bocca on 04/09/2015 - 08:57
    +8

    Bro, people tip in 'Merica because minimum wage is like $8/h or something terrible. So tipping is a way of mediating the pay for struggling workers.

    In Australia, a cafe worker on a Sunday is earning more per hour than me on a Monday!

    So my tip is don't tip :P

    • HYX on 04/09/2015 - 10:04

      That's so true!

    • Skinnerr on 06/09/2015 - 23:33
      +1

      Cash in hand can be as low $3 p/h, thats why tips are custom.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 04/09/2015 - 09:34
    +8

    I gives tips all the time at restaurants…

    I give tips on who might win the footy this week, when a good time to travel to Vietnam is, where a cool new bar is

    What can I say, I'm a friendly guy.

  • divergent on 04/09/2015 - 09:54
    +1

    In Australia I think tipping is a shallow act. Given that you pay good money anyway for good service, expecting a tip is like saying that you've gone out of your way to warrant extra payment, which is something you did not for the tip but for the high prices you charge. I think companies who expect a tip are full of themselves, and this is a perfect reason not to give them one. My bet is that they do it because they know that people are treating themselves and on a high and they are trying to take advantage of those happy feelings by adding generosity to the mix. Subtle and shallow, capitalism at its very best.

  • [Deactivated] on 04/09/2015 - 09:55
    -7

    Retail businesses cant even open nowadays. Just when we got 7/11, ppl say they dont pay workers properly. Those "students" are meant to be studying, not working anyway…

  • HYX on 04/09/2015 - 10:08
    +1

    Just thought I'd add, when I'm paying premium prices at a semi fine dining to fine dining restaurant, I thought the bill already covers for the good to exceptional service. Yet I still feel awkward when I don't tip at those places. If anything, sometimes the high end restaurants hire some really snobby wait staff that think they're superior. Just my feeling at some restaurants…

  • psyren89 on 04/09/2015 - 10:42
    +1

    I tried this at Jamie's in Perth a couple of months ago. I didn't realise that you were supposed to enter a percentage, not an actual amount to pay, so I was trying to round the amount up to the nearest $10 or something (e.g., $151 -> $160). Luckily for me, the machine wouldn't accept tips that large. Just ended up paying the cost of the meal and no extra.

    • dbun1 on 04/09/2015 - 11:48

      Never seen the percentage method?
      I've only ever seen a dollar amount. Interesting that there are multiple implementations around.

      • McFly on 04/09/2015 - 12:19

        Never seen the percentage method?

        Ditto.
        Doubt it would be even legal to implement such a feature - unless the total amount was clearly shown before processing the payment.

      • uggugg on 04/09/2015 - 23:04

        I've only come across this in London.

    • lenlynn on 06/09/2015 - 09:48

      I thought it's a dollar amt at Jamie's Perth. That being said, we entered 0.

  • dbun1 on 04/09/2015 - 11:47

    I've noticed this coming more common since the introduction of PIN only transactions.

    Previously you would sign the receipt and you could enter a tip amount if you wished, this would then get put through the register after.

    Now that it must be a PIN transaction, there is no option for this, so the terminals have slowly been adding the option for a 'tip' before the final amount is put through.

  • pitiek on 04/09/2015 - 12:12
    +3

    I only tip at 7 Eleven…

    • [Deactivated] on 04/09/2015 - 12:19
      +6

      Too soon bro, too soon.

    • Baysew on 04/09/2015 - 15:52

      I only tip at 7 Eleven…

      Would the tipping guidelines be to pay only half the tip you say you are leaving ?

  • [Deactivated] on 04/09/2015 - 12:34
    +8

    I'd do what I normally do when the person at the bar gives me my change back on a metal plate after charging me $12 per pint of beer… I don't leave anything, because at those prices, if everyone isn't already making enough money out of the deal, it's not my problem!

    The last thing we need with the runaway inflation in this country is an additional fee for everything I do. The US style tipping system is not welcome downunder, we're already paying over the odds for pretty much everything…

    • HYX on 04/09/2015 - 13:36
      +2

      What about the $21 cocktails that's made of 90% ice? Hahaha everything is so overpriced! :(

  • woz on 04/09/2015 - 13:00
    +2

    I think it would be interesting if there was a reverse tip. If you had standard service - no tip. If you had excellent service - tip. If you had bad service - deduct 10 per cent from bill.

    • HYX on 04/09/2015 - 13:37

      Maybe only 10% deduction if you chuck a tantrum and roll around on the floor lol

  • Wantone on 04/09/2015 - 13:29
    +2

    When i was working in hospitality. Seeing the customers coming back again was more rewarding than getting tips.

  • ostsee on 04/09/2015 - 14:37
    +1

    Just ignore it and press enter.

  • kevsta on 04/09/2015 - 15:01
    +4

    I don't tip. When I am at work solving an IT problem for an internal customer, I don't get tipped either nor do I expect any.

    • McFly on 04/09/2015 - 17:03

      IT problem for an internal customer

      In 8 years, IIRC I once got given a box of chocolates for fixing a big/important problem.

      • 777 on 05/09/2015 - 06:41

        Oh good old days, few people at work used to send gourmet chocolates, mainly from Sydney. Always wondered what happened.

  • ddxsamx on 04/09/2015 - 16:09
    +4

    I mostly tip ~(70%) of the time when I pay cash and the service is reasonable to super. Amount depends on the service.

    I've never tip when I pay by card.

    I've once had a waitress explain to me that the first screen will be the tip screen and that I can enter an amount in that screen and press ok. She then stared at me for the next 10 seconds. I shrugged and just hit Enter on the $0 :/

  • woz on 04/09/2015 - 16:27
    +1

    This thread reminded me… ever heard the one about the leper and the lady of the night?

  • McFly on 04/09/2015 - 17:29
    +1

    Tip jar

  • 8200 on 04/09/2015 - 17:31

    They get $40 hour weekends etc, NO TIP

  • CHIEFMEGADETH on 04/09/2015 - 17:34
    +1

    You have no obligation to tip, This is Australia, If i was in America then yes!
    They get payed well enough here!
    But sometimes i will throw them some change. If they expect it? then they don't deserve it.
    :)

  • parismeow on 04/09/2015 - 17:51

    I used to work in a job where I would present the eftpos machine. I would automatically click next when the tip function came up. Way to awkward and often people wouldn't read it and would put their pin in

  • GameChanger on 04/09/2015 - 18:16

    Tipping shouldn't be allowed on EFTPOS, what a farce.

  • gstfree on 04/09/2015 - 18:53

    No tip unless fantastic service.

  • sircable on 04/09/2015 - 19:27

    Just use Paywave, you are not then presented with the option.
    In terms of tipping, if someone goes above and beyond and gives fantastic service then I will give them some cash to ensure they get it and not their boss (especially via card).
    If they do an ordinary job then I will pay the minimum that I have to.
    I only really tip at small businesses, not supermarkets, or big chains.

  • nahi11 on 04/09/2015 - 19:54
    +3

    Please dont turn Australia into 'murica

    • DeafMutePretender on 05/09/2015 - 02:59

      Please dont turn Australia into 'murica

      Basically this. Why do we have to copy the bad bits of America (guns, tipping) and not the good ones (Obama's relatively more liberal stance on gay rights and climate change, both of which repels our Tony)?

      • Davros on 05/09/2015 - 07:54

        Agree 110%
        SEA is slowly being ruined for me as ignorant travellers throw their money around in countries that have no tipping culture.
        Over the years tips are becoming more expected and dirty looks even complaints come when no tip is given.
        "Be nice to your mother" isn't a good enough tip anymore.

  • [Deactivated] on 04/09/2015 - 23:30
    +1

    dont like tipping as i have spoken to a few waitresses and they have explained to me that it goes into a pool then divided up for all staff which to me is pointless.

    i live in australia and the min wage compensates for that….

  • DeafMutePretender on 05/09/2015 - 03:12

    As the owner of the largest news and entertainment company in Australia and one of the richest Australians, I sometimes dine at the very prestigious and very expensive Parliament House in Canberra. I remember one big dinner I had there several years ago. There was a particular waiter who I felt offered excellent service and had the potential to be even better. The night came to a close and it was time to pay for the fine food and entertainment. I'm a big tipper, everyone around the world knows that. So I said to him: "Here's a little $10,000 tip for tonight, young'un. If you can keep up the good work, I'll give you an even bigger tip in the future. I'm talking an entire political campaign funded by me. How's that sound, boy?"

    That boy's name was Tony Abbott, and the rest as they say is history.

  • 777 on 05/09/2015 - 06:38

    Not when the staff is very flirty and even when you with your Mrs. Not sure what they are thinking, obviously not tips.

  • outofdateyesterday on 05/09/2015 - 07:26
    +1

    I tip at mcdonalds.

  • porsche26c on 05/09/2015 - 07:43

    service staff at fancy restaurants get around 500-1000 extra a week in untaxed tips. so dont feel bad if you dont tip. that is on top of their normal wage which would be pretty good.
    this is from the horses mouth as well. wont state which place.

  • Lucky13 on 05/09/2015 - 09:43

    In America they dont get paid a huge wage and youre expected to tip a little to subsidise their wages. In Australia people are paid a decent wage in the hospitality industry and I only believe you should tip unless you are compelled to on your own volition by outstanding service otherwise I wouldnt bother tipping.

  • PleasureMe on 05/09/2015 - 10:04

    Your voting poll is missing the most important category.

    I tip if the service is good, I don't tip if the service is bad (Regardless of what EFTPOS machine they have)

  • Dr Techno on 05/09/2015 - 13:39

    $1 tip, save money and enjoy the Tightarse recognition :)

  • MelbBargainChaser77 on 05/09/2015 - 16:10
    +2

    I ate at Rockpool last week, and they expected a tip. The service was magnificent as was the food. But when I pay $90 just for the piece of meat, I dont tip.

    • Tm15 on 05/09/2015 - 16:33
      -7

      The person who served you didnt set that steak price at $90, give them something for the good service!

      • MelbBargainChaser77 on 05/09/2015 - 18:22
        +2

        That is the responsibility of the person who set that price who hired my waiter. Ive done my part in keeping him employed.

    • djz on 05/09/2015 - 17:58

      These fancy restaurants usually have astronomical bills at the end of the meal. Whenever I go with friends the bill quite commonly comes to $200/head easily. Now the expected (and my friends often pressure to do so) is around 10%. So for a group of 5 people you're looking at a bill of $1k and a tip of $100.

      So at the end of the night, this waiter can earn easily$500-$1000 in tips alone on top of his salary.

      Now I appreciate they should get paid more than standard wait staff but that's pushing it.

      • MelbBargainChaser77 on 05/09/2015 - 18:39
        +3

        Not to mention the hideous 1.65% CC fee @ Rockpool. You'd think at the prices they charge, they wouldn't add an insult like that.

      • Dr Techno on 07/09/2015 - 11:38

        For this reason, I don't think I will go beyond my (Not so good English) Chinese restaurant for $10 a dish meals. :)

  • OzzyB on 06/09/2015 - 02:31

    I don't believe in tipping as a general rule, especially in Australia.

    That said, the last time I tipped was at one of the Crown restaurants.
    We used a $100 voucher that, to my shock and horror, had just expired (read date wrong).
    Was resigned to paying, but on the off chance mentioned it to our waiter.

    To his credit, the waiter didn't immediately decline, but took the effort to ask his manager whether they would honour the expired voucher. Was very happy to learn they bent the rules when they really didn't have to, hence a very grateful tip.

  • zappy32 on 06/09/2015 - 04:23
    +1

    I still do the occasional shift in a mid range restaurant/bar where a main meal is $30-40, when they stopped allowing signatures and therefore written tips for cards and we had to get a PIN for each transaction with the tip added beforehand it was a little awkward for customers as well as myself. Now people are a little more used to it and so am I it's a little easier, I just give them the terminal and say "you can enter a tip now if you'd like otherwise just hit enter and then enter your PIN" while I pretend the something really interesting on the wall/table/bar that I'm going to look at for the next 15 seconds. I would much prefer the old system and it seems that people actually tend to tip less through the terminal.

    We certainly don't expect people to tip but without giving people the choice then we wouldn't receive and card tips. I would say somewhere around 60% of people do tip, of that around 70% of people tip in the range of 10%, 20% are the 'round it up' kind and a little less than 10% of people tip around 20%. Tips are then split between kitchen, wait and bar staff which means the actual waiter may get 1/3-1/4 of the tip once you add the bartenders, chefs, kitchen hands and dish washers in to the mix. I would say this is probably pretty standard with mid and high range restaurants from other people I know that work in hospitality, obviously who takes a percentage and how much would differ between restaurants but it's usually the same kind of formula.

    If you specifically want to give a tip to just the wait staff usually an extra large tip(20%+) in a notes and let the waiter know that it's for them specifically and they may be able to keep it but depends on the restaurants policy of course.

    Should you tip? That's entirely up to you! I don't expect to be and also have never felt that I was obliged(in Australia) to tip. It comes down to whether you enjoyed the meal and the service and if you feel you want to give a little extra to show your appreciation, we're not going to starve or think you're a bad person if you don't tip, nearly half don't, but it is certainly appreciated.

  • [Deactivated] on 06/09/2015 - 12:01
    +1

    Coming from Canada and being used to tipping, I love not having to tip for food here. Prices for my meals seem higher and minimum wage is higher so I don't see a need for it unless the service is exceptional. If I do tip the staff, I make sure I leave cash in hopes they don't have to hand it in to the restaurant owner.
    I always tip for a haircut here. I've also tipped someone who did my eyebrows from home.

  • peterw1 on 06/09/2015 - 14:02

    I always say look to the left, then right, then left again before crossing the road. no seriously I wonder if anyone tips the food service staff in hospitals who do the same job as restaurant staff but under more difficult circumstances. sure its not michelin standard but it keeps one alive. what about when you are living on TPN?

  • Skinnerr on 06/09/2015 - 22:04

    Australian restaraunts factor in everything when pricing, so tipping is something they've adopted purely for some free dough.

  • blehgg on 06/09/2015 - 22:33
    +1

    My wife didn't know what she was doing when she they brought the machine over (since I normally pay).

    She plugged her pin code in and tipped them 9c when trying to cancel it.

    The waitress gave her the dirtiest look.

  • Wyzard on 07/09/2015 - 00:23
    +1

    Anybody else hate it when they purposely take forever to give you change hoping you just can't be bothered to wait?

    • HYX on 07/09/2015 - 10:11

      That happened to us at Criniti's Darling Harbour! They took the money and never came back with the change even though it was a small amount. Either they decided on our behalf that the change was 'tip' or they were still processing the bill (30 mins in).

  • velleyy on 07/09/2015 - 00:35
    +1

    I work at a similar mid range restaurant as zappy32 does. I don't expect anyone comes in to just tip.

    Obviously some people has an aura that makes you feel like they are going to tip. Doesn't really affect what I do though, since sometimes the most unexpected person would probably be the most generous one.

    Let's just say, if there was an off chance I might get a $5 tip from you just because I asked, should I have asked? Especially when my co-workers does it, and obviously the tips are shared between all of us. Apart from that slight awkward when I ask, I'm not going to be bothered if you're not tipping me since I know personally I myself wouldn't tip because I'm not in the condition to.

    Just saying sometimes it's something we're expected to ask by our co-workers. Still prefer the old way of signing and just writing the tips down… It's just much easier to go on about and do my stuff. Then again, who wouldn't want an extra 20 or 30 bucks comes the end of shift knowing your meal for the second day is settled.

  • malouphix on 07/09/2015 - 08:56

    Don't tip.

  • lplau on 07/09/2015 - 09:32
    +1

    I tip depending on what type of restaurant and their service.
    I don't tip using EFTPOS because it gives me the feeling that the restaurant owner will take it for himself, so i usually just press the ok button then put some coins / notes as tip.

  • McFly on 10/09/2015 - 10:18

    Talking about this this morning on 3AW…

    • HYX on 10/09/2015 - 10:21

      Wonder if they're ozbargainers haha

    • cwongtech on 12/09/2015 - 12:54

      Lolol
      The media is so boring, it's just like how reddit front page always ends up in ninemsn's homepage the next day

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