Tipping in Australia

[the_bob_delusion]

THE push to introduce America's gratuity system could tip fed-up Aussie pub patrons over the edge.

While hospitality staff say it's time to embrace tipping for better service, critics have come out swinging.

Traditionally, patrons in New York City include a 20 per cent tip for everything from housekeeping to buying a beer.

A 15 per cent tip is considered the norm across the US.

Sandy Hill Road director Matt Mullins, a Melbourne hotelier, said the tipping trend could lift service standards.

http://www.news.com.au/money/money-matters/australians-tipping-more-than-ever-before-according-to-un...

Do you want it introduced here for mandatory tipping?

[acacia_pycnantha]

Agreed but in Canada the bar staff don't get paid so much or so I was told. Anyway the custom over there is to tip for service and if you don't tip the first time you don't get served the second time.

I don't like the custom and i hope it never becomes popular here, however I admit to leaving the odd small change on the bar for the bar staff even here. 20 cents here 50 cents there, it's not going to break me but what is disturbing to me is the expectation of a tip.

[acacia_pycnantha]

I came back to Oz from England on the Gallileo, a Sitmar line passenger ship in 1973. The voyage took about 6 weeks. I was 19 yrs old and pretty green.

The cabin steward was really nice and polite for the first few weeks but then as the trip progressed he became more and more irritable and less and less helpful.

It was only later on that I understood his mood change was because i hadn't left him tips. I didn't have much money in those days  and I didn't understand that he expected me to tip him. When the penny finally dropped so to speak, I was a bit angry with him for his lack of proffessionalism and so I didn't feel much like leaving him a tip anyway (and I really couldn't afford to)

Left us both with a rather bitter taste in our mouths.

[joz*garage]

i recall leaving change on the bar too only coz i wanted to and it wasnt expected by the bar tenders

pub owners refill their beer kegs at cheap wholesale prices - they make a very very good return selling it in a glass,  coupled with good working conditions for the bar maids tenders & recieving a fair wage, i havent seen any expectations or the necessity to give tips

one of my favorite watering holes was the black forrest tavern.. because of the great service and more so because everybody knew eveybody, it was like a little community, including all the bar tenders and the owner we were all mates, went out to parties, did the whole bit that friends get up to, arh the memories, he genuinely wanted your return business

these days if i want a beer i just buy a carton, into a bit of carlton cold at mo

[spotweldersfriend]

Pub owners are always crying poor.Do you know how much it costs to buy a pub? Woolworths owns 300 pubs.They can afford the wages

[newstart2380]

In my experience tipping is expected in the USA because wages are quite low compared to ours and they rely on tips to boost their wage, when you enter a clothing store you are sometimes greeted by an employee and they give you a card and ask if you need help please see that person.

In Australia it has never been expected whereas in the USA it is expected. We tip if the person waiting on us is vey good and also if you tip the waiter at the beginning of the night you will get great service all night. (bribery)

[freshwater-2]

bob - (or anyone else) Do you know if workers in the US have to declare tips on their income tax return? Some of them would earn heaps in tips...hotel concierges for one.

Lottery winners in the USA also have to pay tax on the full amount of the win.

[cq_tech]

The fact that US lottery winnings and other 'windfalls' are taxed by the IRS at the highest marginal rate seems rather incongruous when losing lottery tickets can't be claimed as a legitimate tax deduction.

Seems awfully unfair to me. 😞

[**meep**]

I don't think it should be mandatory...and I think most people already do tip in restaurants? Well, everyone I know does.

Same

[freshwater-2]

The fact that US lottery winnings and other 'windfalls' are taxed by the IRS at the highest marginal rate seems rather incongruous when losing lottery tickets can't be claimed as a legitimate tax deduction.

Seems awfully unfair to me

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Great observation, cq.

[cherry*135]

Some restaruants in Sydney - Darling Harbour add a service fee onto the bill.so it is not even voluntary!

We tipped in the US mostly. They don't get too excited about Australians as they know it is not our habit to tip.

We never had bad service anywhere though. The hotel staff upgraded our room or gave us late check-outs of free wi-fi voluntarily, no extra reward for them in it.