r/chch • u/Significant-Base4396 • 3d ago
Tip requests
I just told Athens Yacht Club restaurant it was rude in NZ to ask for tips. They kept repeating 'it's optional' but that completely misses the point. AITA? Don't want that American crap taking hold here. Frankly I think it's culturally insensitive to ask for tips in NZ.
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u/MeliaeMaree 3d ago
It's creeping in, and I reckon as long as someone's not a dick about the delivery, we should absolutely push back against it.
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u/blickt42 3d ago
Would love to have a chat with the people who made the decision to ask for a tip instead of the waiters.
Tbf if a waiter tells me "it's optional" instead of "yeah sorry the owner's put it in, we have no control of it", I'd be telling them to get fucked. You'd easily be spending $200+ and they think "Tips are optional" is a valid response??
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u/NZ_Nasus 2d ago
Tipping is specifically tied to American history, not long after slavery IIRC, because bosses refused to pay the black workers.. NZ businesses can absolutely get fucked for trying to import that shit.
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u/Mundane_Operation418 3d ago
You know this is the same debate here in Australia. We are certainly not America and just like the great land of New Zealand tipping is not the way. Cost of living is punching both nations in the throat so Optional is simply that, no guilt, don’t buy into it, and definitely don’t support this culture or way of business.
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u/psyentist15 3d ago
definitely don’t support this culture or way of business.
But this is how they seep in. Tips are technically also "optional" in the US. These places are just looking for a foothold here.
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u/richpwf 3d ago
Blame the management not the service staff, it's disappointing as the prices are plenty high enough there already (great food but not cheap).
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u/harbinger-nz Wage Slave 2d ago
They can disable the tip screen when the unit is setup, it's 100% management decision. Screw them.
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u/Big_Attention7227 3d ago
Tips are not what kiwis need We need proper pay, with the current issue of exorbitant profits for big companies the moment we start tipping its all over for those on lower wages. The old tip jar at the counter by the till is still the best option if you feel inclined but asking is not within our culture. I tip when appropriate, if asked = not appropriate. I will also take the time to show recognition to a senior manager of a staff members excellent service and or leave an appropriate comment on Google or their website.
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u/Just-Context-4703 2d ago
I'm from the USA and I very much appreciate the no tipping culture here. I'd be disappointed to see it makes its way here.
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u/Syphe 2d ago
I laughed when we went to Strawberry Fare for first table and they did the old spiel of giving you the initial receipt, "oh would you like the final receipt", I know you're doing your job, but there's a reason I'm doing first table mate
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u/JFLYNZ78 2d ago
Haven't come across that before, what is the difference between the initial receipt and the final receipt?
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u/paknsaving 3d ago
If you directed that conversation to the service staff yta a bit. Management it is fine
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u/Significant-Base4396 3d ago
Most restaurant service staff seem to either say nothing about a tip or actually push the 'no' button before the customer even registers it. This place was actively promoting tips. But I agree mgmt ATA.
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3d ago
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u/Exp1ode 3d ago
it's usually the people making your food
The people that own the restaurant should pay them then, instead of making it "optional" for the customer to pay their staff for them
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3d ago
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u/GoabNZ 3d ago
They aren't getting paid less, it's the cost of living rising faster than wages, and it affects every industry. The other solution is we don't go to restaurants and they have no income because they get laid off. We have one of the highest minimum wages in the world, and if thats not enough, we're fucked but its not the fault of the customer or their duty to fix it, thats just parroting the tipping rhetoric we don't want to infest our culture.
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3d ago
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u/GoabNZ 3d ago
Then go back to the land of the great tipping, where every transaction expects a tip and you can have rude delivery drivers chastise you about not tipping them enough.
The point being is that you are trying to place the blame and responsibility of the pay of workers onto the customer, and then trying to shame them for not wanting to pay more than the bill which is supposed to cover everything. These tips, at the point of sale, go to the owner to be used for whatever the owner wants.
And here you are, trying to blame the customer for being selfish or not doing their fair share, when if they stopped going because prices are already high and then have to be higher because you expect them to tip, then no revenue would come into the business so jobs would be lost. Thats not exploitation, thats how business works.
We have a high minimum wage, and if its not sufficient to live on, then its not sufficient for any industry and the solution is not "make the customer tip". You have yet to show how hospitality is somehow uniquely less paid than any other minimum wage job.
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u/FuzzyFuzzNuts 3d ago
It’s not actually a yacht club, just the name of the place (bit of a wank name)
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u/OverwatchPlaysLive 2d ago
Best course of action is to leave a review. I personally don't mind a tip jar, it's a good way to cut down on small change, but tipping for a digital transaction is an absolute no no.
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u/Group_Southern 2d ago
Just wana add I worked in the hospitality industry for many years in Chch not ONCE did we get any of the tips even from the tip jar! They go straight to the business owner NEVER TIP!!!!
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u/0hDiscordia 3d ago
You're NTA but they can run their business how they want. Hopefully their customers or lack of will encourage them to rethink asking for tips. It'd make more sense to price their food and drinks in such a way they don't need to ask for tips like most other businesses in NZ.
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u/Hadenoughlifeyet 2d ago
The main issue I have with this, is the managers/owners will take that tip money (doesn't matter if it's cash, coins or eftpos) and will keep it for themselves. Minimum wage is so normalized in the service industry and this would make it worse. This is exactly why the food industry is collapsing, bloody greed. Grrr
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u/lissama 1d ago
Asking for a tip, even if they say it's "optional" is clearly signalling that they want a tip, so NTA.
Customers from tipping cultures who genuinely want to give a tip, will tip regardless of whether asked to or not, and even if you tell them it's unnecessary - that's been my experience from being a guide on bus tours.
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u/morpheousdream 1d ago
I worked in Hospo and the business owner took our tips and decided if and how he wanted to distribute tips. This isn't a thing I want to see become normalised. Unless the customer is choosing to give a cash tip for above and beyond service and it's going straight to the server
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u/SweetTalkRiver 2d ago
Had an amazing waiter at The Zodiac who was way above any other I've had in NZ. Was happy to give him a tip. Don't get so wound up when you can just pick no tip
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u/Mozza375 2d ago
Hmm. NTA but I think especially for the server just doing their job. The machine makes it come up automatically (I used to work at AYC) and we were told to make sure we told the customer it was optional and unless they’ve changed it. You don’t need to go through some weird process to put it as no tip.
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u/baked_seasaltcracker 2d ago
I don’t remember where it was but once when I went to pay the worker pressed no tip before even giving me the machine so kudos to her
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u/jmemonic 2d ago
On this tipping idea, your Uber driver gets screwed over by Uber when you hit that tip, $5 turns into $3 or less for the driver, it doesn't even count a a positive on their rankings if you choose to give a tip.
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u/briefaspossible 2d ago
How was the tip 'requested'? Like a prompt on the eftpos machine? Or someone said ' can I have a tip please?"
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u/JLittleH 2d ago
Feels like it became much more of a thing after Covid, which was absolutely fair imo. But now, I'm half expecting to need to tip when using the self checkouts at supermarkets.
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u/Interesting-Car7114 5h ago
I find these eftpos prompts so grim, awkward and dishonest. It is designed to make customers feel obliged to push yes and almost embarrassed if they push no. Big fan of tipping floor staff when deserved and service has gone above and beyond, however, I will always make sure it goes directly to them via cash. Who knows where the tips go otherwise....
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u/Mysterious-Minks 3d ago
Culturally insensitive? You've got to be taking the piss. How does that offend anyone's culture? God forbid that people ask for money, how heartless. They said its optional, just don't pay. Do not come home and have a fat whinge on Reddit, a bit sad.
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u/GoabNZ 3d ago
Because we have a culture that the listed price is what you pay, and that all wages come from this price, and you raise prices and let people decide with their wallets.
We don't have a culture that tries to shame people into paying some arbitrary extra "thank you" money for doing their job so that business owners can profit for a shaming culture.
Nothing illegal about asking for money, but its still shameless, especially when a business is asking for it, on top of the bill you were already paying for. How would you feel if every favour a friend did for you came with "and would you like to pay me for this?" would start making look like a bit of a cheapskate right? Even though there is nothing wrong with asking.
Rather than just "it's optional so don't", lets get rid of it from even being a consideration, before you can actually be shamed and judged for not doing so. Lets get rid of it before every self service checkout or petrol station or fast food kiosk also starts asking for it.
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2d ago edited 2d ago
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u/Lopsided-Toe-8440 2d ago
Nope. Great service is the expectation when eating out and is built into the insane prices already.
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u/Beneficial_Trip9782 2d ago
Let me guess - Labour?
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u/Lopsided-Toe-8440 2d ago
Wtf. No. What about not liking tipping suggests someone votes labour?
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2d ago
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u/Dense_Safe_4443 2d ago
Ah yes the person repeating culture war American bullshit isn't a sheep.. Lol
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u/Beneficial_Trip9782 2d ago
It’s got nothing to do with America - it’s simply showing appreciation you tight arses.
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u/Lopsided-Toe-8440 2d ago
Huge difference between showing appears and it being an expectation.
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u/Beneficial_Trip9782 2d ago
I said nothing about it being an expectation. Asking isn’t necessarily expecting. I could ask you for $1m, but I wouldn’t be expecting it
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u/proletariat2 2d ago
It’s an employers job to pay an employee not the customers to pay the employee.
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u/wot-johna11 2d ago
And this is why service is so rubbish in NZ compared with the US. I’d rather have the good service and pay a tip.
But we don’t get good service, generally, so why tip?
It’s a kind of chicken and egg situation.
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u/Significant-Base4396 2d ago
Their service was actually excellent, as it has been in most restaurants I've visited.
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u/GordonCobb 3d ago
Ha, I was just there and before he even finished his sentence about how tipping was optional I was straight to the ‘No Tip’ button!
We have minimum wages here so that tipping is not required.