Should You Tip at Buffets and by How Much?

zine21 on 30/10/2019 - 13:18
Last edited 30/10/2019 - 13:35 by 1 other user

So, to tip or not to tip? That is the question.

We don't seem to have a big tipping culture in Australia as far as I'm aware but Id like to see what everyone elses opinion on the matter is?.

I know in small towns where service was amazing and we wanted to tip, they wouldn't accept it and asked us to just order extra drinks if we wanted to tip.

Yet recently we visited a nice hotel for their dinner buffet and experienced something quite odd. Cost was around $90+/per person without drinks. Overall we didn't think it was worth that amount as variety was quite small and some of the dishes just didn't have any flavour. The things that did taste half decent, they would serve really small portions of - even if you asked for larger serving, they'd slice that already small thing into three and give you tiny piece as the extra.

Waitress was also hit and miss in the service he provided.

Anyway to cut a long story short when we paid at end he asked for a tip with the EFTPOS machine which hasn't happened before and we tipped 15 bucks for the 3 of us. He gave us dirty and disapproving looks at that- clearly displeased.

I would have thought the expensive price of a buffet should include everything. I mean outside of water (which we would have just rather done ourselves as it took so long) they're not serving you anything. You go to the food stations and get your own food.

Whats the etiquette on this in Australia? The guy was European so maybe things are different from his view, I'm not sure but they sure know how to make you feel guilty.

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  Laziofogna on 01/11/2019 - 19:18

  Let’s talk about Madonna instead

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  snook on 01/11/2019 - 21:22

  +1

  I thought a buffet was a self serve thing

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  mitt on 02/11/2019 - 13:28

  This is a feature that can be enabled with a check-box on new eftpos machines.

  I am guessing it was an Albert terminal? The commbank touch-screen one?

  If its set by default the servers probably have to ask every time as its part of the sequence of menus on the terminal.

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  belongsinforums on 02/11/2019 - 13:53

  +1

  if you tip, expect to have to tip next time you go. by tipping, you're creating a tipping culture in australia

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  Poor Ass on 02/11/2019 - 22:07

  Don't give him anything and tell him to f off. You're most likely not going to see them again and they are not your friend

  I been to a few countries in Europe and a couple of times they purposesly short change you just because you're not around there and when you figure it out it's too late to do anything.

  NO TIP in Australia

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  netjock on 02/11/2019 - 22:33

  $90+ per person plus they wanted a tip. I guess they wanted you to pay for parking. Maybe there was a charge for the air too. Country has gone to the dogs when people should be getting a decent minimum wage + they want a tip. But then how else can you keep up with the Instagrammers.

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  bargaino on 03/11/2019 - 00:30

  $90 for a buffet!? Anyone else finding that very hard to believe?

  But even Americans do NOT tip at a buffet, except for the drinks waitress, if there is table service for drinks.

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    Samsungnote10 on 14/11/2019 - 20:27

    In Melb, i can think of about 5 places that are 90 to 120 pp

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      bargaino on 14/11/2019 - 21:27

      Seems crazy to have self-service at those prices. Like flat-packing a $10,000 table.

      What sort of places?

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        Samsungnote10 on 14/11/2019 - 23:14

        Obviously these places are expensice due to location and/or ingredients

        Off the top of my head
        Langham
        Conservatory
        Sheraton little collins
        Grand hyatt

        5th one i cant rememebr;)

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    TEER3X on 14/11/2019 - 20:29

    Yep, in America tip $1 per drink at the buffet.

    No need to tip in Australia.

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