Do you tip when dining?

Meulsie on 17/08/2019 - 22:26
Last edited 18/08/2019 - 10:28 by 1 other user

Nearly every time I go eat out at a nice restaurant for dinner these days when I go to pay I am prompted to tip.
I know this is a big thing in the US but I never remember this happening in Australia until recent years.

Personally between my partner and I we easily spend over $150 on a nice night out and I don't see that as anything to sneeze at and so when it gets to the tip screen I very rarely enter anything especially when most of the time the service is pretty lackluster.

Having said that when I skip the tip screen I often feel the server has a negative reaction like they expect the tip as if it's the norm.

So what do Ozbargainers do? Am I a stinge or is tipping nonsense?

Note the rare scenarios that I do tip is when I feel the pricing was more than fair, food was good and service was decent. However what I find is usually it's the cheap places that don't ask for a tip and the high priced ones that seem to expect it.

Poll Options

  • 8
    Yes, I always tip
  • 141
    No, I never tip
  • 56
    I tip on rare occasion
  • 0
    I work in hospitality and most customers tip
  • 0
    I work in hospitality and most customers DON'T tip
Food & Grocery

Comments

  • p1 ama on 17/08/2019 - 22:35
    +27

    This isn't the US, the minimum wage in Australia is $19 per hour. The whole point of a high minimum wage is to eliminate stupidities like tipping.

    If a place isn't paying their staff the minimum wage, report them or don't eat there.

    • SBOB on 18/08/2019 - 08:21
      +6

      And don't hire the owner for reality tv cooking shows

  • timthetoolman on 17/08/2019 - 22:37
    +7

    I don't mind the screen but thoroughly dislike when they ask you if you'd like to tip. I assume they get a lot of people who are too shy to say no. I find it awkward

    • Meulsie on 17/08/2019 - 22:53
      +2

      Tonight was the first time I'd ever been asked by the server and I agree it's much more awkward. Service sucked though so it made the answer easy.

      • scrimshaw on 17/08/2019 - 23:05

        Having said that when I skip the tip screen I often feel the server has a negative reaction like they expect the tip as if it's the norm.

        If the waiter gives you the stink eye for not tipping, it's very likely because they are being underpaid and might've been trained by the restaurateur to ask for tips to make up for their lack of pay. College Humour did a video explaining the tipping culture in the USA and why it should be discouraged.

        Underpayment happens too often in hospitality though and lots of high profile names have been mentioned in media. Beyond the glitz and glamour of 2 and 3 michelin star restaurants run by celebrity chefs, work conditions in even well known restaurants can be quite dodgy so I'm not surprised to hear that a server in a fine dining establishment is expecting that tip.

  • grog on 17/08/2019 - 22:45
    +4

    Us fair dinkum aussies will not be swayed by a practice widespread just north of mexico.

    We will not import such customs, we have our own way of doing things.

    Fair dinkum aussie shop owners/ workers will not ask for tips…..

    • kahn on 18/08/2019 - 15:10
      +1

      What about the seating position of taxi passengers? Sitting in the front passenger seat used to be the norm and then we became Americanised and usually sit in the back now.

  • callum9999 on 17/08/2019 - 22:56
    +2

    The fact that people who tip don't think twice about not tipping all the other low paid workers who serve them makes me think they are either doing it for status (hey everyone, look how generous I am) or are ignorant. I can't really think of a reason why a waiter should get a tip but the guy flipping burgers in McDonalds or cleaning the toilets in Coles doesn't deserve one.

    • bluesky on 18/08/2019 - 20:48

      Maybe you are a bit over cynical :-) Not everybody who tips is trying to show off or is ignorant. This is OzB, so it is not surprising that your kind of sentiment is common, or maybe even over-represented.

      In fact, some people tip because they understand or have experience working in hospitality, and know this is quite a tough area, workers often over-worked and underpaid. And just a few nice gestures, tipping is one of them (but also kind words), can make a difference to someone’s (already hard) day.

      Also, just because they cannot do this for all low-paid workers, does not mean they should do this for no one.

  • ihbh on 17/08/2019 - 23:02
    +1

    On rare occasion with great service. In the past, for a work-related meal, I would pay for the meal with the corporate Amex, but pay the tip from my own wallet.

  • jackinyourbox on 17/08/2019 - 23:15

    Generally no

  • tanksinatra on 17/08/2019 - 23:48
    +1

    No.

  • Soluble on 17/08/2019 - 23:50
    +3

    I've never been somewhere that has a tip screen :-/

  • askme69 on 18/08/2019 - 00:02
    +1

    What is a TIP screen?

    The only tip i give is to the house with no steps etc Tin on the counter.

    Stuff this USA custom.

    • gooddealmate on 18/08/2019 - 03:04
      +1

      What if they carry you up the steps?

  • try2bhelpful on 18/08/2019 - 00:46

    If I do tip it is usually cash I leave on the table. The electronic tip thing is just awkward.

  • AdamFury on 18/08/2019 - 02:05

    Never if I'm paying by card. Occasionally if it's somewhere I believe the service is good I'll round up a cash payment to the next $10 interval.

  • [Deactivated] on 18/08/2019 - 08:50
    +3

    This is ozbaragin all tight arses OP, not the place to ask.

  • unco on 18/08/2019 - 09:24
    +6

    I went to a restaurant on Friday where the waiter put the eftpos machine down at the tip screen but said “tipping is not compulsory in Australia” and walked off to let me choose an option privately.
    If only all places were like this, instead of staring over you while you choose to skip the screen or not.

    • askme69 on 18/08/2019 - 11:48
      +1

      This TIP Screen should be made illegal by the government.

      • HighAndDry on 19/08/2019 - 12:42

        No thanks, as an adult, I'm fully able to click on the "no" option myself.

  • TheBilly on 18/08/2019 - 09:46

    Never. No matter how good the service is. Most restaurants pay cash to employees too. I would rather restaurants follow the rules and instead of having to dodge employment laws, make such nice food that they make enough money to do the right thing anyway.

  • Nugs on 18/08/2019 - 10:30
    -3

    "Personally between my partner and I we easily spend over $150 on a nice night out"
    wow
    Family of five and we spend a lot less than that
    .

    • canyoudoitcheaper on 19/08/2019 - 01:27
      +6

      I don’t think OP meant eating out at maccas

  • Blue Cat on 18/08/2019 - 10:33

    Most restaurants use underpaid workers who are not really motivated to do a good job, so I see no reason to tip and as OP said:

    most of the time the service is pretty lackluster.

    The only times I tipped was when the waiter was really memorable or their service was truly exceptional, though it only happened two or three times in my life.

  • Illian on 18/08/2019 - 12:34
    +4

    Do I live in third world america with their literally retarded tipping system?
    Am I rich?

    The answer to both is no.

  • tomsco on 19/08/2019 - 08:33
    +3

    Work in hospitality here. Not many do. While I appreciate a tip, I definitely do not expect it.

    Further to that - tips given directly to us, we keep. We also have a tip jar at the register. Apparently that’s saved and put towards a Xmas gift I’ve been told (haven’t been there that long) although someone said they only got a $10 gift card last year.

    So if you were to tip, I’d be hesitant doing it into an eftpos terminal, lest the owner keeps a cut.

    • unco on 19/08/2019 - 09:54

      I always wondered about tipping through eftpos.. if the owner calculates how much in tips they've received and distribute it out to the wait staff or if it just goes straight to the owners pocket.

      • bluesky on 19/08/2019 - 14:38
        +1

        At an RACV place, got chatting with a couple of staff and asked what would happen to non-cash tips. They said they do get it. But like anything, I suppose there will be employers who do the right thing and employers who don't. Tipping by cash is still best.

    • John Kimble on 19/08/2019 - 11:21

      Yep, wife used to work in the industry and she wants to tip most of the time and always prefers to leave cash tips instead of eftpos if she can…I personally don't want to tip at all unless the service was exceptional…

    • HighAndDry on 19/08/2019 - 12:43
      +1

      Yup. If I'm tipping, I'll tip cash. No point tipping via the EFTPOS terminal imo - that's just paying more than you have to directly to the business.

  • myusername on 19/08/2019 - 13:52

    not in aust sorry

  • koplik8 on 27/08/2019 - 10:26

    I've never had service good enough to tip in Australia. Most staff act like they don't want to be at work. Up here the backpackers give better service than the locals. I always tip in Bali. Their customer service is outstanding! And to think they only get paid a couple of dollars and hour

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