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Are New Zealanders, the People on the Edge of the World, about to tip off the edge and into cultural homogeneity with the United States? I was surprised to read in The New Zealand Herald that the a new edition of the Lonely Planet travel guide is advising visitors to leave a tip of about 10% for good service. Tipping was not part of the culture when I was growing up, and nor was it an overt practice during my last stint at home during 2006–2007. It would be unfortunate if visitors to Godzone came with the expectation that they had to pay over and above the advertized price.

All goods and services in New Zealand are subject to a 12.5% Goods and Services Tax (GST), included in the displayed price. I was also under the impression that most employees (such as wait staff) were adequately remunerated so that they did not need to rely on tips for income, as I believe is the case in the USA and some other countries (where workers aren't properly paid).

I don't like the phenomenon of tipping. I've always found it uncomfortable as a traveller knowing when to tip and by how much. I want to look at a menu and know in advance what I'll be paying—just as I can buy a new keyboard for a fixed price without thinking about the 10–15% extra it might cost if the sales assistant demonstrates competence with the card reader. But more than that I resent the concept of "rewarding" poor service (late taxi, cold food, etc.) with an obligatory tip. I would prefer to reward good service with compliment and future custom, and "deselect" (in evolutionary terms) poor service by voting with my feet. Having said that if a meal has been outstanding or the service exceptional, I am happy to leave a financial token to reflect that—but at my discretion.

In my former profession I had no expectation of rewards. I did sometimes receive gifts, however, ranging from a 12 year old bottle of Scotch whiskey to a lint-covered boiled sweet extracted from a coat pocket. I do understand that sometimes people feel a more tangible offering is required when mere words don't seem enough, and that's fine. But it was not my right to expect those coming to see me to part with extra money; that's what my salary (in the UK) or my invoice (in NZ) was covering.

Perhaps tipping is embarrassing on both sides? I might wonder if I've left enough; the wait staff might feel bad about accepting 12% for a 2% effort (yeah, right!). Some folk might argue that tipping encourages good service; so might paying your employees properly. Please don't let it become the norm in NZ—it's more American culture Kiwis need as much as they need gun crime!

Tip, a (formerly free) iPhone tool for restaurant mathematics

A quick Google search reassuringly suggests that Lonely Planet are going out on a limb by suggesting a percentage. According to Tourism New Zealand:

Tipping in New Zealand is not obligatory—even in restaurants and bars. However, tipping for good service or kindness is at the discretion of the visitor. Hotels and restaurants in New Zealand do not add service charges to their bills.

This view is backed up by Immigration New Zealand, who advise would-be immigrants that:

In New Zealand we don't expect tips for normal service—that includes restaurants and bars. You can tip for excellent service if you wish, but it's not expected.

Wikipedia say:

Tipping is often seen as a foreign custom and sometimes as patronising; service is included in what you pay for. It remains fairly rare outside the main centres and should never be considered compulsory. Still, some cafés have "tip jars" for loose change at the counter; and it has long been customary to tell taxi drivers to "keep the change". If staff request a tip it is considered grounds for complaint by the customer.

TripAdvisor do give a percentage, but take pains to indicate the discretionary nature of tipping:

New Zealand has been described as having a "true" merit-based tipping culture. It is not customary and not required, however, for exceptional service (particularly with Concierges or in restaurants and cafes) a tip is always appreciated. The amount is at the discretion of the tipper and would generally be in the range of 10% according to the value of the meal/services. Hospitality and service staff in New Zealand are often students or part-time workers and even professionals are not paid well comparative to other countries. Wait staff in cafes/restaurants etc do get paid a higher hourly rate than their North American counterparts... Taxi drivers aren't generally tipped but they do appreciate it if you round the fare up to the nearest dollar so they don't have to look for change.

And then there's the Lonely Planet website:

Tipping is becoming more widespread in New Zealand, principally in the major centres where there's been more foreign influence. However, it's certainly not expected in any restaurant. You should tip 5-10% of the bill in a restaurant (not in a simple café) if you feel you have received exceptional service.

Do you have any views on tipping to share? How do you define "exceptional service" when, in our recent experience of eating out in Wellington, that was the norm?

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