Tipping

 

I hear a lot of Australians talk about how they want to travel to the US, they want to visit places like New York City, Las Vegas, LA, Miami, San Francisco, and New Orleans.  Inevitably the topic of tipping comes up and I am frequently asked about general tipping guidelines when hailing a cab or hitting up bars and restaurants.

Many Aussies have told me they stress out about the tipping culture and feel that everyone will have a hand out and the trip will cost a lot more than expected. 

Now I am usually approached about this topic by Aussie’s that have university degrees in varying fields that say they feel overwhelmed about figuring out what 10-20% of a bill would be.  Now I don’t think it takes a Fields Medal winner or Will Hunting to figure out what 10% of a bill is, honestly it’s just moving a decimal point one spot to the left…  

Real Example

Aussie:  Hey mate, what if my bill is $25.00 for lunch and a few schooners of beer, what do I do then?

Me:   Alright alright, first off Crocodile Dundee, get with the program, we serve pints in the US, leave the schooners, vegemite and boomerangs home, they won’t make it through customs.  Now let’s break out the abacus and solve this mystery, take the $25.00 move the decimal one spot to the left and there you have it, $2.50 which is a 10% tip.

Aussie:  What if the service was excellent, I have heard 20% is a generous tip for a great effort. 

Me:   Hmmm…  Do you still have that abacus in front of you?  Alright just do the math on the 10% and then double it.  Easy as… Problem solved!  Let’s hit the pub. 

 

Fact:  Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth all ranked higher than New York City on the global cost of living index released for 2012 (by about 20 spots…) 

 

Aussie’s don’t understand the bartender buy back either.  They all come back from overseas trips with stories of the best bartenders in the world; they are friendly, attentive, strong pourers, quick with drinks, and even give them free drinks!  They all love it, it made them feel special, everyone loves getting great service. 

Bottom line is the US culture rewards hard work through tipping, where the Australian culture pays their bartenders or waitress’s $20p/h with no expectation of tips and ultimately the service suffers dramatically.  There is no reward for going over and above and creating a positive customer experience.

I love Australia but I have to say it is one of the worst places when it comes down value for money and service in the food, beverage, and hospitality industries…