Tipping in Australia

[Anna]

When I was a student I did casual work at a hotel with a lot of international guests. Almost everyone would give me a gold coin for bringing a room service tray. Almost everyone would leave a gold coin on the breakfast table that I would find when I cleared the table. Now that I'm the guest not the staff I usually do both those things myself in addition to the other tips that most people have mentioned above (restaurants, round up taxi fares, bell boys).

My hairdresser once heavily hinted that overseas, hairdressers get tips. I have a different hairdresser now.

 

[TomVexille]

My hairdresser once heavily hinted that overseas, hairdressers get tips. I have a different hairdresser now.

Your former hairdresser is not wrong. But the cost of having your hair done is much lower overseas as well.

 

[JohnK]

My hairdresser once heavily hinted that overseas, hairdressers get tips. I have a different hairdresser now.

Don't get me started on hairdressing prices.

I generally have a number 1 or number 2 every 6-8 weeks. The going rate around Brisbane city is $27.50 and you can find some closer to $20. A few years back a barber at Toowong was $12 and I went a few times but his prices have been going up regularly since.

Now in Thailand the top of the line haircut costs ~$10 at the most. I get mine for ~$3 including a tip. Needless to say I have not had a haircut in Australia for ~4-5 years.

 

[Warks]

What about Canada? Their wages would have to be better than the USA but tipping is expected and usually the service warrants it. The most annoying thing about eating out there is that the prices on the menu look cheap but then they add GST at the end and the tip takes it up to Australia-like prices.

We once had a "professional waiter" in Banff at a good restaurant. He was about 40, which is a fair bit over the age of most wait staff, but was so good at everything, even providing plenty of local knowledge, that you would have felt like the world' worst person for not giving him a very nice tip. I reckon he probably did better than the kitchen staff or anyone else who worked there.

As for tipping here when eating out as a group we tend to throw in 10% for very good service but otherwise - ah - these people get paid better than some of us here!

How about all the talk about how the PIN only credit card rule now means they won't get many tips now?

 

[mannej]

Don't get me started on hairdressing prices.

I generally have a number 1 or number 2 every 6-8 weeks. The going rate around Brisbane city is $27.50 and you can find some closer to $20. A few years back a barber at Toowong was $12 and I went a few times but his prices have been going up regularly since.

Now in Thailand the top of the line haircut costs ~$10 at the most. I get mine for ~$3 including a tip. Needless to say I have not had a haircut in Australia for ~4-5 years.

Best thing I ever did was greatest shave for a cure. My mate sponsored a set of clippers from HN (~$25) for which I still use 18 months on. Cost of clippers < cost of 1 haircut!

 

[JohnK]

Best thing I ever did was greatest shave for a cure. My mate sponsored a set of clippers from HN (~$25) for which I still use 18 months on. Cost of clippers < cost of 1 haircut!

You do your own? I have a pair of clippers. I need to learn to use them.

 

[mannej]

You do your own? I have a pair of clippers. I need to learn to use them.

Averagely - the other half thinks she does a better job...

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

What about Canada? Their wages would have to be better than the USA but tipping is expected and usually the service warrants it. The most annoying thing about eating out there is that the prices on the menu look cheap but then they add GST at the end and the tip takes it up to Australia-like prices.

We once had a "professional waiter" in Banff at a good restaurant. He was about 40, which is a fair bit over the age of most wait staff, but was so good at everything, even providing plenty of local knowledge, that you would have felt like the world' worst person for not giving him a very nice tip. I reckon he probably did better than the kitchen staff or anyone else who worked there.

As for tipping here when eating out as a group we tend to throw in 10% for very good service but otherwise - ah - these people get paid better than some of us here!

How about all the talk about how the PIN only credit card rule now means they won't get many tips now?

Interesting comment regarding Canada.
Having previously lived in Banff myself ( although I wasn't employed as a server though) I knew many servers who absolutely " Creamed it In" in terms of tips, & I'm talking about 500 CAD in tips per night on top of the wages earned.
Obviously this is in peak tourist season in June- August, & working in the right high turnover restaurant, but it doesn't take a geniuses to work out that at certain times of the year the position of server is the best paying job in town.

Servers in Canada, nearly always get paid the minimum hourly wage for the respective province they are employed in ( in the case of Alberta this is $9.95 CAD per hour).

I would highlight though many Servers are quite transient in Banff & other tourist destinations in Canada meaning that they stay for the peak tourist season & move onto another destination( usually a larger city, ie Toronto or Vancouver) for when the tourist season tappers off at the end of September.

But naturally the good, solid, mature serves with years of experience always stay at the top of the Pecking order & can easily obtain shifts in markets like Banff in the tougher months, whilst the less experienced retreat to the larger cities.

 

[BillytheFIsh]

I used to tip about 10-15% a lot more often in restaurants, but now only do it when the service truly warrants it.

Not sure whether I'm just becoming more tight or just a grumpy man, but when most of the value of the bill is wine that's marked up 150-300%, I just can't bring myself to do it anymore.

I'm glad for PIN only now - no more presumptuous "Sub-total - $X, Tip - $Y, Total - $Z" to deal will.

 

[BillytheFIsh]

It also irks me given how expensive Brisbane restaurants have become compared to Sydney and Melbourne.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I'm glad for PIN only now - no more presumptuous "Sub-total - $X, Tip - $Y, Total - $Z" to deal will.

YES - that has screwed the tipping concept in so many cases.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Don't get me started on hairdressing prices.

I generally have a number 1 or number 2 every 6-8 weeks. The going rate around Brisbane city is $27.50 and you can find some closer to $20. A few years back a barber at Toowong was $12 and I went a few times but his prices have been going up regularly since.

Now in Thailand the top of the line haircut costs ~$10 at the most. I get mine for ~$3 including a tip. Needless to say I have not had a haircut in Australia for ~4-5 years.

$10 for a number 3 all day long at 2 discount hairdressers in Southland - had one on Sunday - cash only though - no CCs - jeez I hate parting with cash!

 

[Mr_Orange]

I don't tip at all. Wages here are high enough and the service industry leaves a huge amount to be desired. TBH, I resent it when I'm in a group situation and the concensus is to leave a tip just because the staff did the bare minimum of actually doing their job. I don't get tipped for turning up to work and doing what I am paid to do. It's just another part of the sense of entitlement that some people have.

 

[amaroo]

YES - that has screwed the tipping concept in so many cases.

Lets hope the industry doesn't introduce an automatically applied ?% service charge to get around it.

 

[medhead]

Who can forget "be good to your mum"?

This thread has got me wondering when I have ever wanted ice water served as I sat down. Why is that even a thing? Personally I prefer them to let me sit down in peace and get settled before hassling me about water.

Don't get me started on hairdressing prices.

I generally have a number 1 or number 2 every 6-8 weeks. The going rate around Brisbane city is $27.50 and you can find some closer to $20. A few years back a barber at Toowong was $12 and I went a few times but his prices have been going up regularly since.

Now in Thailand the top of the line haircut costs ~$10 at the most. I get mine for ~$3 including a tip. Needless to say I have not had a haircut in Australia for ~4-5 years.

I used to use a place in the toowong shopping centre. Called men's hairdresser or something like that. I also used a small place in the myer centre in town, it was located just inside the Elizabeth st entrance near that Irish pub -$10, very fit lady with some good ink. Otherwise there was a place at garden city as well.

Current Adelaide place is $17.

 

[serfty]

$10 for a number 3 all day long at 2 discount hairdressers in Southland - had one on Sunday - cash only though - no CCs - jeez I hate parting with cash!

Men $10 Mon-Wed at a couple of Hairdressers at the top end of Elizabeth St. (near a'beckett St.) - used to be three or four and all week.

Nothing like competition.

 

[somebol]

The only tipping I do here is smile and say thank you

 

[anat0l]

Who can forget "be good on your mum"?

This thread has got me wondering when I have ever wanted ice water served as I sat down. Why is that even a thing? Personally I prefer them to let me sit down in peace and get settled before hassling me about water.

I have the same thing about keeping my drink refilled. I would rather ask for it or have it asked of me before a top up.

According to predominant opinion in my circles and I would bet on this board, that is not the norm and it is an expected courtesy that drinks are monitored (including water) and is duly kept topped up. Obviously that might be difficult if the entire restaurant is full and you are very thirsty, but at least the staff should be trying. I believe it is significant in many cultures, too (e.g. many cultures have a custom that your drink should not be poured by you, but rather by others, and you are expected to reciprocate as such).

I usually just show a hand and refuse as required.

One thing I do find a bit awkward is when you are eating away and the waiter suddenly appears asking if everything is to your liking, etc.. Courteous, but I often get caught out in an awkward position (viz. mouth full of food).

Anyway, that's a bit of a sidetrack...............


For large groups dining, rather than a tip I would normally - again - give a glowing recommendation of the attentive staff to the restaurant (and usually insist to whomever I communicate with that they ensure the staff so implicated are duly recognised). I would even do this at the end of the meal if the timing is convenient and then follow up later with a further communication (e.g. by email, phone or written letter). Besides that, it has increasingly become the practice for some establishments to add a surcharge of some description for large groups who dine there.

 

[QF029]

I don't tip at all. Wages here are high enough and the service industry leaves a huge amount to be desired. TBH, I resent it when I'm in a group situation and the concensus is to leave a tip just because the staff did the bare minimum of actually doing their job. I don't get tipped for turning up to work and doing what I am paid to do. It's just another part of the sense of entitlement that some people have.

Equally I resent when I always round up a few dollars and a group member either uses my extra to fund their meal, or even worse, pockets the tip (yes I've seen this).

 

[bismarck]

I will tend tip based on my perception of the quality of service.

Generally speaking, I think the service industry in Australia is appalling so when someone goes out of their way I tend to want to recognise them for it. Typically only happens in restaurants though. I will also tend to throw loose change in the tip jar at coffee shops because I do not like carrying around silver.

I also tip my hairdresser but that's mostly because he does a good job and I think his prices are too low ($15 for a hand cut i.e. no clippers) so I usually just give him a $20. He is a big hulking Lebanese fellow with stacks of tattoos but I think he is hilarious and I enjoy going there.