Janet CollinsEtiquette and the Tip
September 28th 2009 11:17
In Australia, the subject of tipping always leads to a very colourful discussion. There are those who are dead against tipping for service and others who are very happy to tip. Is it, or should it be, good etiquette to tip someone who has given you really good service, just good service and just service?
A recent article by an Australian on the subject of tipping compared the tipping culture in America to that of Australia. The criticisms were more on the American culture that compelled tourists, no matter where they were, to leave gratuities with practically everyone who did just about anything for them.
The story of tipping focussed on a holiday the writer had at a ritzy ski resort in Aspen. It may have felt as if everyone who worked in the resort expected some sort of tip but even there the discrimination when it came to tipping was apparent.
The obligation to tip workers who check in coats, drive shuttle buses, carry luggage in the hotels to the ski instructors who give private lessons was enough to send anyone home broke says writer and tourist, Rachel Oakes-Ash.
So lucrative are tips in this environment that it is worth heading there for the season for work to clean up any overblown credit card debt, something that is possible to do in a very short time.
In America, according to Oakes-Ash, tipping is not even discussed and bringing it up in conversation would be regarded as very bad manners indeed. Even though tipping is rife throughout the resort, Oakes-Ash admitted that tipping does apply to everyone working on the slopes.
In the ski resorts it is essential to tip taxis, bar staff, waiters, porters, coat-check girls and other hotel service workers, the ski instructor and the ones who wax or service your skis. Totally ignored as far as tipping goes are the lifties or ticket sales staff.
I know that in America the culture of tipping is almost obligatory, particularly in the finer places and Americans are often not so keen when they are out of their own country.. While Australians are not particularly known for their generous tips, most of the time I find little difference between them and those of most other nationalities. Some will tip really well. Others will tip something and some will not tip at all.
The difference seems to be that in Australia, tipping seems to be restricted to occupations such as restaurant or similar services. This is probably because a tip seems warranted for someone who has looked after you for a few hours compared to the example Oakes-Ash made, for someone who has simply hung up your coat or carried your bag, which is really what their job is anyway.
I have always been an advocate of tipping for good service but I also admit that there is a lot of discrimination out there. For example, we don’t tip the young person who serves us a burger at McDonalds or a person who makes us a sandwich at the local takeaway. We don’t tip a help desk person or many others in “customer service” but we readily tip a waiter who looks after us at the local restaurant.
Should we tip? If so, who should we tip and how much? Is it etiquette to tip or is it just a good way to say “thanks”?
Sourced: Sun-Herald article on www.smh.com.au
Image credit: www. smh.com.au
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