(.224 member)

30/07/14 11:07 PM

Tipping in Australia

30 days and counting. It's been a long time since my last safari, and of course I can't wait for this upcoming one. Fully prepared of course, .416, bow and snake hook packed, two buffs on the menu...

What I need to know from you experienced aussie hunters, is : what is the norm in terms of tipping down under (never been there yet) ? I guess a 10% would be OK in bars / restaurants ("american tipping model", if I may put it this way without offending anyone) ? I have an idea about tipping the trackers, if there are any (just like in Africa I imagine), but do you usually tip the guide ? It's just that it sounds weird to me to give a tip to someone who may be richer than I am...

Thanks for your advice(s).

Administrator

(.700 member)

31/07/14 02:06 AM

Re: Tipping in Australia

King Baboon,

Good to see you again, and hope your hunt is great.

Tipping in bars and restaurants?

Not required at all. Aussie workers are paid a fair wage.

As I am in the wine industry I sometimes in the past have rounded up the bill to the next $5 or $10. ie these businesses can be customers.

Definitely no 10% at all required. As a tourist I wouldn't tip at all.

Tipping the trackers? Tipping the Guide?

Do what you feel is right and appropriate if they work hard and do a good job.

Compared to Africa, where a camp might have from 10 to even 30 people doing all the work from skinning, caring for trophies, cooking, cleaning, driving, bar tending, milking cows, gardening, tracking, guiding, and everything else, in Aussie it often is ONE GUIDE, ONE CAMP worker/cook and possibly the occasional casual tracker when they feel like working (if in Aboriginal lands). One outfitter I used had an agreement to hire a tracker per hunt, but if the locals did not feel like it, or had ceremonies at the time, they didn't bother.

So the two or three staff do a lot of hard work.

I'll leave it to other Aussies and perhaps other foreign visiting clients to comment on what they did. Myself I like to give a gift if I can.

(.700 member)

31/07/14 02:10 AM

Re: Tipping in Australia

I'm interested in this topic as well.

Here, restaurants and bars, the tips usually run 15% - or more, depending on the total amount of the bill. Very few people only tip 10%.

(.224 member)

31/07/14 07:14 AM

Re: Tipping in Australia

Thanks for your input John.

I see the tipping as a very sensitive question for the newcomer I am. As I reckon, it seems to go pretty much like here in France (in a restaurant you may leave a 2 € coin for the waiter, nothing if it's a "duty meal" that you employer will refund - obviously they won't pay you back for the tips). As for hunting, I may will to leave a tip of an amount I can afford, say a couple hundred dollars, hoping it will be appreciated as the effort I can make and not seen as an insult if $1000 is the rule...

Will happily gather other points of view to help me make up my mind !

(.700 member)

31/07/14 07:38 AM

Re: Tipping in Australia

John - I've heard that about tipping in Australian restaurants. Interesting.

Here, the Charge-card or Debit card machines ask if you want to pay 10%, 12%, 15%, 20% or 25% tip - or a definite amount, as you are cashing out at the table or front counter.

Many coffee shops or luncheon shops (Not Tim Hortons) will even have a tip-jar at the cash register.

Rather presumptuous, eh?

Most restaurant employees only receive the standard minimum $10.50 per hour wage rate and rely upon tips to help feed their families. Those usually do a cracker of a job and I don't mind giving a good tip to them for services rendered. It's the lazy high-school drop-outs I am not inclined to tip heavily - unless VERY pretty and have big boobs.

(.416 member)

31/07/14 08:05 AM

Re: Tipping in Australia

Hi Daryl,

Quote.: " Here, the Charge-card or Debit card machines ask if you want to pay 10%, 12%, 15%, 20% or 25% tip - or a definite amount, as you are cashing out at the table or front counter.

Upto recently a lot of people just signed the Card receipt but tomorrow, all Banks are are going over to 'PIN ONLY' and exactly what you described is worrying the various restaurant workers not being able to get their Tips.

As John mentioned, Tip what you feel is correct based on the service you received.

Have a "Great" hunt and hope a report will follow,

Cheers Mate,

Jeff

.

(.375 member)

31/07/14 08:06 AM

Re: Tipping in Australia

KingBaboon
It will be quite unlikely your guide will be richer than you are. Unless your guide is the operator and even then possibly not. No one takes the actual guiding on to get rich and a tip reflective of effort is always appreciated.

(.333 member)

31/07/14 08:39 AM

Re: Tipping in Australia

Interesting topic. It has been my habit to round out to the closest figure over 15%. I don't like the percent thing as it usually involves small change. This is of course at restaurants as I can't afford a guided hunt. Al

(.275 member)

31/07/14 08:53 AM

Re: Tipping in Australia

As NitroX stated, No tipping required.

Giving tips is not in our culture.

I was actually very uncomfortable on my safari to South Africa with regards to having to tip. As it was not a part of my upbringing I didn't have a grasp on what things I did and didn't have to tip. Ie my first taxi ride to the hotel... I paid the fare but didn't pay a tip.

I still dont really understand it. Why not just increase the price of everything by 10-15% and call it even?

Tom

(.700 member)

31/07/14 12:39 PM

Re: Tipping in Australia

I certainly see and acknowledge your point, Tom however the cab fare goes to the cab company - the 'tip' is a little extra for the cabbie himself - AFTER taxes.

Here, many non-skilled workers, like servers in a bar, work for tips. They get paid minimum wages ($10.50 per hr), but make their money off tips while doing a great job and looking the part as well.

Administrator

(.700 member)

31/07/14 02:05 PM

Re: Tipping in Australia

Quote:

As NitroX stated, No tipping required.

Giving tips is not in our culture.

I was actually very uncomfortable on my safari to South Africa with regards to having to tip. As it was not a part of my upbringing I didn't have a grasp on what things I did and didn't have to tip. Ie my first taxi ride to the hotel... I paid the fare but didn't pay a tip.

I've never really tipped for a taxi in Africa. Maybe a small amount on top. Some taxi drivers "take" their own "tip" when returning any change less an extra amount usually more than a "tip".

On my first safari, I didn't tip the PH at all. Since when does a "professional" get a tip? He was probably annoyed.

On my second I didn't as the warvets ffffed it up and I had no money left over after buying a second safari.

The third I gave a good amount, in my Aussie opinion, as the Zim PH said he had to pay for my airfare when his hired Landcruiser lost a wheel on the drive out and was out of action. So I tipped him well in compensation.

***

But in Australia, give what you think is appreciative to the guide and staff.

None of those guys in the outfitting business are rich. They do it for the lifestyle.

***

AGAIN NO TIPPING is required in Australia for restaurants, bars and pubs. It is an incredibly STUPID practice and not common in Australia. We have Unions here that fought in the 1930's for fair wages. Begging for tips is not required by workers to get a fair wage. Over time rates can be at 150% to 200% of the normal wage. Penalty rates, eg working on weekends and public holidays can vary from 150% to 300% of the normal day wage. Keeping a bar tab is mostly unknown, you pay as you go and no tip for the publican is required.

There may be a "tip" jar for coins for anyone so inclined. There will be a "tip" line on the credit card invoice. But tips are not expected.

And no bitchy waitress will come running after you screaming like a banshee "where is my tip!!!!!". (never happened to me in the US but to friends who were unaware.

)

(.224 member)

31/07/14 03:28 PM

Re: Tipping in Australia

Quote:

It will be quite unlikely your guide will be richer than you are. Unless your guide is the operator and even then possibly not.

He is, this is the point.

Quote:

a tip reflective of effort is always appreciated.

This I am fully aware of, otherwise I wouldn't have started the topic.

Tipping is in the american, canadian (for instance) culture. Not in the french. French don't tip in France (workers get well paid and don't rely on tips). French do tip abroad, but are not used to it, and want to be fair (some of course not, but I do). And as we are not used to tipping, the "tip what your think is right" doesn't help much...

(.375 member)

31/07/14 04:19 PM

Re: Tipping in Australia

I have been thinking this over and as you state it is American culture to tip. American hunters have created this situation in Australia. Australians generally do not give or receive tips and if I went on a paid hunt here would not tip. As it is not in your culture or ours I don't think you should either. On the occasions I guide I do not expect a tip and would take no offence if none was given. If anyone reading this goes on a hunt I am guiding please disregard the above.

(.224 member)

31/07/14 04:32 PM

Re: Tipping in Australia

Quote:

On the occasions I guide I do not expect a tip and would take no offence if none was given. If anyone reading this goes on a hunt I am guiding please disregard the above.

Superb

Thanks a lot for your very worthy advice. I will definitely tip if I am satisfied, how much I have to tip without getting into ridiculously high amounts of cash is what was bothering me

(.400 member)

31/07/14 05:21 PM

Re: Tipping in Australia

This is a hugely debated issue on hunting forums and surprisingly the 'inventors' of this custom, our American friends, are often at the forefront of questioning and bemoaning the practice, but in the end pay up. Obviously they come from a culture that has had the practice in existence for many years and probably just accept it in their own country without query but when the dollars start adding up on safari and every man and his dog lines up at the end of the safari for their little 'take', the reality hits home to many.

It seems that while tipping is said to be discretionary, in the safari industry it is openly discussed and advertised with expectations of the dollar value for each of the different participants in the hunt (they probably do have a recommended tip level for the camp mutt too). There would not be an advertisement around for hunting safaris where tipping is not mentioned.

Most in our society here in NZ, Oz and I understand, most European countries, do their job to the best of their ability and do not expect to be tipped for it. I have often asked the question - do those that support or at least perpetrate the practice and tip when on hunting safaris in any country also tip their doctor,dentist,lawyer,kids school teacher for doing a good job, mechanic fixing their car, the MacDonald's kid taking their order and delivering with a smile, the guy that comes around collecting their refuse and recycling, you bet your life they don't. They probably couldn't afford to go on safari if they tipped everyone in their life that performed a service for them.

I personally cannot stand the practice and find it ingratiating to the point of begging. Who do those in the safari business think they are to expect good fat tips for doing their job. I tire of those who make out it is discretionary, if it is then don't advertise it, don't mention it and don't damn well line up with your hand out for it.

There those are my thoughts.

Administrator

(.700 member)

31/07/14 08:52 PM

Re: Tipping in Australia

BTW the standard tip for a water buffalo hunt in the Top End is a nice French double rifle, a Verney-Carron or a Chapuis. Every French client has left his rifle behind as a tip for the guide ......

(.224 member)

31/07/14 10:16 PM

Re: Tipping in Australia

I shoot a very vulgar bolt-action Sauer, southpaw to top it off

But I may be willing to leave my Midwest snake hook, which is, proprerly used, a true dangerous game defensive weapon...

(.700 member)

31/07/14 11:33 PM

Re: Tipping in Australia

hahahaha John & Claydog!

Ever been on a cruise ship?

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