There is nothing more uncomfortable than “tipping trauma”. I’ve been chased out of an American restaurant, when I was a penniless young traveler, by a waiter who reckoned I hadn’t tipped enough.

Libby’s been chased out of an Italian public toilet for not tipping an attendant for our 4 year old daughter.

You soon learn to buy a good amount of $1 bills on touching down in the US to be able to tip… everyone.

Thankfully it’s not as bad as that in Australia. The main reason is that wages, particularly in the service industry, are much higher here. In the US, service staff often depend on their tips just to survive.

However that doesn’t mean we can to be stingy here if someone gives exceptional service at a restaurant, or goes out if their way to care for your needs at a hotel.

There’s no general rule about tipping, but most Aussies stick to the standard 10 per cent tip, particularly when at a restaurant where you have had a decent meal and the waiters have been terrific.

It’s a bit over the top to have to tip for every takeaway coffee or beer at your local, but every little bit of spare change left over counts. Particularly if you’re a regular at a cafe, or plan to spend the whole night at one bar, you’ll notice the difference in service when the staff knows you’re a ‘tipper’.

Now, all four of my kids have worked in restaurants and bars, so my expertise comes from their experience at being tipped, or more often, not tipped. Knowing that they get paid a good hourly rate, they never expect every man and his dog to leave a bit extra.

But one example happened to my youngest daughter who served a table of ten people on a business lunch who stayed for three hours and had a bill of over $400. She served only this table for the entire meal and wasn’t left a cent. I do think that’s a bit rough unless she was hopeless at her job.

In the end it doesn’t hinder just her, but all the wait staff. Again, I’m just speaking from what my kids tell me, but it’s common practice for tips to be pooled between all wait staff, and sometimes kitchen staff as well. But only if the tips are paid in cash.

After being berated by all four children repeatedly, I now don’t leave tips on my credit card, but in cash, as they as it often gets absorbed by the restaurant owner rather than those who deserve it.

I’m also very careful to read the fine print at the bottom of a menu. Are you noticing an increasing number of restaurants automatically adding a 10 per cent “service charge” to the total. I think that’s very sneaky.

When travelling always check the local travel guides because tipping etiquette can change markedly between countries.