Do you tip in restaurants?

[Waldo]

I don't tip.
Tipping is for those countries where they don't respect people enough to pay a minimum wage that is above the cost of living.

G'day Clinton1,

Totally agree.

[Driver]

Maybe it is a regional thing Col. There is no logic to it. If we don't tip for anything else, why should we tip for food?

I'd have to say that the vast majority of people that I've been to restaurants with over the years will leave a tip. Even if it's only the couple of dollars change on the bill.

I really think it's expected (in Sydney anyway) otherwise you're considered a bit of a tightasre.

I think it's true of Sydney, Craig. (And, on the principle of when in Rome ... I have tipped waiters at restaurants when I've eaten out in Sydney).

I'm not so sure about other cities in Oz. I've spent quite a bit of time in Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Darwin and I've eaten out at restaurants in all those places. Can't say I've been aware of tipping as an issue anywhere other than Sydney.

Col

[Kev Y.]

It has to be exceptional sevice before I leave a tip, as a matter of fact, the last tip I left was at a wonderful little place in Apollo Bay, not only was the food good, the service was great, and the staff made us feel like old friends and not customers. ( guess who can not remember the damned name of the joint:mad: :mad: )


NB: just found it.. its called La Bimba,

[Max Ripper]

I always leave a decent tip %10-15 , unless the service is off or they have let zed inside while i'm eating lol.


Max Ripper I'm hungry now

[oges]

Not usually, not that i've been to a proper restaurant in a while.

But as servo's, corner stores etc i'll put me shrapnel in the charity jars if they have any on the counter ... yeah i know thats not tipping

[doublejay]

I usually tip if the service has been good.

The major exception to this is for restaurants who put a public holiday surcharge on the bill. I treat the surcharge as the tip and leave it as that.

I'm not sure why I treat restaurant staff differently to other service providers, maybe it's because they are doing a pretty menial task and in a lot of cases they can be seen to be working their butts off. Having had kids who all worked in hospitality at different times, I figure that while the rates are award based etc., it's still crap money.

[normell]

At my favorite in Melbourne (carlton Noodle Shop) in Rathdowne St, I always leave Mai & Mr C a small tip, but have too laugh at PPL that wait for the 20c change from $15 for a $14.80 meal:confused:

Normell

[Driver]

The major exception to this is for restaurants who put a public holiday surcharge

Now that does give me the schidts.

Last time I saw this was in a cafe-cum-snack bar in Margaret River. The place exists on tourism: surfers, wine buffs, honeymooners, eco-tourists, the whole deck of cards. So what the hell is the deal with a public holiday surcharge?

Isn't that when the majority of tourists come to town? Ergo, isn't that when businesses have their biggest revenue days? So what is the rationale behind charging people a surcharge on those days? The cafes and shops aren't doing the tourists a favour by being open on public holidays - although that seems to be the mind-set.

(Just in case anyone suggests, as a defence of this schidt-head practice, the fact that the business owners have to pay penalty rates to staff on public holidays, consider this: those business owners are going to generate as much as 10 times their normal daily revenue on a public holiday. They're not paying staff at a rate of normal pay x 10 - and, even if they were - the additional revenue would still put them ahead of the game).

Public holiday surcharges are a blatant rip-off. I won't buy from any establishment that uses such an obvious scam.

At the Margaret River cafe-cum-snack bar referred to above, I was only informed of the public holiday surcharge (of 15%! :eek: ) when I was given my change and queried why it was less than what I had calculated from the prices showing on the price board behind the counter. I told the owner that I wasn't prepared to pay the surcharge, gave him back the drinks I had been trying to purchase and asked for my money back. After a brief (and quite loud) argument, I got my money back. I have assiduously avoided the establishment on every subsequent trip to the region.

It's a bloody rip-off!

[Shedhand]

i rarely tip anyone, the way I see it is they are employed and get a wage, as do I. I dont expect my boss to tip me if I do a good job, why should I give them extra for doing thiers ? however I will compliment them if they do a good job or the food is fabbo. if the food/service is shyte I dont go back - I dont complain as I dont want to eat their spit.

Trouble is Zed, whether food/ service is excellent the wages are still crap in the industry. As are the conditions. I am an ex union organiser for that industry (pubs, clubs, resaurants, motels, takeaways etc). Workers in that industry are at the bottom of the employment pile. Tips for this group of workers often means eating or not.
Cheers

[Waldo]

G'day,

To expect a tip or demand a tip to me is a whole pile of crud.

I'll happily give money to the Firies, the CFA, Lifesavers, heck I even give money reguarly to a childrens home in India, but tipping you can go whistle dixie. I've even give a fiver to the handicapped bloke I saw once at our local shopping centre selling turned pens and I didn't buy one of him.

If you don't like the money you're paid then go elsewhere for a job or change jobs. If I get good service from services rendered then you'll see me back again.

You pay good money for a meal, sometimes way too much, to expect a tip - well rasberries to you.

[Waldo]

Workers in that industry are at the bottom of the employment pile. Tips for this group of workers often means eating or not.
Cheers

For those that offer tips - does that extend to tipping a apprentice tradie you might get to do sparkie work or other a tip? I'd guess not, because you know one day they'll get their worth back. But their wages are crud right? So why is going to a restaurant any different.
:confused:

[boban]

I worked as a barman when I turned 18 for about a year and I thought it was great money especially on public holidays etc. I was tipped by a vast minority of patrons and it was not uncommon that I would take home an extra 20 or 30 dollars for the night. It made me feel good so I figure that I can do the same for others in similar positions.

I dont base it on any percentage nor do I feel obliged to do it, I just like doing it. If I dont like what I've experienced, then I wont tip.

I dont dissagree with the other approaches and they are sensible approaches. I guess my reasoning is based on the premise (right or wrong) that most people who do this type of work are not the wealthiest in the community.

I almost always tip cabbies for that very reason. Recently I was paid in kind when the only person to stop on Macquarie St Sydney to help jump start my car was a cabbie. I gave him 10 dollars which he didnt want and then started thanking me as if I did him the favour.

Its only money fellas....

But if I felt like I had to do it then that would be a different story

[DanP]

I tip good service and good food. If either is missing I don't tip.

Being where I am means no decent restaurants. Consequently, when I do the trip into town, we eat at the best restaurants. The service is always excellent and the food better, therefore I pretty much always tip.

FWIW The best I've found in Melbourne (asian food) are: Flower Drum, Red Emperor, Man Mo, Silks (be prepared to pay top $). There are others but I couldn't be bothered.

Dan

[CameronPotter]

I find that tipping is very rare and generally only practiced by people who are trying to look "sophisticated". Now this may be a Tassie thing (although Shedhand seems to think that people do tip).

About the only time that I tip is if the food and service has been absolutely extraordinary and usually those kind of places are the ones that DON'T expect a tip...

The other time that I might tip is when a large group of people go out to dinner and everyone just rounds up the amount of money they owe and puts it in. That way we won't be under and in a way it is more about making sure that your friends are fine than tipping the staff.

Finally, what about pizza deliverers? My brother did that for a few years and the tips were the only thing that made the job pay reasonably.

[DanP]

I find that tipping is very rare and generally only practiced by people who are trying to look "sophisticated".

That must be it...