Is there a tipping Culture in OZ?

markymark21

So myself and the other half are heading to Melbourne in November. (St Kilda by the looks of it) and seeing as we will both we looking for work in restaurants and bars I was wondering is there much of a tipping culture in Australia? Do they leave the customary 10%? Do the staff get to keep the tips they make?

I've been looking at Seek.au and the likes and although I may be mistaken it seems a waiter could make decent enough money in Oz. Most ads I see are offering experienced waiters up to 45K a year or $20-30 per hour and although this is no where near the mad salaries other professions make it seems to me that this figure together with tips made could mean a waiter could make a decent enough living in Oz..

And I right or wrong? Anyone here worked in the hospitality industry in Australia who could shed some light on the subject?

Doc

Tipping culture in Oz is just like at home not like the USA. As you said people get paid okay here so dont need the tips as much as they do in the US.

hussey

a lot of places add on 10% charge for large bookings in restaurants etc
But generally 10% is generous, a couple of gold coins as opposed to notes if the waitress is friendly / does good job.

Tipping here isn't expected, it is more of a bonus for a good job.

ballooba

The attitude is that employers should be paying their staff a living wage. Unfortunately in my experience this is not always the case. Especially for international students.

mandrake04

ballooba wrote: »

The attitude is that employers should be paying their staff a living wage. Unfortunately in my experience this is not always the case. Especially for international students.

Well students are legally only allowed 20 hrs per week, you would hardly expect employers to pay anything more than 1/2 a living wage when the employee is doing roughly 1/2 a weeks work.

lg123

from my experience people tip a lot more in ireland. when i have dinner with aussie friends they rarely tip and if they do its feck all.

ballooba

mandrake04 wrote: »

Well students are legally only allowed 20 hrs per week, you would hardly expect employers to pay anything more than 1/2 a living wage when the employee is doing roughly 1/2 a weeks work.

My uni has a job placement team and they expect students to work for free. These are masters students with a couple of years professional experience in other fields. Usually unpaid for three months with a slim chance of a paid job afterwards. For non-course related jobs students are exploited like others at the bottom of the ladder. As for the 20 hours? It seems to be flouted with impunity.

mandrake04

ballooba wrote: »

My uni has a job placement team and they expect students to work for free. These are masters students with a couple of years professional experience in other fields. Usually unpaid for three months with a slim chance of a paid job afterwards. For non-course related jobs students are exploited like others at the bottom of the ladder.

more fool them...... Thats the good thing about Australia its a democratic country. If they feel exploited they can leave at anytime.

ballooba wrote: »

As for the 20 hours? It seems to be flouted with impunity.

Off course it is.... and a lot do get caught.

ballooba

mandrake04 wrote: »

more fool them...... Thats the good thing about Australia its a democratic country. If they feel exploited they can leave at anytime.

They're being exploited. Are there specific circumstances where exploitation is right? or is it always right? Should we open the immigration floodgates to reduce costs for business? In my opinion this practice is wrong and the universities should not be working with these employers.

mandrake04 wrote: »

Off course it is.... and a lot do get caught.

And yet they still do it. It's no different to restaurant trade in US relying on cheap Mexican illegals.

s.c

ballooba wrote: »

My uni has a job placement team and they expect students to work for free. These are masters students with a couple of years professional experience in other fields. Usually unpaid for three months with a slim chance of a paid job afterwards. For non-course related jobs students are exploited like others at the bottom of the ladder. As for the 20 hours? It seems to be flouted with impunity.

Well if there is slim chance of them getting a paid job afterwards then these is obviously little or no demand for their skill so why would you expect a company to take them on. At least if they get unpaid experience, they are still getting experience which counts towards a lot when getting a real job.

ballooba

s.c wrote: »

Well if there is slim chance of them getting a paid job afterwards then these is obviously little or no demand for their skill so why would you expect a company to take them on. At least if they get unpaid experience, they are still getting experience which counts towards a lot when getting a real job.

Why would there be demand for paid employees when there is a ready supply of free ones? They told us in DIT not to accept unpaid work because it cheapens the profession. Here firms have no problem using staff to provide billed services while the staff are effectively paying to work because they have expenses to cover too.

s.c

ballooba wrote: »

Why would there be demand for paid employees when there is a ready supply of free ones? They told us in DIT not to accept unpaid work because it cheapens the profession. Here firms have no problem using staff to provide billed services while the staff are effectively paying to work because they have expenses to cover too.

Well thats a new one. There's no work because all the college students are doing it for free on 3/6 months work experience.

mandrake04

ballooba wrote: »

They're being exploited. Are there specific circumstances where exploitation is right? or is it always right? Should we open the immigration floodgates to reduce costs for business? In my opinion this practice is wrong and the universities should not be working with these employers.

And yet they still do it. It's no different to restaurant trade in US relying on cheap Mexican illegals.

Really we are drifting off topic Australia is not a nation of tippers, although if I feel as if I got good service I might leave them my odds.

As for the exploitation I sense a bit of sour grapes in your posts, International students are on limited visa's and do not have the same works rights as PR or Citizens. I see nothing wrong stretching them out a bit if they want to make a living in Australia get a proper visa... Student visa is for studying and maybe make a bit if pocket money.

hussey

Mod LADS BACK ON TRACK - No more of this illegal student work stuff

ballooba

Mod <snip> Back on track! message deleted.

markymark21

lg123 wrote: »

from my experience people tip a lot more in ireland. when i have dinner with aussie friends they rarely tip and if they do its feck all.

Although that may just be your mates and not be a representation of all aussies but I've been told by quite a few people Austrailian people are very similiar to English people (which isnt a bad thing, ive nothing against English people) however from my experience working in London the English aren't the greatest tippers

spunkymunky

A lot of places have a kinda of pre pay thing going on, where you order your food, get a number and sit down. The food is then brought to you. I dont think this way lends itself to tipping! If I tip I generally do so when paying the bill and if im happy.
I tip here as I did in Ireland and only if happy with the service. Generally 10ish% more if I feel warranted. I dont work in hospo so I cant say what people generally tip. People around me seem to though.