Tip Culture Is Out of Control

What the hell?

Remember when tipping was a simple gesture of appreciation for exceptional service? You’d dine at a restaurant, enjoy your meal, and leave a tip based on the service quality. Occasionally, you’d tip your barber or a taxi driver. Fast forward to today, and it seems every transaction comes with a prompt to tip. Even self-checkout kiosks and carry-out orders at places like Buffalo Wild Wings are asking for tips. When did retrieving your own order become a service warranting gratuity?

The Reality Behind Tipped Wages

Having worked as a server and bartender, I understand the reliance on tips due to sub-minimum wages. However, it’s a misconception that servers earn nothing without tips. Legally, if a server’s tips don’t bring them up to the standard minimum wage, employers are required to make up the difference. So, while tipping is crucial, claiming servers earn $0 without tips is misleading.

And for those who still don’t believe it, here’s the U.S. Department of Labor’s own policy: if tips + hourly wage don’t meet federal minimum wage, your employer makes up the difference. End of story.

Tipping Expectations: A Moving Target

In today’s society, tipping less than 20% often labels you as stingy, regardless of service quality. If the service was subpar, a lower tip might be justified. However, penalizing servers for issues beyond their control, like kitchen delays, is unfair. Moreover, making comments like “better do a good job to earn this tip” is degrading and unnecessary. Stop doing it — it’s fucking degrading.

Tipflation: The Rise of Tipping Fatigue

The phenomenon of “tipflation” has led to tipping expectations in places previously unheard of. From hair salons to self-service kiosks, the pressure to tip is omnipresent. A Pew Research Center study found that 72% of U.S. adults say tipping is expected in more places today than it was five years ago. This constant barrage of tipping prompts has led to widespread tipping fatigue.

To make matters worse, Bankrate’s 2023 tipping survey shows that 66% of Americans have a negative view of tipping culture now. Many feel guilt-tripped by digital screens into tipping for things that used to be basic service.

Let’s Talk Global: How the U.S. Compares

Before we all get labeled as heartless, let’s get some global perspective. In Japan, tipping is actually considered rude. Service is expected to be exceptional because that’s the job. No handout needed. In Australia and New Zealand, hospitality workers are paid a living wage. Tipping exists, sure, but it’s rare — and only for going above and beyond.

Meanwhile in the U.S., servers can be paid as little as $2.13/hour in some states because tips are expected to cover the rest. That’s not a reward — that’s corporate outsourcing payroll responsibilities to the customer.

Enough With the Digital Guilt Trips

You walk into a coffee shop. You order a drink. The barista spins the iPad around with the three big-ass buttons: 15%, 20%, or 25%. No option for “no thanks” without feeling like a monster. What exactly are we tipping for here? The basic transaction we used to do without drama?

According to Forbes, 30% of people have started tipping less or avoiding businesses that pressure customers at checkout. Not because they’re cheap — but because the expectation is absurd.

The Need for a Tipping Culture Overhaul

The current tipping culture is unsustainable, inconsistent, and frustrating for everyone involved. While good service should absolutely be rewarded, tipping has morphed into an expectation rather than a gratitude-based gesture. And when even non-service jobs like counter help or cashiers get built-in prompts for tips, you know we’ve lost the plot.

Here’s the solution: Pay people fairly. Reserve tipping for exceptional, above-and-beyond service. Stop using digital guilt traps. And please — let’s stop acting like asking questions about tipping makes someone a villain. This isn’t about being stingy; it’s about pushing back against a broken system.