How do Aussies and Canucks tip drag queens?

[Guest]

When we have drag brunches or shows in the US (at least in LA), there are often some 4 to 6 queens who do rounds of the various tables for 3 or sometimes 4 or 5 performances. Each time, every person in the table is expect to tip the queen a dollar, so it ends up being about $20 per person in tips (typically, at entry or at the bartender, rolls of 20 $1 bills are exchanged for a $20 bill by each person. A similar process in Puerto Vallarta, although the smallest bill, 20 pesos, is worth even less. Since Australia and Canada's smallest denomination is a $5 bill, if they're all tipped similarly with $5's, going to drag brunches would seem somewhat unaffordable. I take it that you don't shove $1 coins into the slot. What is the custom, then? $1 vouchers? Or just one $5 tip per table? Or one $5 tip per queen, regardless of the number of performances? 

 

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

Friends of mine from Australia and United Kingdom say their performers in drag don't perform for tips.  They either do it for their own enjoyment, or they are hired by and paid for by the house.  My friends say they don't see the appeal in watching an American drag performer walk around the room lip syncing to collect money.  They're used to performers with witty banter and live vocals.  So it's just a different entertainment experience all around.

Edited July 12, 2023 by Vegas_Millennial

[liubit]

8 hours ago, Unicorn said:

A similar process in Puerto Vallarta, although the smallest bill, 20 pesos, is worth even less.

At the current exchange rate, 20 Mexican pesos are actually worth a little more than 1 US dollar (about 1.17). Yes, the peso has gained value over the dollar in the past years, @Unicorn. 

[TorontoDrew]

It was a shock to me whenI went to a drag show in the US and they went through the crowd for tips.  Here in Canada you go up to the stage if you want to give a tip.  $5 is pretty standard.

Edited July 12, 2023 by TorontoDrew

[CuriousByNature]

Here in Canada I understand the mini bottles of maple syrup are widely accepted.

[Guest]

9 hours ago, liubit said:

At the current exchange rate, 20 Mexican pesos are actually worth a little more than 1 US dollar (about 1.17). Yes, the peso has gained value over the dollar in the past years, @Unicorn. 

Wow! I'm glad I saved some of those peso bills from my last trip! We're going again after Thanksgiving! 😄