tipping. Do you tip?

[Autocon]

Do you tip people? waiters, deilvery drivers of fast food, taxis, hotels, bar staff?

What is expected and how much should you tip?



:confused:

[LordCyrusOmega]

Sometimes. I'll tip taxi drivers by rounding up the fare mainly because they put up with a lot; driving people around all day, putting up with drunken idiots etc.
Tipping hospitality staff is another matter. As I work in hospitality I know how much the majority of waitstaff earn so it has to be for some first class service. Of course I've worked in jobs where the kitchen staff take a cut of the tips so I'm not against it.

[SkyWarp91]

In Australia it would be nice to tip workers, especially those that have earned it though it isn't necessary. In America though, tipping isn't technically necessary but not tipping is frowned upon as workers over there in most food places only make a mere few dollars an hour and rely on the tips.

When I've been dealt with great service at restaurants/cafes/shops I'll gladly tip but if it's anything below that I won't bother.

[Paulbot]

Sometimes but only sometimes. In a "keep the change" sort of way. Unless service has been out extraordinary. Never more than a few dollars.

[1AZRAEL1]

I sometimes do, like when dinner turns out to be $97.35 or something like that, I'll give them $100 and say don't worry about the change. I'm usually pretty happy with the service at restaurants and that. Taxi Drivers as well, I will only tip if they are nice.

[Vector Prime]

I normally leave a tip when I dine at a restaurant - generally somewhere between 5-10% of the total bill.

The only time that I don't is when the service has been below average, but all other circumstances, I still leave a tip.

Most other occasions like when I buy my coffee in the morning or when I get a pizza delivery, it's along the lines of 'keep the change'.

[jazzcomp]

Taxi's and restaurant I do.

But not when the fare is exhorbitant compared to what I am used to. Meaning the driver used the most expensive route or went the long way.

In restaurant, US is usually 10-15% and I use around 10% for Oz. But when the service sucks, I may not tip.

In my native country, tipping isn't required. But if there's good service, I tip too but not when the bill already says service charge. :)

[Omega Supreme]

I dont tip, if people want more money they should get a better job.

[LordCyrusOmega]

I dont tip, if people want more money they should get a better job.

+1

When I get a pizze delivered I have a little game I play. When I pay them, if they go to give me change I'll tell them to keep it. If they don't, I'll stand there till they give it.

Basically if people expect a tip, they won't get one off me. And seeing as how a lot of hospitality staff are off the books and drawing income from more then one source I don't think tipping is neccessary for standard service.
But then; I know what an A%^&hole the average customer is. Customers always right my a$%

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Nope, never.

I don't see the point in the American system of tipping either. I think its a percentage surcharge on the bill. In my mind, a tip os for good service. Not average service or poor service, so instead of adding a % for the tip, they should just increase prices as its the same anyway.

I so rarely come across good service in Australia I never feel the need to tip.

I especially hate Taxi drivers who expect tips, even when at the end of the trip, I had to give them directions. And the old 'keeping the 5 cents change' trick. I have had this on a number of occasions and stand there until they ask me whats up and I tell them I am waiting for my change. Got that at an EB. Was most annoyed and ahven't been back there since.

[GoktimusPrime]

Rarely -- only if the service is exceptional.
And who can forget that old Pizza Hut ad with Dougie...
"Do I get a tip?"
"Yeah... work hard, be kind to your mother."

[Tober]

If a taxi driver gets me where I want to go with no screwing around I'll tip around $5. Fancy restaurants around 10% unless service is sub-standard. Local take-away places I regularly go to I let them keep the $1 or so change.

[Bartrim]

This reminds me of the opening scene of Reservoir Dogs:D

[LordCyrusOmega]

This reminds me of the opening scene of Reservoir Dogs:D

Me too. Mister Pink makes a good point.

[UltraMarginal]

I tip if I get good service in a restaurant, or it's a restaurant I go to regularly, I'll do the keep the change bit.
BUT, there is no need to tip in Australia, our customer service industry is farily well paid, and have fairly good conditions.
If I don't get good service I do not tip.

A taxi, might get a tip if he's quick, pleasant and doesn't go the long way. I have been close to underpaying a taxi on occasion when a trip cost a lot more than it should have, because he took an odd route.

In America, as mentioned by others, their customer service industry is paid a very basic wage. the system is intended to promote good service, if you don't get good service you still don't have to tip.
The idea is it gives staff incentive to give good service so that they then get a tip, if they are always very good, they can make a tidy living off tips. so if I do get good service in the states I do give a tip. 10 - 15 % as is recommended.

in Australia my tip amount is often the loose change of the purchase, in the case of a taxi, I'll throw a dollar or 3 into the deal if I decide to give a tip. In the case of a Pizza delivery, if it was fast and courteous, they get a couple dollars change, but like also mentioned, if they don't even lok like getting chnge out, they aren't getting a tip.

it's a complex place in my head:confused:

[jaydisc]

A couple things to note with tipping in America:

1. Hospitality workers get paid below minimum wage.
In 1995 or so, I waited tables. At that time, minimum wage was about $5.20. My colleagues and I got $2.30 per hour. This is legal and just how it is. Regardless, we still netted $100 on a good night, so naturally, we didn't mind.

2. Hospitality workers are taxed based on the expectation of a gratuity.
That's right. Whether you tip them the standard 15% or not, their income is taxed as if you did.

Since none of these points are true in Australia, I see no need to tip here. I did a bit when I first moved here over a decade ago, but I don't any more, unless they really go out of their way to make our exchange pleasurable, which in all my hindsight Australian memories, can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

As to the system's effectiveness, from the opinion of a dual citizen, Australian service does not compare to that in America. I'm sure that's subjective, but I can't recall anyone with suitable experience disagreeing with me on that point. I remember being in New Zealand about 5 years ago and being told that they were considering implementing a tipping system there due to how badly perceived the service was, at the very least from a tourist perspective. Did that ever happen?

Lastly, a major pet peeve of mine, regardless of location, are businesses without table service that have the nerve to put out a tip jar.

[LordCyrusOmega]

$2.30 an hour? Thats 6c less an hour I got during my first year apprenticship

[Bartrim]

I remember when I was on my traineeship I was on $8.08 an hour for a 38hr week. Then I would D.J on friday night for $60 an hour and make more in one night then I did in a week.

[ITZTRU]

Lastly, a major pet peeve of mine, regardless of location, are businesses without table service that have the nerve to put out a tip jar.

definitely in agreement with this statement.

Imagine walking into McDonald's and seeing a tip jar for every register...

[GoktimusPrime]

I don't think "customer service" is a word that exists in the Chinese language (or if it did, it must be archaic :p). Japan on the other hand has the best customer service I've ever encountered -- but the Japanese don't tip and they don't accept tips either. They just take pride in their work and it's an honour to serve. One time I made a purchase at a bookstore in Japan, and the change was like 1 or 2 Yen... so I told the clerk to keep the change. He kept trying to give my change back to me but I insisted that he keep it. He asked me why he should keep it and I told him that I didn't want it. He then said that the money didn't belong to him and thus he had no right to keep it. I then said that I was giving this money to him as a gift, and thus it was his to keep - and then walked out of the store before he could continue the argument. When I was about half way down the road from the store I turned around to see the clerk running after me so he could return my change. He repeatedly bowed to me and apologised profusely for taking my money before returning to his store.

So umm... never tip or ask a clerk to keep change in Japan. They find it bizarre and it makes them feel bad cos they feel like they're robbing you! In my experience Japan and China are on the two extreme opposites of the customer service spectrum.

[UltraMarginal]

wow, Gok, that was an interesting story, I've never heard of that happening to anyone.

[Autocon]

I remember when I was on my traineeship I was on $8.08 an hour for a 38hr week. Then I would D.J on friday night for $60 an hour and make more in one night then I did in a week.

And they wonder why traineeships and aprinteeships are failing:rolleyes:

[LordCyrusOmega]

True, My apprenticeship was a salary of $6.36 and hour for a 38 hour week with overtime hours going to time in lieu, Stupid me. Did between 80-100 hours a week and only made $236.
Make more money on the dole

[GoktimusPrime]

In theory there's a minimum wage - but in reality there are some dodgy employers who pay cash-in-hand below minimum wage. When I used to wait tables I was paid $7/hour. And it does suck that the dole pays better than some traineeships/apprenticeships. They should either increase the pay for trainees/apprentices, or decrease the amount of money people receive on the dole (which should hopefully be a better incentive for some of those people to get a job). I know not all dole recipients are lazy bludgers, but I think we've all known people who are. I've known at least two people who are just text-book dole bludgers who wouldn't know the meaning of work if it came up and kicked them in the janglies.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I know not all dole recipients are lazy bludgers, but I think we've all known people who are. I've known at least two people who are just text-book dole bludgers who wouldn't know the meaning of work if it came up and kicked them in the janglies.

I was in centrelink for austudy once and this dude was on his mobile yabbering on about going on holiday! What? I suspect if I could sit around at home playing my playstation, that would be a holiday for me!:D

[tron07]

Regarding the Japanese culture or honesty..... lot of people dont use bank and keep money at home. After the recent tsunami event, lot bundles of cash/money and safes were wash up. The japanese people who found it just bring them to the police station and hopefully want to return it to the rightful owner. A whole car park is converted to keep these items.

[Bartrim]

Rarely -- only if the service is exceptional.
And who can forget that old Pizza Hut ad with Dougie...
"Do I get a tip?"
"Yeah... work hard, be kind to your mother."

LOL. I prefer Al Bundy when he catches his daughter curled up with the pizza delivery guy eating pizza.

Pizza Guy to Al Bundy "You owe $7.50+ a tip"
Al Bundy grabs Pizza Guy by the the collar and drives him head first into the door "Here's a tip, doors are hard. Keep the change" Then throws him out.:D

[GoktimusPrime]

tron07: I can believe that. One time I was at a Hanami (Cherry Blossom viewing event) and I'd dropped my wallet somewhere, but I didn't realise it (cos often you don't realise that you've lost your wallet until you want to buy something) -- so for hours and hours I walked around without my wallet until I'd already left the Hanami venue. I walked into a convenience store to buy something, and to my horror the wallet was gone. I hurried back to the venue -- certain that it'd be gone by now, but as I retraced my steps, there on a low tree branch (i.e. eye height) was my wallet sitting there. Someone had kindly placed it there - out of the way yet clearly visible. And all my cash was still there. Hundreds of people must have walked past that tree with my wallet sitting in it and nobody touched it.

During the summer time I frequently come across cars parked with the keys in the ignition and the doors left open (to keep the car cool I presume). Sometimes with the engine running. The first time I saw this, I thought some silly person had accidentally done this, but then afterwards when I walked back, the car was still there - doors still open, keys still in the ignition.

The Japanese are generally a very honest people. Unless they have something not very kind to say, in which case they'll outright lie - e.g. if a foreigner speaks horrifically crap Japanese, they'll tell him/her that s/he's incredibly fluent. Or my ex who decided not to tell me that she was cheating on me. ;) (but I suppose most cheaters don't fess up till they're caught :p) But generally speaking they are very honest. :D