Your thoughts?

38 comments

  1. A lot of services that typically didn’t ask for tips are asking for them post Covid.

    It’s only getting out of control if you are a person who thinks you should tip a restaurant 15% for picking up your own food. You are allowed to say no.

  2. I don’t really think so, at least not more so than the past. As someone generally opposed to “drip pricing” or hidden fees I would rather have everything included in the advertised price, but paying for service separately is how it’s long been done in America for some professions.

    There has definitely been an increase in counter service places with terminals asking if you want to leave a tip when paying by card. But that’s logical and not as much of a change as it may seem. These are places that always had tip jars in the past, which are getting less and less use as fewer people carry cash. It’s only logical they’d provide an option to tip by card if people want to replace this. Tips are not required or expected in this situation and there’s nothing wrong with saying no.

  3. Only if you let it.

    Speaking for myself, as somebody who is generally in favor of the tipping system, I am starting to hit my wall.

  4. Yes. I went to a restaurant just the other day that charged a gratuity no matter what party size. The menu also didn’t mention what that percent was. We’ve been looking for some place to eat and decided to just stay.

    We get the check and it was a 10% gratuity. Not great but whatever. I give my card and when she comes back, it jumped to 15% plus a “non-cash fee” of $4 was added. Argued with them but since my card was already charged, decided to just do a charge back due to the bait and switch and not telling me there was a charge for using your card.

    This is why I don’t even eat out anymore. Just get pickup (though some places even charge a fee for takeout now) or cook at home. If restaurants have a hard time, it’s their own fault. Nickel and dime customers at every turn then wonder why restaurants are empty and closing moreso now than ever before.

  5. Kinda yeah. They ask for tips at self service machines. Who the fuck am I tipping there?

    Also, the amount has changed. 15-20% was the norm, now 20-25% is what most people I know tend to give. Machines, instead of asking 18/20/22 are asking 20/25/30.

  6. It is if you abandon control of your own money. Tips are 100% dictated by and dependent upon the individual altruistic inclinations of the giver.

  7. It’s *been* out of control. It is the employers job to pay their workers, not the customers. I have no problem tipping for really good service, or even a small tip for average service, but the fact companies can just ignore minimum wage under the pretence of money that was supposed to be a bonus for doing good work counting towards a paycheck has been absurd from the start. You aren’t tipping the staff, you’re tipping the greedy ass managers and execs.

  8. Yes, but participation is optional. I always tip 15%+ to employees who don’t get paid minimum wage by their employers. Everyone else who spins the iPad around gets nothing.

  9. “Getting” out of control? No. They BEEN out of control for awhile now. You know it’s bad when self-service machines are programmed to ask you for a tip.

  10. My standard answer here is that people sometimes just need to get a grip when it comes to being offended by the evolution of tipping culture, or worrying that it’s “out of control.” It is *perfectly* in your control how much you choose to tip someone in any given situation. Pressing a few extra buttons on an ipad or being “confronted” by a tip jar in place you don’t expect it may be irritating but it’s not worth getting worked up about. And there is no need to get angered by other people’s tipping behavior, or what you imagine it might be.

  11. Yes. Tipping needs to go away in general. In Japan tipping is offensive. People should just be paid a liveable wage.

  12. Absolutely. It was bad enough when there was a tip jar at a fast food counter. Now you can’t use any kiosk without being prompted for a tip. And it doesn’t even matter the industry. Everybody wants a tip.

    I can only imagine that employers who don’t have tipped employees are just keeping those tips for themselves.

  14. Yup. I am still in favor of tipping servers and bar tenders, but I am not tipping a cashier at a fast food restaurant.

    Also, there have been some notable changes in restaurants/bars lately that have me rethinking how much I tip:

    1) When I was younger and a server, I made $2.13/hr when regular minimum wage was $6/hour. Tipping supplemented that wage difference. Well many cities have banned that now and servers are making decent wages regardless of tips. Shouldn’t tipping percentages adjust down to account for that?

    2) When I was younger I would often have cash on me and I would tip bar tenders $1/drink. Pretty standard. Now we pay with cards for everything and get one tab at the end. And drinks are way more expensive. If I go to my local brewery, beers are like $8-10 a piece now. A glass of wine is like $12-18. A cocktail is like $15-20. I get 4 beers and I am often looking at a $40 tab after taxes. If I get a couple cocktails or glasses of wine for my wife, that’s easily in the $70-$80 range. I think tipping 20% on that is too much. Now, I often pay for every beer as I go and tip $1 each time

  16. No, I haven’t changed how I tip. I also don’t really see it as a “culture” or it’s out of control as if there was something previously controlling tipping.

    What happened is people figured if you present the option to tip to people, a certain amount will just do it. Especially with the rise of using screens to handle transactions it’s easier than ever.

    I’m not offended if someone asks if I would like to give them more money. I just don’t unless it’s something I have always tipped for like servers, bartenders, barbers, and valets.

  19. I mean maybe a little? But really just cost of living is rising overall

    With that being said, a tipless system would probably mean that prices rise 15-25% across the board so ultimately I don’t think it *actually* matters that much

  20. Kinda. I was eating at my cousin’s restaurant a couple weeks back with some friends and realized the suggested tip at the bottom was 20-30%.

  21. The standards for tipping haven’t changed in my entire life, and I’m really not bothered by clicking no on a POS where it is often the default.

    I do understand that anti-tipping ragebait is a great way to karmafarm on Reddit.

  22. Yes. Last month I went to a (nice) restaurant which was a seat yourself, walk up to the counter and order, pour your own drinks, if it’s alcoholic it’s premade the server just pours it. And when I went to pay, the tips STARTED at 18 percent and went all the way to 25%. This is straight ridiculous when you’re making the patron do most of the work that would solicit a tip anyways..

  23. It’s been out of control. Growing up it was 10-15%, now it’s 15-20%, and people are pushing for it to be 20-25%. Fuck all of that. I’ve stopped going out to eat anywhere except the local country club where my dues pay the service fees. I don’t take rideshares, and I don’t use valets. I’ll tip my barber, but that’s it.

  24. No. People are complaining about newer POS terminals that have tipping options as a default.

    Hint, you can skip the screen if you want. This is the biggest misunderstood non-issue in America.

    Personally, I don’t carry cash and I love the ability to tip digitally (when I’m feeling generous). I alway enter a custom amount (usually $1).

  25. Yes, but it’s not the fault of people getting the tips.

    It’s hard to rage at a nameless faceless entity asking you to supplement the shit pay they give their workers.

  26. No, and I’m tired of the recent overreaction potentially penalizing people who’ve always depended on it.

    If you encounter a situation in which you’re requested to tip for which you previously would not have, simply decline.

  27. I only tip wait staff since they make wait staff wages. I do not tip at Starbucks, Chipotle, etc. They get paid regular wages. They do not need tips. I do not care about the dirty looks I get. They can get over it.

    I would rather see all tipping be abolished than the current trend continue. Too many random places are asking for tips now. It feels like weaponized guilt.

  28. Yes, I went bowling a couple weeks ago and when I paid for the lane and shoes, it prompted me for a tip. For what? Handing me the shoes?

  29. Really only the stupid iPad software that prompts for a tip for counter service is insanely infuriating. Other than that, I don’t mind paying a 20% tip for a sit down meal with good service.

  30. Yes

    Even bad service people want a tip and you fell bad cause it their wage.

    Tipping is now widely suggested beyond food service and that’s annoying

  31. I don’t care if I’m holding up the line. I’m changing it to 0% if I am not getting service from a server. For servers I give 20%. If it’s mediocre I’ll move to 15%. If it’s bad I’ll put 0.

  32. It’s just buttons on a screen. Y’all can just select “no” and walk away. They won’t do shit.

  34. It was already out of control ages ago when employers were legally allowed to underpay people because customers could give them extra money.

    It has gotten unhinged.

  35. I only tip at sit down restaurants and never go over 18%. Doesn’t cause me any guilt whatsoever

  37. Yes, it’s very out of control. It’s gotten to the point where screens are asking you to tip for things that you have no need to tip for. Like, if I order Pizza and pick it up myself…I’m not tipping for that.

  38. I get that servers are underpaid and rely on tips, but WHY. Why is it my job to pay your employees? I’m doing that by being a customer.

    You often hear “If we didn’t have tips we’d have to raise prices!” As an argument. Good, do that! I’d happily pay more off the get go than to have so much guilt at every transaction

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