I do give a tip at times when the service is outstanding or even at an acceptable level.
What stops me is when the bill has a request for a tip. Well now that's now normal it seems.
Recently we went to one of our favourite restaurants and I've always given a tip but...
This time the bill stated ' Tip 10% , 20%, 30% or custom ?? I selected custom and gave zero.
I guess I need to adjust ??

I guess I'm just a miser, but i'd probably do the same.

Tipping is a US custom due to low wages. Not needed in Australia unless service is outstanding.

^^^
This, great service deserves a thankyou tip, ordinary deserves a smile and a verbal thanks. In this country waiters are paid a living wage, "sort of" whereas in Merica staff have to scrounge for every cent, may this practice NEVER arrive here.

And what's the go with places with QR code ordering at some places, they ask for a tip prior to providing any service.

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hilly said..
Tipping is a US custom due to low wages. Not needed in Australia unless service is outstanding.

Also in America, if you are not in a job where you can beg for tips; you have to accept extraordinarily low pay, in order to have your Billionaire boss pay for your health insurance through his Squillionaire buddy.

And what's with weekend and credit card surcharges?

Well I agree with them as they are real world charges that the business has to pay.

tipping - no bloody way. We are not America

QR - yeah order at the table yayyy but not if you have to pay extra for service. As implied by the tip at time of ordering. That's crap at a place that costs $100 for dinner for two.

like Maccas with all the touch screen ordering .. Why bother, just drive thru and I gather that's what they're heading toward. No pesky table cleaning or emptying bins- I mean wouldn't want a 'family restaurant' to actually provide any service huh

My tip for restaurants.

Stop putting the meat or fish on top of the chips!

I foking hate when they ask for tips, even the coffee shop or my local pizza online are "suggesting" a tip nowadays. That just makes me ignore it more and go elsewhere.
WTF?
This is Australia, and AFAIK we have very strong labour laws, so unless the boss is a scumbag, I think the folks in hospitality get paid according to that. I work in the office (sadly) and don't get extra money for just doing my job. And yeah I think that serving people coffee, pizza or food and treat them well while doing that, is what people in hospitality are paid for. sorry to burst your bubble
If you don't like it, you should have worked harder at school and get a better paid job.

Rant over....

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Mark _australia said..
Well I agree with them as they are real world charges that the business has to pay.

They never used to be. These charges (credit card fees and weekend surcharges), until recently were absorbed by the retailer. I thought that was the law.

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myscreenname said..

Mark _australia said..
Well I agree with them as they are real world charges that the business has to pay.

They never used to be. These charges (credit card fees and weekend surcharges), until recently were absorbed by the retailer. I thought that was the law.

The law was changed way back in 2009 to allow weekend surcharges.
It has to be clearly displayed and reflect the actual higher labour cost on weekends.

You are talking about two different charges.

One is the public holiday surcharge to reflect higher wages, to avoid this don't go out on public holidays, simple.

The other is the bank surcharge, to avoid this pay cash, simple.

When I go to a milk bar and buy a litre of milk I don't pay more for it on a Sunday or if I pay by credit card. Shouldn't be any different in a cafe.

Tips have always been optional.

Case closed.

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remery said..

hilly said..
Tipping is a US custom due to low wages. Not needed in Australia unless service is outstanding.

Also in America, if you are not in a job where you can beg for tips; you have to accept extraordinarily low pay, in order to have your Billionaire boss pay for your health insurance through his Squillionaire buddy.

Ignorance is alive and well!
I lived in the US for a while and I can tell you that the service was generally WAY better than Australia or anywhere else in the world. I can also tell you that the service personnel who took pride in their work and their customer satisfaction earn MUCH better money than service personnel anywhere else in Australia or the rest of the world. Tipping is an important part of American culture because it creates mutual gratitude and respect between the customer and the service provider and in my experience, it generally works very well. American tourists when overseas may be considered loud and brash but they are also considered the most generous by a country mile! And unlike Australians, Americans do not possess a toxic sense of entitlement when it comes to earnings. Crap service = crap pay. Also lower wages for the waiter means cheaper food for the customer, affording the customer more money to tip accordingly. It's not unfair, it's just a different system, one that I believe to be much fairer by rewarding those who make the extra effort.

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Muppet said..
Also lower wages for the waiter means cheaper food for the customer, affording the customer more money to tip accordingly.

LOL cheaper food. Thanks for the LOLs. I can't afford to eat out in America, but I can afford to travel (???). And overseas restaurants sometimes cost half what they do in America for better quality food.

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Muppet said..earn MUCH better money than service personnel anywhere else in Australia or the rest of the world. .

Federal Minimum Wage:

$7.25 per hour.

And they get taxed on tips

Federal law generally requires workers to pay individual income taxes and the payroll taxes on their tip income, as on other compensation.

I spent quite a bit of time in the US and service varies a lot. Meals appear cheap until state tax, federal tax and tips are added which they do not include in the advertised price.

I know where I would prefer to live

Which has sweet FA to do with tipping in Oz, which you are not expected to do.

I lived in the US for a while and I can tell you:

Hilly - 1
Muppet - 0

Carantoc, have you ever lived in the US for a while?

Tips for sure in the US, when in Rome.

Only places I tip in AUS are my regular hangouts where staff go above and beyond. Treat people nice and they might remember and treat you the same one day.

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myscreenname said..
I lived in the US for a while and I can tell you:

Hilly - 1
Muppet - 0

Carantoc, have you ever lived in the US for a while?

Hi-ya MSN,

Thanks for asking.

Well, I did once spend a summer north of the current US border, in what might become the 52nd US state, but for now it isn't official so I'll discount that from the query, if that is OK by you.

So, otherwise the only time I have spent in the US for anything other than a short vacation was about 5 months on Maui. I had to leave due to the US immigration dept. getting their metaphorical knickers in a twist about valid visas and the such like. Anyways, before they managed to deport me I skidadooled on my own accord.

But, I didn't actually visit many dine-out places so can't really comment on the USA tip-thingy. Whilst I was in the US of A my usual dietry regime comprised porridge oats made with water for breakfast and pasta/tuna/mayonnaise for tea, along with a tub of Ben&Jerry's ice cream. Turns out this diet, when had day-in, day-out for months on end, raises a few eyebrows amongst the locals, who considered Carantoc to be somewhat of strange visitor to their shores, and in many ways I became a bit of a local celebrity for a while. Did I tell you about the time Laird Hamilton flexed his muscles at me and suggested knicking something from the back of his ute might not be the best idea I ever had ? Ohh I digress.

Tipping - not my cup-of-tea. Why does the serving person get tipped and not the cook, dish-washer, pianist, sommelier or anyone else ? They all contribute to the experience.

Generally the tips are shared between cooks and security on a defined percentage basis. Obviously the hit barmaids get most of the tips so they keep a higher percentage. Staff sneakily keeping tips doesn't go down well.

A tip: Go to Aldi and make it yourself. With the money you save, buy a new board.

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myscreenname said..
I lived in the US for a while and I can tell you:

Hilly - 1
Muppet - 0

Carantoc, have you ever lived in the US for a while?

Thank you for your baseless patronising accusation. I trust this has momentarily soothed your obvious insecurity.
The fact that you're so arrogantly certain about something that you know nothing about and is simply not true, speaks volumes about your true character.