Tipping is not customary for cabs, restaurants etc however, Contiki recommend that you tip the driver and tour manager, as per all other Contiki tours.
There are those of us here who do leave a bit extra in restaurants, bars or cafes but you won't be frowned upon if you don't, that's for sure!
EDIT: I think it's more of a European thing to tip too. I live here and I do tip in most restaurants/cafes because I appreciate the work they do (I also spent 10 years working in hospitality and I know how hard it is)! Of all the people I know though, I find that most of my european friends tip whereas the Australian's don't.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: PinaI,
Posts: 1493 | Location: Perth, Western Australia | Registered: 11 Apr 2005
We were in a Subway in Alice Springs, I saw a sign with a job posting paying somewhere around $17 an hour [yes Subway]. Australian wait staff make a much fairer wage than their north american counterparts and have less need for tips.
Posts: 62 | Location: Canada | Registered: 18 Jun 2006
Not sure if it is still the case today, but in the past, wait staff did not even qualify for minimum wage. That said, I had friends working in nice restaurants, bringing home $100-200 a night in cash [having made only like $40 in wages for the night].
Posts: 62 | Location: Canada | Registered: 18 Jun 2006
Tipping is not customary in Australia, however, say you went to a nice restaurant for dinner and the food and service was great, you might leave a little extra cash as a tip. Other than that, once you get to 18 years of age, the wage is pretty good. For example, I worked at a fast food place when I was 15 and was on $5 an hour but by the time I turned 18 and was working at a department store I was on $18 an hour. Pretty good for that kind of job I reckon.
Posts: 15 | Location: Northern Territory, Australia | Registered: 07 Jan 2008
As others have said, absolutely no need to tip. However, if some people do tend to if they feel that they have been given excellent service above and beyond what the staff are required to give.
Don't even think about tipping if you're anywhere other than a restaurant or taxi, and then only in exceptional circumstances. It's just not done.
Posts: 37 | Location: Canberra, Australia | Registered: 14 Feb 2008
Who ever said that tipping is illegal is a fool. its not illegal. no one tips in australia. unless you where happy with the serivice or so on you might leave a few bucks but thats about it people dont give a crap if you dont tip them
It is against the law to tip a public official in Australia, for example a police officer or government employee. Other than that if you really wanted to tip in a restaurant or taxi you can but it is not the norm. Sometimes you might tell someone to keep the change but that really the extent of it. You can if you want, but no one expects it
I went on a contiki tour and I didn't tip, and it's not like they expect it. So tipping should be the last thing on your mind when you are taking a trip. As it is you already have to budget and Australia isn't the cheapest country in the world. So if you "feel" like giving someone a tip because they were awesome, but I wouldn't make it a daily occurance.
Trina
Posts: 101 | Location: Thunder Bay, ON, Canada | Registered: 17 Jun 2007
