Letter: Bad practice by restaurateurs

OPINION: Some of Wellington's leading restaurants seem bent on introducing the pernicious foreign practice of tipping. They refuse to adopt moves by credit card companies and banks to use PINs in favour of retaining dockets requiring the cardholder's signature, which blatantly leave a line for the addition of a tip before the total amount.

At Shed 5 the other day, the maitre d' openly told a waitress in front of me and another diner to round up the bill to include a tip. He denied it when asked if a tip were compulsory, but that was clearly his intention.

I often tip when I have had service that I consider warrants it. I object to compulsory tipping or attempts to embarrass me into adding a tip to my bill when I pay by credit card, regardless of service.

Tipping is a common practice in the United States because waiters' pay rates are so low that staff rely on tips to make a living wage. That has never been the case here, where we have a legal minimum wage.

Some of our top restaurateurs are attempting to force us to go the American way. They should be resisted.

DAVID BARBER

Wilton

- © Fairfax NZ News

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