What is your view on tipping in New Zealand?

By Louisa Cleave

How much more than a thank-you is good service worth?

Not much if you are a waiter in New Zealand, where waiters on average collect $33 a week in tips, rising to $53 in Auckland.

But things could be looking up as diners exposed to overseas tipping practices increasingly leave cash for the waiters.

A New Zealand Herald-DigiPoll survey on attitudes towards tipping for service reveals 46 per cent of people do it only for excellent service, while 44 per cent utterly oppose the practice. Only 1.1 per cent always tip.

The chief executive of the Hospitality Association, Bruce Robertson, said that five years ago the number opposed would have been much higher.

"That shift in culture by Kiwis is a result of travel overseas, where tipping is part of the culture, and tourists coming here and tipping."

Mr Robertson said the industry did not encourage tipping as a matter of course. "It's not part of our culture and we respect that." But it was accepted as a reward for excellent service.

He would not like tipping to become a substitute for wages, as it is in some countries.

The United States Ambassador to New Zealand, Josiah Beeman, still tips – but not on the same scale he would at home, where it can be many workers' main income.

A spokesman said those lucky enough to receive a little extra from the Ambassador should expect the 15 to 20 per cent of the total bill customary in the United States.

Auckland waitress Amber Smith would be thrilled with such a gesture. The fulltime café worker said that on the whole tipping by New Zealanders was pretty terrible.

"If people are happy with their service they should tip as a mark of recognition."

The Foodservices Association has successfully challenged the Tourism Board's advice to tourists that it was not normal practice.

The association's chief executive, Neville Waldren, said it would encourage better service. "People will up their performance if they get a tip."

Apart from the main findings, the poll showed 4.2 per cent always tipped except for bad service, and 1.1 per cent always tipped.

The poll of 663 adults revealed that peopled aged over 40, men and those on lower incomes were most averse to tipping.

Although the samples were very small, respondents of Chinese descent and New Zealand First voters had the highest numbers of those who always tipped.

The highest proportion utterly opposed to tipping came from Act (48.2 per cent), in contrast with the 58.3 per cent of Alliance voters who would tip, even if only for excellent service. Slightly more National supporters (47.5) would tip than Labour (44.4).