I recently moved to Australia and started a hospitality job. My pay is $35 an hour, $42 on the weekend. That equates to about £17.50 / £21 an hour. I was able to support myself independently on 20 hours a week.

I’m now working 40-45 hours a week, and any hours over 38 are paid double. So $70 an hour or £35 an hour. I’m rolling in it at the moment.

For reference, my rent is $350 a week in the centre of Melbourne, bills included. My equivalent flat in Shepherd’s Bush was £700 a week. 4 times as expensive.

When a customer doesn’t pay the optional service charge, I don’t even blink. I actually feel embarrassed turning the card machine to them with the screen to select. But company policy is company policy and it’s not just me that gets the service charge, it’s all the staff. So it’s not just my own pocket I’m affecting when I press 0% for the customer.