New South Wales and ACT diners are more generous when it comes to showing their appreciation at a restaurant with a tip, according to a new survey.

The latest American Express Dining Insights survey revealed significant differences in ‘tipping behaviour’ across the states and territories.

Diners in New South Wales and the ACT are 40 per cent more likely to leave a tip of at least 10 per cent than diners in other states and territories, according to the national poll.

Nineteen per cent of NSW/ACT diners never tip, compared to 48 per cent of South Australians, 41 per cent of West Australians and 39 per cent of Queenslanders; South Australians.

Western Australians are harder to please than those in the East, being 33 per cent less likely to leave a tip of at least 10 per cent of the bill than diners in New South Wales, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania or Queensland.

Diners in Victoria and Tasmania are more likely to tip infrequently.

The survey also revealed the major impact on tipping generosity generated if a surcharge is applied to their credit card payment. It found 47 per cent of diners would not tip at all and a further 34 per cent would reduce the size of their tip if there was surcharge.

The poll, conducted by Galaxy Research, also found 35 per cent of diners normally consider a tip of at least 10 per cent of the total restaurant bill to be appropriate, an extra amount that may be lost if a surcharge is applied.

American Express head of market development Geoff Begg said surcharging leaves a “bad taste in the diner’s mouth”.

“The data shows the bigger the tipper the more likely they are to resent a fee being applied to their choice of payment,” said Begg.

“Regardless of where people live, how old they are or how often they eat out their tipping habits are reduced when an additional fee is charged. This happens with credit cards and we sense it also applies to public holiday surcharges and large-group booking fees,” he said.