Tipping and what are your opinions on this

Tipping is not mandatory in Australia. But some people like to tip and others don't.
A recent article in the Age about tipping has changed our opinions and attitudes on this issue. This article talks about the fact that the floor staff don't get any tips and that the management gets it all, which is not fair.

In the US tipping is mandatory to cover the service charges. It is 10% off the diner's bill added to their total bill at the end.

 In here no such thing exists. In here there is only a small jar by the counter where diners can put whatever change they have and diners can choose whether or not to tip.

With card payments it is really difficult to tip as you don't know where the tip would go to. One rule of thumb is to ask where the tip will go.

Lets Get Fat together has written a similar article and the influx of new students coming to Melbourne to study has prompted us to write about this issue. Here are our thoughts on this

Me: Probably not, unless there is exceptional service or it goes to a charity. And even then only just the spare change I have. In this day and age some of the students don't earn enough and it shows when they work and produce the goods to the customer. Even though I work in a cafe that pays a reasonable amount of $21 per hour, I feel sorry for those that aren't paid enough to cover their rent etc. Hence that's why I don't tip in the cheap joints.

Katherine: But if the service was exceptional I'd tip some small change in a jar. But if the service was pretty ordinary or really bad then no. Also if the price of the food was exorbitantly high then also no as the management can pay the staff a decent wage.


What are your thoughts on tipping at:
1) Cheap joints- ie most Asian eateries
2) Bars, clubs and pubs
3) Reasonable priced joints- mostly coffee places and cafes
4) Expensive/fine dining joints?
Please leave us a comment.