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How Much Should You Tip When Your Bill is Mostly Made Up of Wine?

How Much Should You Tip When Your Bill is Mostly Made Up of Wine?

by Mireille Kilgour

money9 When dining in Australia, there is no set rule when it comes to tipping, but as a general guide it is appreciated if the diner tips around 10% of the total bill. But what happens when the food itself is just a small fraction of the bill, with the wine you drank making up the rest? On the occasion that you order $100 worth of food but a $500 bottle of wine, are you expected to pay a $60 tip?

The answer to this is … it depends.

According to Good Food, tipping should depend on the overall service you are provided. If you entered the restaurant, took a quick glance at the menu, ordered the house specialty and knew exactly which wine you wanted, then it is perfectly acceptable to give a smaller tip.

If, on the other hand you ordered off the menu, declared you were gluten free halfway through the meal or called the sommelier over to break down every wine on the extensive list, then yes, 10% is a fitting reward.

It also comes down to how much you can afford to give. If you are happy to drop $500 on a bottle of wine, then chances are you are doing okay financially. If $60 is just a small drop in the ocean for you, then tipping that amount has little effect for you but could bring a whole lot of sunshine for the staff.

All-in-all, it's your decision. Tip what you feel comfortable tipping.

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Mireille Kilgour

Mireille Kilgour has been an entrepreneur for 35 years in the hospitality sector. French born, she has been an accomplished business owner and operator for a number of Sydney venues. Leading the industry with high profile institutions such as Lamrock Café Bondi, she has endless passion for the industry, and now has the pleasure of supporting restaurants to fill their tables with the new Good Food Gift Card program.