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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Lifestyle
Isabella Lee

Tip or skip? How US-style tipping culture is creeping into Australia

An illustration of a hand reaching towards a terminal tip window on a cash register which is displaying multiple tipping prompts
Gratuitous gratuities? Tipping has not historically been a part of the culture in Australia, where the minimum wage is one of the highest in the world. Composite: Getty Images

In an increasingly cashless society, wherever you spend money, there is often a prompt to spend more. Pubs, cafes, beauty salons, farmers’ markets, rideshares, food delivery services and even online shopping – the option to tip can present itself wherever you tap your card.

Until recently, tipping “wasn’t a big thing in Australia”, says Kieran Scott, a Brisbane-based web designer. “[Businesses] basically never asked if you wanted to leave a tip,” he says. Rather it was something you did “out of your own choice”.

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