Tipping in Sydney

I think it's not so much a question of who's writing them, but who they're being written for.

 

Tipping threads on CC repeatedly reveal a deeply-ingrained aspect of the US tipping culture: Tipping is a regarded as a moral obligation. If you don't tip, you're going to go to hell the fast way, and don't expect to get any sleep that night. And the more you tip, the better a person you are.

 

Within the US, where pay structures and scales are set up within that culture, that may all work very well. A visitor to the US would be doing their hosts a great disfavour to bring their own "I'm b@ggered if I'm going to tip anyone" attitudes with them (as some sadly do). When in the US, you need to tip properly for perfectly proper reasons.

 

But the culture seems to make at least some of the US audience feel very uncomfortable when they're in a different place where tipping is neither necessary nor expected, thus witness the content of the many threads about tipping in Australia and New Zealand. The feeling of moral imperative means that they just can't walk away without leaving a tip, however often they are told by locals that they can just walk away without leaving a tip.

 

So I do wonder whether the guides are written by people who think that they won't be listened to unless they tell their audience what their audience would prefer to hear. And as you say, few staff are going to positively refuse free money that's on offer, however unnecessary it is for the giver to part with it.

I suspect you are right on all issues.

As for the discomfort they may feel at not tipping I then find it strange that no appreciation is given to the discomfort those of us from non-tipping cultures feel when we are forced to adopt the culture.

But it is one of the things I love about cruising, it’s all taken care of.

Tipping is never required in New Zealand. If you are in an area where US tourists congregate then restaurants may asked for a tip but they’re just trying their luck - it is absolutely not required to tip. The minimum wage is around $11 USD per hour and hospitality workers are all earning at least that amount; more than enough to live comfortably in NZ.

And, remember that the $11 they get also includes universal health care and many other benefits too; NZ looks after it’s population with the costs met through high taxes on those that earn well.

I’m an Aussie who has lived in the US for more than 40 years. When I’m in Australia or New Zealand, I will occasionally tip if the service is really good. Most of the time I don’t feel compelled to tip.

I’m pretty sure that in New Zealand, the tour guides would tip the customers (if they didn’t ask silly questions!)

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What about New Zealand - what is the tipping culture there? Similar to Australia?

Our wonderful tour guide In NZ specifically told us not to offer him any tips, & to keep this in mind all throughout NZ.

Another great thing is that all the prices (including in restaurants) already include all taxes... so when a meal is listed at 15 NZD, that's exactly what you pay. Here in Los Angeles you can expect to add on about 30% between taxes & tip so it was very nice.

dupe

<<Just curious if that also goes for restaurants? Is there any tipping expected when you have dinner out?>>

 

Tipping is not necessary in restaurants. The servers get paid a living wage and do not depend on tips to augment a paltry wage like in the U.S. You may see a line for a tip on your receipt, but you are not expected to add a tip. It's just how the machines are set up.

We don’t call them “servers” in Australia. Nor do we use that abomination “wait staff” They are waiters.

We have found that on land in New Zealand and Australia that tipping is unexpected.

We learned this by asking the locals who we were sailing with who would know as they might ask us if visiting the USA what the customs are.

Keith

Holly Sh*t have never visited down under but already like them.