Do you Tip?

Discussion in 'Money Management & Banking' started by MTR, 8th Jan, 2017.

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  1. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

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    Going to US shortly and of course tipping is common practice, should always tip at least 15% of total bill.

    In Australia - Do you tip? What services?


    MTR:)
     
  2. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    We tipped 20% in the US. Not much difference between 15% and 20% and we didn't ever feel light tightwads.

    People bank on about Australian's not liking to tip. We are not used to it here.

    For me, the worry wasn't the money, but that I'd get it wrong and tip too little, or tip stupidly too much. That worried me until I saw how it is done in the US.

    You are given the bill (or "check" as they like to call it :D) in a small folder, give them the credit card, they run it through the machine and bring two copies of the bill with a space to fill in the total. You add the tip you want to give and they debit the total.

    So you can leave the restaurant without leaving a tip and you don't have to face the person face to face if you decide not to tip.

    In Australia we don't eat at places that would require tipping. But we do tip for good service at times even when we eat at our local places. They look after us and we look after them.
     
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  3. D.T.

    D.T. Specialist Property Manager Business Member

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    Its different here as people get paid good wages. Tips are mainly to help pay for staff there.

    In saying that, I'll let taxi drivers and pizza deliverers 'keep the change'. There's not much else I'd pay for in cash and tipping doesn't really work on card here.
     
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  4. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

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    .... though in Australia I notice there are tipping jars at cafes and I assume the money is divvied up
     
  5. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    As @D.T. says, "keep the change" here is what we tend to do.

    In the US if we got exception service from a waiter, we tipped as normal on the bill but a few times, discretely slipped a fiver or tenner into their hands directly. They really appreciated it.
     
  6. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

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    Anyone notice, at Jamie Oliver restaurants - when you pay your bill they have an option to tip, makes it uncomfortable/awkward not to tip when the waiter/ess is staring at you while you make the choice, I guess that is the idea of this particular strategy.

    MTR:)
     
    Last edited: 8th Jan, 2017
  7. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

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    Many restaurants in the past used to leave soace for you to fill in a total manually. But now with Paywave this option is gone.

    I have heard of some restaurants where management keeps a percentage of the tips. It would probably be hard for staff to keep track of how much they are getting paid vs how much management keeps. That's why I have always preferred to tip in cash where possible.
     
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  8. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

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    Me too.
     
  9. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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  10. D.T.

    D.T. Specialist Property Manager Business Member

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    Lots cheaper there than here!
     
  11. Indifference

    Indifference Well-Known Member

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    I don't tip in Australia as minimum wage is about $18 /hr & as many waiting staff are casual employees they should get 25% loading on that also.

    Compare that to less than $2.50 /hr in places like the US.... that's why they have a tipping culture
     
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  12. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Isn't Ronny Frump the saviour of the low wage earner having annonced an increase in the minimum wage?

    :eek: - I thought we were expensive.
     
  13. Indifference

    Indifference Well-Known Member

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    Federal minimum wage is $7.25 /hr & $2.13 /hr for employees that earn tips (like waiters etc.). There has been some rhetoric by Trump of raising the $7.25 to $10 but many jobs would still be around $5 /hr if they got same quanta rise. That's still a pittance even after accounting for cost of living differences....
     
  14. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

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    US employees actually pay tax on the amount that the IRS decrees they should be earning on tips. So of you don't tip them they will have even more to lose.
     
  15. lost nomad

    lost nomad Well-Known Member

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    If I can afford to eat out I can afford to tip.

    $18 an hour plus loading IS pittance to live in Sydney. Casual wage = no security.

    Whilst I was a student it made a huge difference to the quality of my life. Other employees were working multiple jobs to support their families.

    I'm happy to pay it forward.
     
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  16. Biz

    Biz Well-Known Member

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    I find the service you get in the states is a lot better than here. They are basically working for tips so they put in some effort. most wait staff here are very ordinary.
     
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  17. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

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    I used to tip taxi drivers- but Uber doesn't give you the opportunity to tip electronically.
     
  18. Terrychris

    Terrychris Well-Known Member

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    I had 2 situations where I was rudely asked for a tip.

    I called out a Carpet cleaning Company to clean an IP.
    An American guy arrived cleaned the carpet in less than 10 minutes and demanded his $98
    Gave him a $100 and waited for my $2 change .
    He seen me waiting and said " no tip ?

    The second was a pest control company who came out to check my IP for termites,they had used telemarketers to call me and it seems they sent a apprentice or young guy out who arrives with P plates on.

    After less than 15 minutes he says no termites .

    I pay him the $99 and wait for my report and $1 change.
    He goes back to his car and reverses out of my driveway and drives off !

    I call the company who get a manager to call me,he says unconcerned, "We "ll send you the Report he says.
    As for the $1 change "usually the customer letts our technicians keep it as a tip"he says!
     
  19. Sonamic

    Sonamic Well-Known Member

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    Yes! We ate there on NYE in Perth City. Mrs Sonamic paid by card. Waitress went quite sour. I asked my partner what went wrong and she said she didn't tip. Ahhhhhh.

    Wages in the service industry in Australia are ok? Better than $5 an hour in the US. Tipping in Australia is a generosity, not a necessity.
     
  20. Angel

    Angel Well-Known Member

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    I like to tip the young ladies who do my nails each month. The manager gives me extra services without charge whenever I require a broken one fixed (list price is $5 each). It also makes me feel rich.