I was sitting in a candle lit restaurant in Calgary last weekend with my boyfriend, James, celebrating his birthday.

We were seated in a cute little booth for two by a lovely hostess. Friendly and welcoming, as she walked us to the table she inquired about our evening. We discussed our travel from Jasper, where we live, and how we were in town to see an Aussie band play at Flames Central. After waiting for our server, she came over a little abruptly (fair enough, Friday night, it’s busy... though there were quite a few empty tables) and asked if we wanted a drink.

Seeming like she was in a hurry, she couldn’t tell us where the beer on tap came from, nor could she make a recommendation of a cocktail.

‘Maybe she’s new,’ I thought.

After pouring our beer she brought them to the table, but never thought to tell us what we were drinking. Before she tried to run off, James asked if we could order. (We were in a bit of a hurry, as we wanted to get to the show.)

We ordered quickly, though she wasn’t about to help us out with the menu, and she scuttled away again.

I commented to James on the service, or lack thereof, and how I didn’t understand how a server could be so unfriendly.

Either way, the food came pretty quickly and it was pretty decent. We were just about done when she came to make sure the food was tasting okay - so I’m glad it was!

With our last mouthfuls gone, the busy lady came back to visit, and said she’d get us some dessert menus.

Much to her disgust, we asked for the bill.

It certainly didn’t come quickly.

She ambled back to the table with the leather bill holder in hand, but before placing the bill on the table she wanted to mention something. (‘Wow,’ I thought, ‘she’s actually going to speak to us.’)

“I just wanted to let you know, that I’ve put an auto-gratuity of 15 per cent on the bill,” she said and placed the bill on the table.

Oh, if only I had a photograph of the look on my face.

“We actually live in Canada,” I replied, and stared right back at her.

She went onto explain that she normally asked first, but assumed because we both had accents that we must be visiting and it was “just the European way” not to tip.

I’ll certainly not be “visiting” there again, that’s for sure.

Now, I’ve lived in Canada for three years, but James (and many other Aussie friends of mine) have not. Guess what, they get it too. You want us to TIP you, for your SERVICE?

Right, lets get one thing straight then: give us some service. Here’s an idea, make it good service.

So many times I’ve left a tip less than 15 per cent, knowing that because of the (fading, I must admit) Aussie accent it’ll be assumed that we just “don’t get it” or are “ignorant”.

Nope, your service just sucks.

Don’t judge me because of my accent, especially not when I call your country my home. I pay tax here, I do my part for Canadian society and I know how to tip as well.

I understand the frustration, in fact I saw it a lot in the two years prior to working at the Fitzhugh, of servers and the like, getting dealt non-conforming, confused Australian and British, New Zealander tourists.

To be honest, I’ve even understood why there could be a need to automatically add a tip to a bill, if people simply don’t get it. But, if you took a little time to inquire about where people are from, how long they’ve been around, and maybe where they live then you might make a better judgement.

I would expect to at least see a warning in the menu, that a gratuity could be added for those international travellers. I know people, that would prefer that, it does make it easy. It’s sort of a case of, old dog, new tricks, you know?

Sometimes I’ve even fallen victim to my old habits, and I’ll forget to tip a taxi driver, or a raft guide, but it’s never on purpose and not something I do to try and peeve you all off. And for that, I’m sorry.

But next time, before you add that 15 per cent auto-gratuity, make sure it ain’t my bill, because I’ll be the one giving you a tip!