Tin man
Well-known member
The one tip I can give is if you don't tip, do not go back to that restaurant....they will remember you..
As mentioned by several Americans in this interesting thread - "To Insure Prompt Service"
Tom said:I'm not convinced that the expectation of tipping is necessarily related to absolute wages. 1$US or 1$Au doesn't mean the same thing in different countries.
One point that I hope folks take away from this discussion is that they should research culture and customs in countries they plan to visit. Having spent many years traveling the world on business, I learned some things the hard way when I didn'd do my homework ahead of time.
Having visited Singapore more times than I can count, I've regretted not taking private time to visit AU or NZ.
BTW I'm a Wallabies fan
The Escape Goat said:I have observed the US tipping system first hand as a visitor for 25 years, and discussed it with many Americans and non-Americans alog the way
My conclusion may not be that popular but have a read here >>
Being in the US again reminded me what an archaic and injust system tipping is
Thanks for the link, just so we're clear, tipping is neither required nor expected in Australia. Anyone who says otherwise has personal interests, e.g. from the hospitality industryTom said:It seems that Australia is not as tip-free as comments here suggest. A little research, including among Aussie sites, suggests that tipping is becoming more common. 10% is mentioned as appropriate, customary &/or expected . Just one of many such reports returned by a simple Google search:
http://www.austtravel.com.au/australian_travel.htm
No one will ever ask you for a tip
Yes to a degree that is true. Our system is stable and equitable but not perfect. There are socialist elements to it, as much of our workplace laws were pounded out by decades of labour governments with left-wing factionals at the helm. Historical I guess as our country was built initially on the back of convicts and pioneers and then poor immigrants, whilst the element of nobility and land barons for want of a better term has was less than other country's. A land for the people you could say, though 10 years of conservative government did erode quite a bit of the hard fought workers rights and swung in favour of big business and employers.Tom said:Your stable & equitable system provides no incentive for service above and beyond. Everyone gets paid the same 'high' wage, irrespective if their service is outstanding or non-existent. Having lived and worked in an environment like that, I know which I prefer, both as an employee and a customer. Seeing coworkers do as little as possible and getting paid the same high wage was extremely discouraging, and I left that environment.
In the US? Wow I have! Maybe there's been times its been clear that I'm a non-US tourist and waitresses etc have felt the need to "educate" me in advance. And that doesnt count the times its been automatically added to my bill and I've had to go to the cashier and say "actually the service was pretty bad and I'm not leaving a 20% tip so can you please remove it from my bill and I will add my own tip as I see appropriate thank you very much!"Tom said:I've never been asked for a tip in 40+ years of living in and traveling to the U.S.
I've never been asked for a tip in 40+ years of living in and traveling to the U.S.
Ned said:I, too, have never been asked to leave a tip. The only times that a tip was added automatically to the bill was when it was a restaurant policy for large parties (typically 8 or more) and I knew that in advance.
I've had the group thing too, but no I am specifically talking about eating with my family - 3 of us.Ned said:The only times that a tip was added automatically to the bill was when it was a restaurant policy for large parties (typically 8 or more) and I knew that in advance.
Wendy said:FWIW, tipping is NOT unique to the U.S. When we've gone on cruises, we've been given a sheet that lists the "appropriate" tips for shipboard employees. And on Caribbean islands, the bus driver and tour guides have their hand stuck out as you get off the bus, waiting for their tip.
Regardless of where or how much, good or bad, different countries are, well, different. And I won't slam one for not having tipping and I won't slam one that does have tipping. It's the differences that make us special.
LOL, no ones blaming you, your original question has grown into a wider discussion thats all!Jan Stiskala said:Wow Guys you are getting political here. I think that we should stay away from this type of posting. I started this post simply to find out how to tip in USA not why to tip.
I LOVE America, and most Americans I've met over the last 25 years.Tom and Margi said:Tipping is an accepted practice in America. Tipping, apparently, is not an accepted practice in some other countries. If one doesn't approve of tipping, perhaps one should confine their travels to countries where tipping is not an accepted practice. I doubt if any expressed opinions on this forum will change accepted practices in individual countries.
So, the choice is clear. Visit America ... or not.
Margi