Unlike other countries, many local hospitality staff are paid a minimum wage (around $16 an hour) so tips are not as heavily relied on as they are in the US for instance where staff can be paid as little as $2-3 an hour.

Traditionally, a tip is left to recognise staff that have gone beyond the standard motions of their job. But some people want that to change.

What if that model was flipped around so that you have to leave a tip not for the experience you just had, but to make sure you get a great one next time?

Well, that model exists in Australia right now and it’s called ResDiary.

It’s one of those things the restaurant industry doesn’t want you to know about — a database where your details and quirks are stored so that information can be used to tailor your next visit. Some of these details will be beneficial to your dining experience: like how spicy you like your food; what your favourite wines are; and whether you’re a loyal customer or not.

But other tidbits, like whether you’re a crappy tipper, might not be so conducive to pleasant customer service.

Many people in Australia leave about a 10 per cent tip if they’ve had a great experience. Source: Supplied

Stevan Premutico is the chief executive of Dimmi, whose online reservations company owns ResDiary, the electronic reservations and database system restaurants are using to keep track of their customers’ behaviour. He says Australia hasn’t got the tipping culture right.

“Australian restaurants are some of the poorest in the world,” Mr Premuntico told news.com.au. “An average restaurant is lucky to make a five per cent profit margin. So you have an obligation to leave a tip if you have a positive experience.”

Mr Premutico argues that if staff are further incentivised by tips, then that will result in an all-round better experience for customers who will reward that establishment with repeat visits and loyalty, which will make more money for the restaurant.

“Hotels and airlines have databases which store the same information about you and we’re empowering restaurants to do the same,” he said. “The absolute goal is for every owner to deliver better service to customers.”

ResDiary’s functions encompasse everything from reservations to table charts to customer information and allows staff to transfer information about a customer that was previously held in their heads among all the staff.

How much would you leave in a tip jar? Source: ThinkStock

But how will customers feel about having their quirks and habits recorded in a database for restaurant owners and employees to use at whim?

If you’re a generous tipper and a pleasant person, next time, the restaurant may decide to give you a better table and be more attentive in the hope of eliciting the same bonus from you. But if you’re rude or not willing to sweeten your bill with an extra note or two, you could be relegated to a less desirable table.

To tip or not to tip is one of those never-ending debates in Australia. In one camp are those that believe in rewarding good work, with 10% the customary gratuity. In the other camp are those that believe that tipping is unnecessary because good service is included in the menu price. Detractors also argue that normalising a tipping culture is just another one of those things we seem to be importing from America, whose hospitality wage structure is vastly different.

Given the contentious nature of tipping in Australia, that you could potentially be treated less special on a repeat visit, because of your stance on tipping, is sure to raise the ire of many.

Source: news.com.au - 3 June 14