Editor’s note: Tipping trends
More than a quarter of Kiwis (28%) have felt pressured into leaving a tip when presented with a tip screen at payment time, according to a new report.
A survey of 1020 New Zealand adults, conducted by the personal financial information website Banked, found that while 47% see tipping as a good thing, a significant number have felt uneasy about the appearance of a tip screen at a point of sale.The publication of the survey results follows the recent rollout of new EFTPOS machines that ask customers if they want to leave a tip of 5%, 10%, or 15%.
Tipping is becoming more common in New Zealand, although it isn’t the norm here, and no-one should feel pressured or obligated to leave a gratuity. A tip reflects service over and above the normal expectation of a person doing their job.
Let’s not forget that all staff in New Zealand are paid at least a minimum wage, unlike America where they aren’t, and where tips make up for the deficit. Additionally, some service is not
good, or up to expectation, so feeling obligated to tip may leave a sour taste in the mouth.
The report found that Gen Z Kiwis are most likely to have felt pressured into tipping by a tip screen. Older generations are more resilient in these situations, with 26% of Millennials and 27% of
Gen X saying they have felt pressured to tip. Just 21% of Baby Boomers say they have experienced that pressure. Conversely, Banked’s survey found that younger people were more likely to feel positively about tipping in New Zealand.
Ultimately, how you spend your hard-earned cash is up to you, not an EFTPOS machine.
