Tipping at Restaurants and Bars, Yes or No?

Careful With Money on 06/09/2022 - 21:26
Last edited 09/09/2022 - 16:50 by 1 other user

Does anyone else feel obligated to tip when the waiter that's been looking after you all night hands you the payment terminal asking if you'd like to leave a tip?

Now he's standing there waiting for you to click yes or no, smiling as he was the whole night with you.
Your date is behind you and you've had a great night, you were funny, cracking jokes with everyone.

As much as I don't want to support the American tipping culture, I feel rude not paying that extra money before leaving.

OzBargain, what should I do?

Poll Options expired

  • 97
    Yes
  • 1130
    No
  • 54
    Only in big groups
Food & Grocery

Comments

            • trapper on 07/09/2022 - 09:43
              +3

              @[Deactivated]:

              Waiting is a side job, a job for those in schooling or training, or for people who already have a main job and just want to earn some extra money in their downtime, it is not a career and people shouldn't expect it to be.

              That our experience in Australia I agree, service is almost universally terrible here.

              I guess as you would expect from a bunch of students and other disinterested people doing it as a side job…

              In the US waiting is done by professionals and the service is generally excellent, especially in any decent restaurant.

              I am against tipping culture in general though and would never tip in Australia.

              • seabombs on 07/09/2022 - 14:52

                @trapper:

                That our experience in Australia I agree, service is almost universally terrible here.

                Whether at my local suburban cafe or a high-end city restaurant, I almost always have a good experience with restaurant staff.

        • TheKas on 08/09/2022 - 11:57

          I hope the $1 annual salary CEOs catch on to this and demand their missing share haha.

    • pegaxs on 07/09/2022 - 07:50
      +2

      You don't tip the mechanic

      *rattles tip jar*

      • rompastompa on 08/09/2022 - 10:52

        You mean *rattles tip fridge*?

    • AS2035 on 07/09/2022 - 20:54

      May be you should not be eating at crap places.

      I ate out last night. Above and beyond.

      Nothing was too hard. They looked after me so well I felt positively spoilt. So yes I tip

  • AustriaBargain on 06/09/2022 - 21:53
    +1

    Only reason to tip is to impress a girl you're with.

    • eug on 06/09/2022 - 22:45
      +2

      So your tip is the reason for tipping?

      • AustriaBargain on 06/09/2022 - 22:50
        +2

        Yup, my reasoning is just the tip.

        • eug on 06/09/2022 - 23:05
          +3

          Well… tipping isn't the norm here. I guess you could always just handle your own tip.

  • Ricky Jones on 06/09/2022 - 22:10
    +7

    Yes, I always tip with Eneloops

    • Squiglymo on 06/09/2022 - 22:52
      +11

      You should only ever tip with a Fedora.

      • chickendog on 07/09/2022 - 11:18
        +3

        I'll note to keep a couple bootable Linux USBs in the wallet next time, thanks…

        mmk I'll see myself out

        • idonotknowwhy on 07/09/2022 - 17:42
          +1

          I'll note to keep a couple bootable Linux USBs in the wallet next time, thanks…

          Red Hat tried that in the mid 2000's. Giving away free laptops running RHEL to starving children in Africa.
          The families had no way to charge them and ended up selling them very cheaply for food.

  • boomramada on 06/09/2022 - 22:13
    +3

    Tipping is a US tradition start for slaves and unfortunately its stuck with their system.

    We don't need tipping here, we usually paying our service staff well enough.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 06/09/2022 - 22:22
    +4

    Then there’s this mob who tried charging mandatory service fee lmao (sorry for the news.com.au link)

    https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/restaurants-bars/the-…

    • cashless on 06/09/2022 - 22:48
      +19

      Saw news dot com link. Made sure not to click on it

    • capslock janitor on 07/09/2022 - 11:56

      why i cant find that venue on google?

      edit- ok it's this one
      https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g658842-d24…
      googmaps

      they'd do a better job "hiding" by raising menu items by some

    • SirCH on 07/09/2022 - 16:45
      +3

      Ha, I found a similar thing at the Munich Brauhaus (same owner) in Melbourne.
      Surcharging itself is legal however, as far as I understand, this level of surcharging is not actually legal because there is no way to pay the menu price, with there being a Sunday surcharge as well as a Monday-Saturday surcharge.
      They surcharge every day of the week, public holidays, card payments, large groups, using their app to order.

      Another example is having a credit card surcharge is legal, but not if you are a card-only business (as the surcharge is a mandatory surcharge and hence should just be included in the menu price)

  • JimmyF on 06/09/2022 - 22:26
    +11

    Does anyone else feel obligated to tip when the waiter that's been looking after you all night hands you the payment terminal asking if you'd like to leave a tip?

    This is NOT America… No don't do this ever here!

    If you feel the need to, remember in the great USA they get a few dollars an hour…. That isn't the case here!

    • cashless on 06/09/2022 - 22:51
      -4

      obligated
      This is NOT America

      Well, maybe it is America.
      Here we would say “obliged”

      • JimmyF on 06/09/2022 - 22:59
        +2

        Well, maybe it is America.

        Well its not.

        Here we would say “obliged”

        Also nope

    • AS2035 on 07/09/2022 - 20:55
      -3

      The only people who complain about tipping are the once who either never eat out or only do take out.from crap outlets.

      • JimmyF on 07/09/2022 - 22:47

        Not sure what you mean, you mean people in Australia? Yeah nah no one I know 'tip' here when they eat out regardless if its sit down or take away.

        The question is, why are you tipping in Australia then? In the US they get paid $2.13 USD an hour. So the tip is to make up their wage. In Australia you think your $25-40/hr waiter needs more money?

  • prisonmike on 06/09/2022 - 22:42
    +1

    Just the tip … again this is not America

  • Squiglymo on 06/09/2022 - 22:51

    No.

  • sjj89 on 06/09/2022 - 23:05
    +1

    It’s more of a personality thing. No different to tipping extra money at a comedy show you enjoyed.

    If someone goes above the expectations of their role, or I see them horribly treated by some other (profanity) customer, AND I’m in a financial position to do so, sure. Yes.

    A lot of hospo locations rort the system and underpay their staff, wildly. So it’s not a wild concept.

    But no, as a standard. Not expected. And gratuity being added to a bill automatically can get absolutely burnt to the ground.
    Especially if it’s over eftpos, you know the employer is taking that, or at least a cut.

    Cash in hand only

  • sharkyoz on 06/09/2022 - 23:24
    +24

    no, the dishwashers and kitchenhands and cooks/chefs dont get tips for doing their job so why should waiters/waitresses get a tip for bringing out a meal they didnt bloody cook

    • John Kimble on 07/09/2022 - 07:56

      Depends, some places it's split evenly amongst everyone.

    • trapper on 07/09/2022 - 09:46
      +1

      for bringing out a meal they didnt bloody cook

      Good service does a lot more than this though, most people have never experienced it in Australia.

      • AS2035 on 07/09/2022 - 20:56

        Good service a norm in Australia. Going above and beyond for the diner happens on daily basis. Depends where you eat.

        • trapper on 08/09/2022 - 23:39
          +1

          No it's almost universally terrible here.

          Australian 'above and beyond' would be remembering what someone actually ordered. lol

          • AS2035 on 09/09/2022 - 16:06
            -1

            @trapper: You are wrong. so. keep on eating at take out joints

  • Tomcruise on 07/09/2022 - 01:59
    +1

    No

  • franco cozzo on 07/09/2022 - 07:12
    +2

    no…what the hell for???

  • coxjon on 07/09/2022 - 07:13
    +2

    I wouldn’t tip but I’ve asked to speak to the manager and explained how wonderful the staff member’s service has been a few times

  • franco cozzo on 07/09/2022 - 07:13
    +4
    #skipthetip
  • [Deactivated] on 07/09/2022 - 07:43
    +5

    No, I don't get a tip for doing my job, why should anyone force me to tip just because you gave me food? I gave you a comuter program for my wage, but give me more just because.

    • fantombloo on 07/09/2022 - 07:58
      +1

      Syntax error.

  • pegaxs on 07/09/2022 - 07:46
    +5

    I’ll tip someone if paying with cash and the service has been exceptional on the caveat that they do not ask for it. As soon as someone asks for a tip, the automatic answer is “no”.

    It is an automatic no if the tip is to be done by EFTPOS.

    I also don’t do tip jars. If I am tipping someone, it’s because they did a stand out job, and I’m thanking them for their service, not the frumpy, neck tattoo sporting, rainbow haired militant ANTIFA reject who did FA but still gets a cut.

    • itsHughesy on 07/09/2022 - 09:22
      +1

      I had forgotten about tip jars in my other comment, this is probably the one exception to the rule of never tipping, using a tip jar to get rid of silver coins so I don't have to deal with them, on the very rare occasion I'm buying something cash.

    • Nillionaire on 08/09/2022 - 12:16
      +4

      I was agreeing with you till

      frumpy, neck tattoo sporting, rainbow haired militant ANTIFA reject

      the hell? who hurt u?

  • Gronk on 07/09/2022 - 08:43

    Nope!

  • HelpMeiCantSee on 07/09/2022 - 08:49

    Not unless truly exceptional service. Absolutely not for just doing their job.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 07/09/2022 - 09:03
    +1

    No way. Restaurant will likely either pilfer the tip or distribute equally anyways.

    In the extremely rare event I wanted to tip someone for extraordinary service or help, I'd hand them cash.

  • skillet on 07/09/2022 - 09:03
    +5

    If I'm forced to tip then I'm moving out of Australia because there are plenty of people who has a worse job (ie, aged care nurses) that a waiter don't get a tip.

  • GG57 on 07/09/2022 - 09:14

    I'm also on the NO option.

    But, I find it interesting that a lot of people on here automatically start to compare this with the tipping 'norm' in the USA. If you ever go to Europe (and the UK), it is reasonably common to tip, but it isn't usually 'requested'.

  • itsHughesy on 07/09/2022 - 09:20
    +2

    That's a hard no for me, it's not my responsibility as a consumer already spending too much money with inflation to also pay someone else's employees.

  • JimB on 07/09/2022 - 09:21

    Only for large groups/family gathering for me. Even then only $10 to $20 in Cash.

    Usually I bring cash to large gatherings.. saves the credit card surcharge.

  • Indiana1501 on 07/09/2022 - 09:21
    +2

    My 2 cents - If a waiter says to me will you be adding a tip to your eftpos bill, then the answer is no. I will gladly give a cash tip to a chef or waiter who I believe has made my night better by the service or food they have provided…. funny that this usually happens when I'm in rural areas. Go figure.

    • 900dollaridoos on 07/09/2022 - 09:58
      +2

      How have you gone about giving a tip specifically to the chef but not the middle men staff?

      • sharkyoz on 07/09/2022 - 13:11
        +1

        I used to be a chef, and rarely does this happen.
        When it does you remember it.
        I have high praise for Marina Pryor who opened the swinging doors, said bloody marvelous food fellas, here have a drink on me
        and dropped a fifty on the workbench and left with a wave.

      • AS2035 on 07/09/2022 - 20:58
        -3

        trolls gonna troll. trolls don't tip. trolls make up stories..

        Indy doesn't go out nor tip.

        • Indiana1501 on 08/09/2022 - 11:02
          +1

          You are a dead set idiot. How the hell would you know?

  • Miss B on 07/09/2022 - 09:24
    +1

    I don't go to places that ask.

    I don't mean I stop going if I'm asked, I've just never been asked.

  • Benoffie on 07/09/2022 - 09:24
    +2

    No. This behaviour should not be encouraged in Australia. We have relatively great wages which counteract the need for gratuities.

  • Homr on 07/09/2022 - 09:34
    -1

    depends if the waiter or bartender is hot or not

  • 2esc on 07/09/2022 - 09:46
    +1

    In America the food industry rate of pay is a lot less than Australias hospitality hourly rate. Those tips will generally / hopefully bring their low hourly rate to a similar figure to here. Its been many years seen ive eaten in a restaurant but none of the service i saw i thought was oustanding.

    Personally in Australia a tip should not be expected or given having said that if the service was exceptional i could understand the reasoning behind giving the tip.

    Lots of other low paying jobs out there never get a tip even if you go out of your way for a customer/ client.

  • 900dollaridoos on 07/09/2022 - 09:59
    +2

    If tipping and bartering become the norm then I'm defecting to the Emus in the next war.

  • [Deactivated] on 07/09/2022 - 10:03
    +1

    No. We've already copied enough shitty things from America. Might as well have for-profit prisons and shitty healthcare too.

    • GG57 on 07/09/2022 - 10:14

      I'm not sure about all prisons in Aust, but some in Victoria are privatised.
      Some would say our healthcare is bordering on USA-style already.

      Tipping is just a thing in the USA. Plenty of other countries do it, but don't actively seek it.

      • TEER3X on 07/09/2022 - 18:14
        +2

        Some would say our healthcare is bordering on USA-style already

        Not even close, luckily

      • JimmyF on 07/09/2022 - 22:51
        +1

        Some would say our healthcare is bordering on USA-style already.

        Can't say I received a $5k USD bill for visiting the ER in Australia…. I have for visiting one in the USA!

        • TEER3X on 08/09/2022 - 19:28

          Mine was over $3k usd, more than 10 years ago now.

          As I was leaving, the lady at the front asked me "we have your insurance details right?" I said yep and left.

          They didn't even know my name. Pretty sure that hospital later changed the way they did things going forward.

  • Herbse on 07/09/2022 - 10:11
    +2

    The tips in Aus are almost always split between all the staff, so it's pointless because the one you want it to go to will get a tiny fraction.
    I've worked in a restaurant and getting the $17.50 from the tips split between 15 other people working on the night was pointless.

  • CUD on 07/09/2022 - 10:12
    +1

    Nope. It's just not expected here like it is in the US.
    Rather than improve pay for workers Americans have just come to accept that they should pay extra for their meals so that the staff can survive.

    Fortunately it's not so bad here, they shouldn't even ask for tips here really.
    It's like, why should I be paying you extra for doing your job?

  • GG57 on 07/09/2022 - 10:16
    +3

    There is a divide within the comments in this post.
    Those that don't think that a tip should be asked for / sought in Australia. I'm with that.

    Then those that don't think that a tip should be given in Australia. I'm not with that.

    • Careful With Money on 07/09/2022 - 11:37
      +2

      Agreed, I more have an issue with asking for the tip rather than giving the tip.

  • Duckie2hh on 07/09/2022 - 10:19
    +2

    No

  • Drj55 on 07/09/2022 - 10:38
    +2

    NO

  • cktftw on 07/09/2022 - 11:25
    +4

    No. Enough of my tax money go to supporting welfare and the minimum wage

    • Jolakot on 07/09/2022 - 21:13

      How does your tax money go to supporting the minimum wage?

      • cktftw on 08/09/2022 - 14:43

        Without taxing me at 45% they'd be taxing businesses much more heavily and who would be able to pay $22 an hour for making coffee/ flipping burgers?

        • Jolakot on 08/09/2022 - 16:54

          What do you actually think would happen if they doubled the tax for businesses?

          They can't pay their staff less because they're not a charity, no business is already paying more than the minimum they can for someone to do a given job

          If they cut wages and can't get any staff then they'll shut down, and if they don't earn enough after taxes then they'll shut down. All they can do is cut quality or increase prices to compensate, and now you're paying $8 for a small coffee or $20 for a basic burger

          Wages have been way ahead of the minimum wage ever since we hit record low unemployment, the average barista already makes $28 an hour or 55k a year

          Would make way more sense to cut commercial and residential rents in half, I had a look at how much it'd cost to open a small shop on our local high street, and god you'd have to make $180 a day after GST just to have a space available. Imagine how much less businesses could charge if that was halved, and how much less they could pay their employees if they weren't spending 40% of their salary just to live in the area

  • Name on 07/09/2022 - 11:38
    +1

    Always no. I don't feel guilty at all by clicking no/no tip and if i'm at a place where i'm handing my credit card across on the receipt i put a line through the blank area where you write the tip amount to make it clear i'm not giving a tip.

  • misu p on 07/09/2022 - 11:42
    +3

    I come from a tipping country, at high-end restaurants the waiters do not really get any wage at all, they work for tips. I really admire the AU culture of not tipping, and I can understand it, I am not there yet. I did manage to upset a few people by trying to tip them and being told "no", I am working on it.

    Regarding what would you do if a date is behind you… before seeing the overwhelming answers on this thread I would have said "I would tip because if you ask yourself that you know that it MAY make a bad impression if you do not". After seeing the answers here I am thinking that it may make a bad impression if you do tip.

    Just talk to your date while you are at the restaurant… if you think she worked in a restaurant before she may appreciate your tipping. In the same time if you tipping or not is a deal breaker for her (in a country like Australia) maybe you are better off.

    • TEER3X on 07/09/2022 - 18:16

      After seeing the answers here I am thinking that it may make a bad impression if you do tip

      Yes, agree. But what is worse is indecisiveness.

  • capslock janitor on 07/09/2022 - 11:49
    +1

    I'D rather give a "tip" to someone homeless to buy a happy meal

    sometimes my exfriends tipped a server at a fancy place after a good night, i'm like ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhh k

  • Piratarzt on 07/09/2022 - 11:50

    Hell no. If someone holds a door for me or helps me with something I dropped, do I owe them money? Wait staff literally do nothing other than carry food to and from your table, generally twice (drinks and food), once if it's a bar. If I am expected to tip for that, then what are they getting paid for?

  • Dreamcast on 07/09/2022 - 11:53

    Hell to the naw naw!

  • Bluto Mindpretzel on 07/09/2022 - 12:01

    No. Why give money away especially in this day and age?

  • j4ck on 07/09/2022 - 12:16

    Hard no.

  • GoIdDigger on 07/09/2022 - 12:35

    Poll feature recommended

  • tanksinatra on 07/09/2022 - 12:35

    Nyet

  • Nebargains on 07/09/2022 - 12:50
    +2

    Not a big deal to ask IMO. I've been asked at a number of restaurants and a polite no or just pressing zero/skip on the EFT terminal has always been perfectly fine, never experienced anyone being pushy or demanding about it.

    I'm sure it does happen but that's not my experience. I'd probably never tip but it certainly wouldn't stop me going back somewhere for merely asking.

  • Ghost47 on 07/09/2022 - 13:12

    I've worked in hospitality in the past where I've received tips from customers occasionally and I actually still have all those tips sitting in a jar on my shelf. Because of this I don't mind tipping on the odd occasion where I've received exceptional service and I'm also paying in cash, which hasn't happened in I would say the past 5-6 years now that I think about it. I just don't pay in cash much these days (and the places that accept cash only don't really give great service) nor have I been to a place where the service really excelled, and tipping by machine will guarantee the person that served you won't see that money.

    Thankfully the place I worked at never underpaid its workers, but we have had cases in Australia where people in hospitality are actually underpaid. This isn't to say we should introduce tipping more, it's saying that you can't assume the person serving you is getting paid fairly 100% of the time.

    In your situation I doubt the guy would've got the cash if you tipped on the machine. If he gave you really good service and you had a good time in the restaurant it would be an awkward situation. Maybe hand him a gold coin or $5 note instead of tipping on the terminal, or if you don't have cash then at the very lease leave a good Google review mentioning the waiter's name.

  • FittyFitty on 07/09/2022 - 13:13

    Yes: "Work hard and be good to your mother!"

  • us3rnam3tak3n on 07/09/2022 - 13:37
    +1

    If it makes you uncomfortable then let them know, either in person or by review, that you won't return until they cease.

  • Marty156 on 07/09/2022 - 13:48
    +1

    No!!!! HELL NO!!!!
    Definitely nooooo!!!!!!

  • Ace26 on 07/09/2022 - 14:47

    Poll pls

  • Careful With Money on 07/09/2022 - 14:56
    +1

    Added poll as requested

  • OzzyOzbourne on 07/09/2022 - 15:14

    Only if I want to depending on the circumstances

  • imurgod on 07/09/2022 - 15:39

    I tip often but only if I feel the service was worth it but never when it asks on the EFTPOS terminal.

  • xavster on 07/09/2022 - 16:34

    Wife recently booked a dinner for two at a fine dining restaurant.

    Had to pre-pay (it's a set degustation menu) and the payment included a mandatory 15% gratuity charge.

    • Careful With Money on 07/09/2022 - 16:35

      15% is absolutely nuts, how was the service?

      • TEER3X on 07/09/2022 - 18:17

        They are paying a set amount, it's not really the same

    • brendanm on 07/09/2022 - 17:35
      -1

      I hope you chose somewhere else.

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