Opinion

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.