MaryD2

I think that when people ask if you will do their laundry for them and you do it then that is cause for a tip. If they want you to babysit their hound while they go on a tour away for a day or so I think that that should attract a tip. I you bbq ( cook ) their fish catch that might attract a tip.

nelsonian

Fair enough those things probably warrant a tip. I was more thinking of hotels/restaurants.

MaryD2

No not restaurants Nelsonian. I think that if the salary is not high enough then it is up to the workers to demand better wages not up to the customer to subsidise wages.

pat_woolford

Nelsonian, whilst I agree with Mary, tipping in restaurants for good service (not cafes, pub bistros, coffee bars, clubs etc) is nevertheless common and has been as long as I can remember, at least in Sydney and also here in Cairns. Usually no more than 10%, and nothing if service isn't up to expectations.

Years ago I worked in Australia House, London, and back then London taxi drivers wouldn't pick up outside the building as Australians had reputation of being notorious non-tippers, probably the same outside New Zealand House too!

ThulaMama

I realise this topic is a year old but I'm an old phart with an opinion.

We recently had some American visitors who asked about tipping, and we asked them to please, absolutely do NOT tip for anything. It's entirely unnecessary. We and everybody among my family and friends have never tipped here, ever.

Wait staff in Australia get at least the minimum wage of $18.76 per hour (I believe it could be increasing to $22.96) and that includes being paid for the hours of prep and clean up. If they earn less than that (e.g. young kids on working visas being taken advantage of) they need to contact Fair Work Australia immediately. We have a relative who is a waiter at a good restaurant and his wages are $26+ hour plus holidays and super (pension plan)plus other perks.

With the added cost for visitors to Australia given the current exchange rate, tipping is an unnecessary expense and no one is going to glare at you or chase you down the street for not leaving one.

tt7

I can only re-iterate my agreement (expressed earlier) with ThulaMama's comments. In Australia, there is simply no reason to tip someone for doing their job. I don't understand the notion of tipping in "restaurants" but not tipping in cafes, bars etc. -- the cost of eating out has reached the point where the prices, certainly in many up-market restaurants - are eye-watering as it is. Even in middle-of-the-road restaurants, the prices are bad enough these days (in part, because of the wages being paid) and adding a tip is simply unnecessary.

lanejohann

we generally tip restaurants...not cafes
but if we are not happy we would never tip

dont tip taxis..just round up

nobody else gets tipped and it irks me when the nail salons have a glass for tips

i was travelling with an american who tipped someone in LA...omg ...they lost our meal...we couldnt get coffee and when we did it was bitter and then finally my friend went behind the counter to find milk cos the waitress had vanished lol..i was horrified that he included a tip

for what? the self-service?

Melnq8

Unfortunately, tipping is so ingrained in the American culture and psyche that some folks don't think twice about it.

And this from an American, who fails to understand her country's obsession with tipping. I suspect it's a guilt thing, and I admit I've been guilty of the guilt thing.

Melnq8

PS - just because there's a tip jar doesn't mean you have to tip!

I often wonder if tip jars here in Australia are a concession to the visitors who can't seem to not tip.

AlanJG

Don't tip unless it is exceptional service or special requests fulfilled and then make it worth while.

Peter_S_Aus

Tt

travelbug2012

Melnq8 - You are American and you don't understand why people tip?? Tell me you are kidding. If not, let me help you: in the US, people who work in the service industry get paid like slaves so they need tips to actually earn a decent income. Luckily in Australia, we have a semi decent minimum wage so tipping is not necessary at all. Unless you are going to high-end places, don't bother. I sometimes give cab drivers tips but they dont expect it and don't ask for it. Besides this, I never ever tip. Isn't Australia expensive enough?

Melnq8

I didn't say that travelbug, I said I don't understand the American 'obsession' with tipping.

Tipping has gotten out of control in the US. It's extended well beyond 'the slaves' you refer to. Haven't you seen the 'how much should I tip the garbage collector' threads on other forums? The assumption seems to be that everyone who performs a service in the US is underpaid, and that's not the case. Where do we draw the line?

I'd love for the US to jump on board and pay restaurant workers more to avoid the whole tipping thing. I'd also be pleased to see tax included in the quoted price (although I don't understand why service is taxed here in Australia), but I'm living in a fantasy world.

Ever wonder why things are so expensive in Australia? High wages among other things, so essentially you are tipping (quite alot), it's just built in. If yo were expected to tip on top of that, no one would ever eat out.

Susan7

To sum up, for potential tourists there isn't a consensus on restaurant tipping in Australia. Some people never tip and others always do if the service was good, at roughly 10%.

As I said above from my restaurant experience I'd put the tippers at roughly 70%. Big groups and older Australians rarely tip.

It is a bit of mystery why we tip in restaurants and not in shops or elsewhere, but from when I was a waitress I can say it did make up for the unsociable hours and fairly bad pay.

travelbug2012

First, Melnq8, I doubt that the garbageman is on good money and as the minimum wage is so pathetic in the states its a necessary evil. Second, I will re-iterate for anyone coming to Australia, tipping is not needed - ever. Dont feel pressured to do so.

Melnq8

You might be surprised travelbug, check this out:

http://money.howstuffworks.com/10-hi...dirty-job1.htm