Friday 05/December/2025 – 04:35 PM
Ragu Italian Pasta & Wine Bar in Westfield Sydney There was widespread controversy after an Australian couple was surprised by the addition of an automatic tip to their lunch bill, which prompted them to share the story across platforms and criticize what they described as an unfair tipping culture.
Tip $6.30 without asking
According to what was published by the British newspaper Daily Mail, the couple had eaten a meal of two dishes of pasta with a glass of Shiraz and Pepsi worth $63, before they discovered upon receiving the bill that they had added an optional 10% tip amounting to $6.30, bringing the total to $69.30.
At the bottom of the bill was a comment saying: There is a proposal included in this bill, please do not hesitate to ask if you would like to delete it.
However, the wording angered the customer, who said in a post on the Reddit platform: Since when did tipping become normal and we have to withdraw from it?
Angry comments on social media
The post was widely circulated, and users expressed their dissatisfaction with placing the tip at the end of the bill in a way that would make the customer feel embarrassed if he asked to delete it.
One commentator said: The culture of tips is inherently greedy…it is a temporary solution to the problems of unfair wages.
Another added: Adding a social step to embarrass a customer into paying a tip is disgusting.
Some commentators felt that the tip seemed more spontaneous than suggested, because it required the customer to request its removal himself. The Daily Mail reported that it had contacted the Ragu Italian Pasta & Wine Bar restaurant to comment on the incident, but had not received any response yet.
