Australians reject tipping in hospitality venues

A new report shows that Australians continue to reject tipping, with 43 per cent saying it’s “not part of Australian culture”.

The money.com.au survey interviewed more than 1,000 Australians on how they feel when prompted to tip in hospitality venues.

The report found that Baby Boomers are the most opposed to tipping, with 50 per cent saying they refuse to do it, while Millennials were the most in favour, with 15 per cent say they always support tipping. Meanwhile, Gen Z were the most flexible, with 33 per cent saying they’ll tip for good service.

Money.com.au’s Finance Expert Sean Callery says Australians are resisting the shift towards obligatory US-style tipping.

“Tipping might be the norm in places like the U.S., but Aussies aren’t buying into it — even though more venues are adding tip prompts of 15–20 per cent at checkout. It feels automated and forced. Most Australians expect hospitality staff to be paid fairly by their employer for providing a service, not subsidised by the customer,” he says.

The results also showed that 18 per cent of those interviewed feel uncomfortable about tipping, but will do it if pressured; 29 per cent don’t mind tipping, depending on the occasion; 7 per cent say they like it as a way to reward good service; and only 4 per cent always tip, saying hospitality staff deserve extra pay.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio.

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