Minimum wages and universal basic income

[panamaniac]

I don't think I've ever had service in a restaurant in K-W that I considered "above average".  On the other hand, I've not had many bad service experiences either.  That said, I'm probably a below average tipper - usually 15% on the cost of the food (only), plus a buck or two if they opened a bottle of wine.

Canadian minimum wages are also not quite as much of a joke as American ones.

I don't think we have places in KW that are as high end as where one would expect exceptional experiences (say Four Seasons or a Michelin 3* restaurant). As it turns out, we like KW food more than NZ food, but it's not because KW food is high-end, it's because it's tasty.

We always talk about % tips but we don't usually specify if it's 15% of the pre-tax amount or the post-tax amount. Which aren't quite the same.

I got annoyed when the machines started prompting me to put in a set percentage tip and I realized that the amount included the tax, which I object to tipping on.  So I now make a small downward adjustment to pay a tip (15% or slightly more) that is based only on the bill for the food I've consumed.  My friends all think I'm a cheap b**tard!