What does everyone think? I first noticed a couple of years ago that the tipping “option” was showing up when I purchased food over the counter. I was a bit taken aback. I do give tips in that situation (the server is waiting right there while I decide the amount) but I don’t go above 10%. It feels like a mini-shakedown to me. From Axios:
Tipping culture is getting out of control, customers say.
- By the numbers: Tips at full-service restaurants are up about 25% compared with a year ago, and tips at casual places are up 17%, CNN reports, citing Square data.
The big picture: People started to tip more during the height of the pandemic to support local businesses and essential workers.
- And with the rise of digital payments, more and more businesses are including an option to tip on screen — at places people say they wouldn’t normally tip, AP reports.
“Suddenly, these screens are at every establishment we encounter. They’re popping up online as well for online orders. And I fear that there is no end,” etiquette expert Thomas Farley told AP.
- Unlike tip jars, these on-screen requests can’t be ignored. And everyone, including the customers behind you and the workers behind the counter, can see whether or not you tip — and how much.
Reality check: The federal minimum wage for tipped workers is $2.13. And service workers rely on tips to make a living.
- Now, as tip requests have become more common, some businesses are advertising it in their job postings to lure in more workers even though the extra money isn’t always guaranteed, AP notes.