OK, Yanks visiting Australia, let me help you with this tipping thing.
First, the good news. The cheapskates among you are about to enter No Tipping Paradise. Service staff here (waiters, waitresses, bartenders, taxi drivers, etc.) do not expect tips. Occasionally, you will encounter one who is wise in the ways of American tourists and has seen enough Hollywood movies that they know how to hover and hint their way to a gratuity from the uninformed.
If you run into that, ignore it. The usual credit/debit card signature slip usually does not offer the option of adding a tip. If it is a holiday or weekend, many restaurants add a “holiday premium” of 10%. Resturants may also add a percentage for parties larger than 6 or 8 persons. But that is not for the service staff; it goes to the business’ bottom line.
The bad news is, service sucks. In a restaurant, no one will come to your table during the meal and ask if everything is OK. They really do not care. In fact, once your dishes are delivered, you probably will need to fire off a cannon to get further attention. And even then . . . ??
Why does this situation exist? This is where the cheapskates get hit from behind. Staff are paid a living wage, generally in the area of $18 to $20 per hour, even in the most humble eatery. Your waitress in AU is possibly better paid than you are. And the cost is built into the price you pay. Menu prices in big cities like Sydney or Melbourne are around 30 to 50% higher than they are in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles.
Some say this is more equitable. Everyone pays. Others point out that the lack of incentive is the cause of indifferent service. Both are right.
A single serving of coffee is small, usually around 3 ounces. The bottomless cup common across America does not exist here. Your cup will NEVER be refilled. If you want more coffee after the initial 3 ounce cup, you must order it and you will pay the same $1 to $1.50 per ounce as the initial cup. In other words, a plain old cup of coffee usually costs somewhere between 3 and 5 bucks.
And you thought Starbucks was expensive.