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No No 434 604
FIRST ON THE STREET
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13 June2014 2017 27ththJune Jan - 19 3rdthFeb
LAKES WEEKLY BULLETIN
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Has Queenstown reached the tipping point? Ah New Zealand – land of kiwis, fiords, and… no tipping! As an American, I felt an overwhelming guilt the first few times I left a restaurant or coffee shop without tacking 20% on to the dinner bill or chucking an extra dollar in the barista’s tip jar. I’ve been conditioned my whole life to thank people for their services with my wallet. It didn’t take long for me to shake my American anxiety of leaving a premise without tipping, and my guilt was eased by the fact that Kiwi restaurant workers have wage certainty and don’t have to wait with baited breath every week to see if their tips will add up to living costs. But here in Queenstown, living costs are some of the highest in the country, which begs the question… has Queenstown reached the tipping point? Minimum wage may very well be a liveable income in most parts of New Zealand, but Queenstown is different. After paying rent and utilities for my flat, weekly shops at Countdown and Pak N’ Save, dining out, and filling up my Subaru’s tank, my Queenstown budget is comparable to the cost of living in coastal Southern California (cha-ching!). Queenstown welcomes a small army of hospitality workers each year that keep the town’s tourism machine up and running. How do bartenders, servers, nature guides, ski instructors, shuttle drivers, bellhops, taxi drivers, spa therapists and countless other service workers survive here on minimum wage with no tips? Back in California, my partner made a decent living as a restaurant server, but only because he made upwards of $400 per week in tips on top of minimum wage.
Malcolm Price, Josie Watters and Chef of 10 years service, Marcos Kaefer celebrating 40 years of the Cow restaurant at the Cow on Friday. (Photo: Jodi Walters)
There are several upsides to mandatory gratuity – it’s a good incentive for staff to provide exemplary service, it supplements wages, and allows for competitive price points. However, the drawbacks are a bit intimidating: less wage certainty and a whole restructuring of the service system. Hospitality workers are at the frontline of Queenstown tourism. If the Lakes District Council wants to sustain Queenstown as an international tourist destination, perhaps they should consider implementing a tipping policy to support the town’s hospo community. If the local council can’t do it, then central government can. Should tipping be compulsory in Queenstown? Should restaurant owners be required to pay their employees a higher wage? I’m not saying I have the answer, and by all means, I’m not complaining – my wallet and I are just fine with NZ’s no-tipping culture. But for the sake of my friends in the hospitality industry, perhaps the town should start gesturing towards a more obligatory gratuity policy. Something a little extra for hospo workers might make the winters seem a bit less harsh. Haley Turner Californian in Kiwiland
SHOWING ALL GAMES
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Periods of Rain, Chance Morning High Cloud. Brief easing to Showers Shower then Fine Evening Showers
JOHN RAVENS WEATHER Last week John was 97% correct
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