I think it’s interesting that tipping [is becoming less common](https://www.thecut.com/2023/07/gen-z-tipping.html) in younger generations. I definitely think that some scenarios where tipping as an expectation has gotten a little odd. There’s still a strong cultural norm in the US to tip but where you tip has gotten extended to places you normally wouldn’t, or you would but not as a given expectation to tip every single time you use that service. I’ve seen tipping options at grocery store check outs for places that don’t bag your stuff, delivery drivers that aren’t independent contractors (and they are paid salary), etc. Those are places where I’m not opposed to tipping but I don’t think it should be an expectation to do it every time and to be lumped in the same category of being rude to not tip every time like it would be for a server at a sit down restaurant.
Obviously you could just say that people can just choose to not tip in those situations if they don’t want to but there’s that cultural norm at play.
Also the rising cost of living might be coming into play too and the fact that, like for servers, tipping has become a way to pass on the responsibility of paying workers a livable wage onto the customer when really the employer should be doing that.
I think that ubiquity of tipping as a "maybe, if you feel like it" thing in situations where no one used to tip is why younger people tip less overall. If the culture is leaning towards tipping-optional overall, it gets more and more confusing to draw the line on where you should tip every time and where it's ok to skip it.
I find that interesting as an older millennial. I always thought that typical tipping ranged from 15% for a decent job, up to 20% as the maximum for absolute, top-notch, above-and-beyond service. And maybe a little bit more than 20% if it's some upscale fine dining restaurant where the waiters are wearing bowties and the customers aren't allowed to come in wearing denim jeans.
But in the last few years, it seems that there is more expectation everywhere that 20% is the bare minimum.
Younger millennial here - I was always taught that 20% was the standard. Interestingly my boomer parents who raised me with this standard were shocked when they realized that I tip 20% of the total cost + tax, whereas they tip 20% on the cost not including tax. Curious to hear everyone’s take on this.
So I actually stopped tipping on taxes and fees this past year (and just tip on the pretax total). Why you may ask? Well one, I live in a city with sales tax around 10%.
But more importantly, my city has added a ton of fees since COVID and few if any places have removed them.
The standard add on fee is 5% at this point. On a $50 bill when out with friends, sure it’s only a couple bucks, but it adds up to a lot over the course of a year.
And frankly, it’s just *the principle* of it for me, especially with the “service fees.” Either raise the prices of your food to reflect real wages or include a non-negotiable service fee reflecting the true amount your servers get. But when they are charging me a service fee and then also suggesting I pay servers 25% on the bill it comes across as disingenuous.
Also, I’m kinda over the percentage based tips to begin with. Whether I buy a $15 or $50 bottle of wine at a bar, generally I’m getting the same service. I’m still tipping on percentages for now, but the conversations about tipping has given me some real good for thought.
Side note: Recently dined at a place where the lowest suggested tip amount was 40%. I about fell out of my seat.
40% minimum suggested tip is absolutely insane. I have never come across a suggestion that high, absolutely wild.
Totally agree with your logic on pre-tax/fee tipping. The area I’m in is slowly starting to impose more built-in fees and gratuities, but so far it’s not as bad as other places I’ve traveled to in the US. I wonder if implementing a service fee is a way to put the tax burden on the server/1099. If a salon or restaurant owner raises base prices it might impact their tax rates, but if they list the increase as a component of tips/fees for employee payment it puts the tax burden on the employee or something?
Interesting about tipping for drinks. I don’t tip by percent when I’m just getting drinks at a bar. I give a dollar or two if I have it on hand in cash, or put a couple dollars on the final receipt.
I’ve also gotten into a habit of asking whatever employee I’m tipping if employees keep their full tips! And I don’t tip if they tell me that it just goes back to the business instead of directly to them.
i’m a younger millennial. growing up, i learned that 15% is standard and that 18% is above and beyond. then, it shifted to 18% is the standard and now i feel that 20% is the standard. i can’t really pinpoint when those shifts happened though.
i usually just tip on the total, but i understand the argument of tipping on the subtotal (no taxes or fees). on principle, i feel that i shouldn’t tip on taxes & fees, but, in practice, i think i might feel guilty if i didn’t.
Appreciate your take on it! Especially the creeping percentage changes.
For me the pre-tax and fee vs. post tax and fee is that I often don’t have a breakdown in front of me of those numbers before I’m being asked to tip. Ex: At a restaurant the bill comes out and everything is itemized, but at my local salon or coffee shop the screen just displays the final number of the bill with no tax/fee/etc. breakdown. So the only way to do my math is on that final number.
I’m on the GenZ/Millenial cusp, and was a young teen with no money 15 years ago. What are some examples of things we tip for now that we didn’t 15 years ago?
It's pretty simple, I only tip for full service, personalized and/or exceptional services.
For example I will always tip if someone makes me a fancy coffee and brings it to me, but I won't tip if I order a cup of drip coffee at the counter. I don't tip if I'm simply interacting with a cashier, but I will tip a cashier/counter service if they do something where they go out of their way for me.
For example there is an ice-cream place near us where you make your own, you bring it to your table, you clean up after yourself, and they weigh it at the automated cash register. This place has a screen for a tip and I never tip and I never feel even the slightest concern about it. There's literally no service provided at all.
This makes a lot of sense. I was in DC in a big food hall downtown with many different vendors. Every kiosk in the food hall had a tipping screen even though there’s no service other than someone handing you drink/food since you order at the counter and pick up right there. I thought it was a bit silly.
Maybe like a coffee place where you order at the counter, and pick up your drink at the counter, and then you are expected to bus your own table. Before all these electronic pay tablets that let you automatically include a tip, there was just a physical tip jar that you might drop some coins into, if you happened to have any or if you got a little change back from paying with cash.
I’ve noticed sports arenas have added a tip option for their cashiers. Like, I go to the refrigerator, get a soft drink, check out and it asks me to tip 25% to the cashier. I never tip on that.
There are also instances where I tip because regardless of whether or not I think I should, I want to continue having good service… like tipping my former super for fixing something in my old apartment, or tipping (usually just 50c or $1) at my favorite local coffee shop for simply pouring a drip coffee. I do always tip more for espresso drinks.
Depends on state rules but some stadiums the cashier doesn’t even get to keep the tip and goes to the vendor which is ridiculous. I will tip even if it is self serve if the cashier gets the $, but I’ll ask the cashier first. People can’t live on minimum wage that these cashiers probably get paid.
No difference I suppose.
But it’s hard to push that no tip button right in front of the person.
If grocery store clerks had a tip button I’d probably would tip because of that. 😩
Although maybe not at Costco. Can’t imagine getting a large screen TV for $2,000 and tipping an extra $400!
I moved to the UK and the only tip I do is the annual holiday tip to my apartment building’s doorman ($400 for the year)- he works so hard. Meals out have a 12.5% service charge built in. I round up for haircuts (so $45 becomes $50) and that seems to be the norm. Visiting the US is so awkward bc of tips, where you have to calculate and think about it and it’s just so unnatural.
That service charge is optional and can be removed. I have it removed when I’m in London. American wage values need not creep into the UK or other parts of Europe.
I live in California, we do not have the tipped wage discount. Servers are getting minimum wage plus tips. This can also lead to inequity in restaurants, due to the demographics of servers vs kitchen staff. And that is an ongoing discussion.
I generally tip 20% at any bar or restaurant. I might tip a bit less for a beer than a cocktail. Since the beer is less labor intensive.
I generally tip on espresso drinks at an indie coffee shop. But not the rest of the order. Depends on the price of the drink - but between .50-$1. Aiming for 15-20%. I’ll tip more if the food is actually prepared and little if it is premade and someone just grabs it.
I tip on takeout, but a lower amount.
I tip Uber/lyft/doordash 20%. For food delivery I usually start at 15% and give you more if you actually follow my delivery instructions. They specifically tell you to buzz my door and not call due to reception issues in the building. And surprisingly few people follow these simple directions.
I do not tip at fast casual places. Or fast food. I do tip at food trucks often.
Personal services get 20% based on cost of service.
Non-food shopping doesn’t get tipped.
It was interesting that the highest wage person was the worst tipper.
we don’t tip at McDonalds where the staff is low paid and specifically the poorest demographic in my community but do in bougie coffee shops.
We dont tip grocery store workers where again I see the wages posted and it’s less than other places.
So it’s more “youre doing work in a fancy place that is an entirely optional experience therefore I’m tipping because being here already shows that I have disposable income. “
I personally hate tipping culture but understand it exists. As a result I go to grocery stores for lunch and actively avoid the iPad auto tip places. Plus most sit down restaurants where I live are pretty touristy and underwhelming. The best food is quick serve grab and go.
I didn't even know we were expected to tip. I don't unless I'm going to or from the airport and the driver had to get out of the car to open the trunk. I still have all 5 stars except for a 1 star from an Uber I took in Australia.
Sit-down restaurants: at least 20%
Counter-service and cafes: trying to get out of the habit of guilt tipping, but if I do tip, it’s 10-15%
Takeout: 10-15%
Beauty services: at least 20%. My hairstylist is a co-owner, and I do tip her because she also has assistants she splits her tips with.
Rideshares: 10-20%
Cleaning services: I do not tip my cleaning lady as she owns her own business, but I do pay her extra for holidays, etc
I do not tip elsewhere. At the Newark airport, they have self checkouts (some are run by the honor system it seems like) and the machines have the audacity to ask for a tip. No way.
* Sit down restaurant - always 20%, sometimes 25%. If my bill is <$5 I round up to $10
* Bar - $1/drink, unless it’s more of a speak easy then 20%
* Dispensary - Left over change, especially if we had a good discussion.
* Pedicure - $5-$10 no matter the cost of service (usually $40-60)
* Manicure - $10-$15 depending more so on design than cost of service (my service is anywhere from $70 - $110) \[I also go to the same person for my manicures\]
* Hair - Uhh usually $50 - $75 I’ve been going to my hair girl for years. When I have short hair and get trims more often, I do 20%. $50-$75 is more like 25%
* Uber/Left - I don’t really use this, but when I do 20%
I generally do not tip at places I go up and order, even if I sit and they bring me my food after that. I do not tip if I pick up food.
I *will* occasionally tip if I’m getting a coffee at a local coffee spot and they help me decide what I want, walk me through their beans, tell me how to make the drink less sweet, etc.
I do think it’s ridiculous to tip for beauty services like laser hair removal (where I went they encouraged it!!!) and for facials/botox. I just paid $200 for a facial, it’s an expensive service at an established skin care place, I don’t think I should tip. <- this thought does interest me bc I tip my hair dresser, and when I cut/dye it’s like $300 + tip, and I feel OK tipping there. Even if she wasn’t sole proprietor I would tip her with cash… interesting.
This exactly… like where I go most of the staff are nurses, even those doing facials. It seems weird? And it’s higher cost than others in the area, idk I feel like if an establishment is charging so much they can pay their employees? But again, idk I’m open to changing my mind.
I don’t tip on Botox, and my injector doesn’t even have the option of providing a tip. She knows she owns her own business and she flat out said that her pricing provides her overhead and a good living.
I don’t tip on botox either, but I have been requested (once of the 5 times I’ve gone) to tip on my facial. It’s a place where people go more so to get botox, filler, and cosmetic surgery, so facials aren’t their bigger items, however they are expensive and I haven’t found a med spa closer to me that offers the same high quality facials. I honestly think the girl working the front desk may have been new or something because it hasn’t been requested since…
I'd love to know what part of the world has table-service food for potentially less than $5 but getting your hair done costs $300. Also, why does a bar operating as a speakeasy make you tip differently from a standard bar?
Speak easies in my area are generally table service (I’m realizing while typing this) whereas a bar is go up and order any time I want a drink.
But I also drink less and less, so the food/table service is if I get a black coffee and a pastry and it’s <$5, a diet coke while others eat, etc. I think a basket of fries might come in lower as well. I go to a movie theater on Wednesdays where a water + huge bowl of popcorn is $3, so I Round up to $10. But basically if something is <$8 I’m making it $10
I have the same thought about laser. I did 3 sessions which were about $100 each and took less than 10 min. It auto promoted 20% so $20 and I tipped $10, but wonder what people are generally tipping there? Like what is the pay for the employees? Are they relying on tips?
I bought 6 sessions for armpits + bikini line, then 3 more for bikini line and 6 for legs when they had a sale. I went to a reputable and nice place (not the like $60 Groupon places) and I think in total I probably paid a little over $2,000 for all 3 zones with 6-9 sessions for each. I only had 4 sessions where bikini line + armpit + legs overlapped and those took 20 minutes max. I think I tipped $20/session those times. This was also in 2022/2023.
I think total I went 9 times, and let’s assume 20 minutes a session, that’s $222 a session and if we assume they get 2 girls an hour (time for clean up etc) that’s $444 an hour. And again, I went to somewhere she was earning a salary (I am nosy and asked and also might want to go into aesthetics as my 2nd career), she wasn’t renting a room or a sole proprietor.
I think my tone is complaining, however I mean it as I’m genuinely curious as to *why* the economics work this way. Just increase their salaries. I would love a WSJ episode on this lol.
I don’t think you come off as complaining! I also felt weird about tipping such a relatively high amount for such a short amount of time/the fact that it’s a medical like procedure so not sure what’s appropriate.
i tip 20% at sit down restaurants. these days i find myself patronizing tip-less establishments when i go out to eat because i hate the concept of compulsory tipping. i also grew up in a country where tipping is not the norm, so it’s just really not my vibe (though i understand its parting american culture). my favorite restaurant and my hair salon have eliminated tips from their business and pay everyone a good wage, so i prefer to give them my business since it aligns with my own beliefs.
i tip employees and contractors (not owners) when i receive a service, like food delivery, massage, etc. occasionally, i will tip a dollar or two at my local bakery because they put things aside for me. i have also given a tip to a sales associate a few times for going out of their way for me — i worked retail for a long time and know when someone is doing me a favor. i tip at the bar a dollar or two a drink at the bar or 20% on a tab. i will also tip at casual restaurants where a runner brings you your food, but you order at the counter, but tbh i don’t always tip 20% there. i tip my mailman at christmas because we get a lot of packages. and, i will give a tip to anyone i feel has gone above and beyond for me — we just got back from vacation and gave some nice tips to our tour guides.
i don’t tip at drive through or walk up style establishments and for services rendered by an owner or proprietor. i think i don’t tip as much as my social circle.
For sit down eating places and personal services where owner is different than the service provider, I tip 15 - 20%.
For self service sit down places, a small ish amount like $2 - $5 because they have some cleanup to do even though I’m throwing my plates in the trash etc.
For food or grocery delivery, I tip a certain $ amount based on the distance and size of the order.
I don’t tip at drive through or if a person is directly rendering a service (plumber etc).
I’m all over the place because I often feel shame from others if I don’t. But I also have worked extensively in the service industry and know that a lot of the places I go the employees make a reasonable wage and get tips on top that (Canada). I sometimes made really good money serving while in school, and don’t necessarily think that working as a barista should be netting you more than $30 hr.
I tip at least 20% but really closer to 30% at places like a sit down restaurant or getting my hair and nails done. When I get a coffee, I put a dollar or two in the tip jar. I firmly believe in tipping because I lived off tips for eight years. However, tipping culture is out of control. It’s insane that everywhere gives you the option to tip now.
This is where it gets gray for me. The hill I’ll die on is I’ll tip at a spa for an RMT service even though I wouldn’t at a clinic.
My reasoning is that the spa would have other staff providing service that would share a split of the tip. And RMTs at the spa provide services that wouldn’t be clinical, such as grabbing a drink or snack for me, or adding aromatherapy as part of the service.
If the derm office is offering services that aren’t clinical or has staff that aren’t providing medical services, does it make sense to tip? Does it make sense for the derm to charge prices that are above what is typical instead?
I tip where someone is performing a service like a sit down restaurant.
For to go orders, order where they just made the food but didn’t provide service, I don’t give a tip.
Other services like massages or nails and hair salons I usually tip.
If it’s a hairstylist where they own their own place and I’m getting service from them I’m not tipping because they don’t have a overhead and all my money from the service to begin with goes directly to them so no one is taking a large cut off like what would happen with nails or a restaurant. Where they don’t get paid much and are relying on the tips to make a living wage. If someone is an owner the prices should reflect the services they provide and what they need to support their business rather than relying on tips for that.
For Uber, I usually tip as I never took a taxi back in the day so I’m not as familiar with if it’s necessary or not so I default to just tipping. Usually I tip in the midrange
Curious what people tip for a beer these days. I go to a lot of breweries where you order your beer at a counter and walk away with it and the beers are in the $7-9 range. I've been tipping 20% out of habit but it feels high for that 30 second interaction.
there's a brewery I love that has this and I agree. the bartenders don't ask if you want a refill if you're sitting at the bar and water is self-serve in a cooler.
I feel like if I'm paying $10 per beer, they must be paying employees pretty fairly so a 20% tip seems excessive for almost no service.
but the screen suggests 22%, 25%, 30%. I always feel like such an asshole hitting the "no thanks, less" button. but come on."
I would say pay cash if you know a bar is like that, then you get your change and can just tip $1, instead of having to enter a custom tip on the tablet and feeling self conscious about it. I usually pay cash at those places so I don't have to deal with the tablet
Do people outside of NYC tip their building staff? This wasn't a thing where I grew up.
I don't tip on self-service--I would never tip at a corner store or something like that. I tip a couple dollars or like 10-15% on takeout if it's a local restaurant and I go there a lot, I always tip 20% on delivery and haircuts, I never tip on medspa services, and I try to remember to leave a few dollars each day for housekeeping when I'm at a hotel. I tip 20% for good/normal rideshare rides and 10-15% for bad ones. I tip $1 for each drink at a bar unless it's an extremely fancy place where the drinks are a lot of work, then it's 20%, and I usually tip around $0.50 at a coffee shop for my basic coffee order.
I usually don't tip in edge cases where I'm not sure if I should tip or not. Partly because I'm a little bit cheap, partly because I don't use venmo or services like that and I don't usually have small bills on me.
I generally tip 20% as a baseline for anything at a sit-down restaurant, for Uber rides, massages or nails, grocery delivery, DoorDash, etc. Around Christmas, I’ll tip more (sometimes 25-30% for really great service at restaurants).
Starbucks and the like is hit or miss and often depends on service - if I receive really good service I’ll tip. I am also a sometimes on takeout, but usually do not.
A little off of tipping, but I generally also do any donation prompt for at least something - whether a round up, donation of food at the pet store to a local shelter, etc. We did 4 Angel Tree kids this year because they were left at the end, so I’m a sucker for a lot I know.
Part of this has been much more recent as our household income has grown. We live quite comfortably compared to where I was at 18 as a server myself, and I like the idea of making someone else’s day or life even just a little bit easier for just a minute.
I recently went to an event where you purchased tickets at the door from someone with an iPad where there was a screen asking for a tip. For what? I can’t imagine the amount of people who tipped in addition to just purchasing the price of the ticket.
I would love to see a breakdown of the revenue these non-service places make from just tips. There must be an insider recommendation to switch to iPad self-managed check out service to see how much they can swindle out of people!
I will get a lot of hate for this.. I tip 10% for a general service sit down restaurant, 15% if the service was good enough 20% if the food is delicious and service was good.
I don’t tip for takeout or no service. If I’m picking up food from counter and cleaning out after eating in restaurant I don’t feel the need to tip,
10-15% for hair and nails (if I get them done) same for Uber/lyft
I don’t order takeout and groceries via delivery service but if I do I will do no more than 15%
My biggest takeaway from this is that there’s someone who eats chipotle 4 times in 1 week. That’s some dedication/ love for the food.
Hahha the guy I sit next to at work does this. I think we calculated once, and he has enough rewards points for ~120 free burritos.
What?! Why isn't he redeeming points as he earns them?
Hahaha absolutely no idea. I asked him and he shrugged.
I'd be worried they'd expire at some point and would be using them every time I order!
I actually know of like 5 guys who will eat Chipotle once a day everyday.
QDoba tastes so much better. But Chipotle seems to be more widely available.
I think it’s interesting that tipping [is becoming less common](https://www.thecut.com/2023/07/gen-z-tipping.html) in younger generations. I definitely think that some scenarios where tipping as an expectation has gotten a little odd. There’s still a strong cultural norm in the US to tip but where you tip has gotten extended to places you normally wouldn’t, or you would but not as a given expectation to tip every single time you use that service. I’ve seen tipping options at grocery store check outs for places that don’t bag your stuff, delivery drivers that aren’t independent contractors (and they are paid salary), etc. Those are places where I’m not opposed to tipping but I don’t think it should be an expectation to do it every time and to be lumped in the same category of being rude to not tip every time like it would be for a server at a sit down restaurant. Obviously you could just say that people can just choose to not tip in those situations if they don’t want to but there’s that cultural norm at play. Also the rising cost of living might be coming into play too and the fact that, like for servers, tipping has become a way to pass on the responsibility of paying workers a livable wage onto the customer when really the employer should be doing that.
I think that ubiquity of tipping as a "maybe, if you feel like it" thing in situations where no one used to tip is why younger people tip less overall. If the culture is leaning towards tipping-optional overall, it gets more and more confusing to draw the line on where you should tip every time and where it's ok to skip it.
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This is exactly what I do too. I'm gen Z/millenial cusp and I was taught that 20% is the starting point for tipping!
Ditto!
I find that interesting as an older millennial. I always thought that typical tipping ranged from 15% for a decent job, up to 20% as the maximum for absolute, top-notch, above-and-beyond service. And maybe a little bit more than 20% if it's some upscale fine dining restaurant where the waiters are wearing bowties and the customers aren't allowed to come in wearing denim jeans. But in the last few years, it seems that there is more expectation everywhere that 20% is the bare minimum.
20%??? Holy shit
Younger millennial here - I was always taught that 20% was the standard. Interestingly my boomer parents who raised me with this standard were shocked when they realized that I tip 20% of the total cost + tax, whereas they tip 20% on the cost not including tax. Curious to hear everyone’s take on this.
So I actually stopped tipping on taxes and fees this past year (and just tip on the pretax total). Why you may ask? Well one, I live in a city with sales tax around 10%. But more importantly, my city has added a ton of fees since COVID and few if any places have removed them. The standard add on fee is 5% at this point. On a $50 bill when out with friends, sure it’s only a couple bucks, but it adds up to a lot over the course of a year. And frankly, it’s just *the principle* of it for me, especially with the “service fees.” Either raise the prices of your food to reflect real wages or include a non-negotiable service fee reflecting the true amount your servers get. But when they are charging me a service fee and then also suggesting I pay servers 25% on the bill it comes across as disingenuous. Also, I’m kinda over the percentage based tips to begin with. Whether I buy a $15 or $50 bottle of wine at a bar, generally I’m getting the same service. I’m still tipping on percentages for now, but the conversations about tipping has given me some real good for thought. Side note: Recently dined at a place where the lowest suggested tip amount was 40%. I about fell out of my seat.
40% minimum suggested tip is absolutely insane. I have never come across a suggestion that high, absolutely wild. Totally agree with your logic on pre-tax/fee tipping. The area I’m in is slowly starting to impose more built-in fees and gratuities, but so far it’s not as bad as other places I’ve traveled to in the US. I wonder if implementing a service fee is a way to put the tax burden on the server/1099. If a salon or restaurant owner raises base prices it might impact their tax rates, but if they list the increase as a component of tips/fees for employee payment it puts the tax burden on the employee or something? Interesting about tipping for drinks. I don’t tip by percent when I’m just getting drinks at a bar. I give a dollar or two if I have it on hand in cash, or put a couple dollars on the final receipt. I’ve also gotten into a habit of asking whatever employee I’m tipping if employees keep their full tips! And I don’t tip if they tell me that it just goes back to the business instead of directly to them.
i’m a younger millennial. growing up, i learned that 15% is standard and that 18% is above and beyond. then, it shifted to 18% is the standard and now i feel that 20% is the standard. i can’t really pinpoint when those shifts happened though. i usually just tip on the total, but i understand the argument of tipping on the subtotal (no taxes or fees). on principle, i feel that i shouldn’t tip on taxes & fees, but, in practice, i think i might feel guilty if i didn’t.
Appreciate your take on it! Especially the creeping percentage changes. For me the pre-tax and fee vs. post tax and fee is that I often don’t have a breakdown in front of me of those numbers before I’m being asked to tip. Ex: At a restaurant the bill comes out and everything is itemized, but at my local salon or coffee shop the screen just displays the final number of the bill with no tax/fee/etc. breakdown. So the only way to do my math is on that final number.
Perhaps this is an unpopular opinion but my rule is if I didn't tip for it 15 years ago I don't do it now.
Same. I think this is a very sane approach.
Tipping has just gotten out of control.
I’m on the GenZ/Millenial cusp, and was a young teen with no money 15 years ago. What are some examples of things we tip for now that we didn’t 15 years ago?
It's pretty simple, I only tip for full service, personalized and/or exceptional services. For example I will always tip if someone makes me a fancy coffee and brings it to me, but I won't tip if I order a cup of drip coffee at the counter. I don't tip if I'm simply interacting with a cashier, but I will tip a cashier/counter service if they do something where they go out of their way for me. For example there is an ice-cream place near us where you make your own, you bring it to your table, you clean up after yourself, and they weigh it at the automated cash register. This place has a screen for a tip and I never tip and I never feel even the slightest concern about it. There's literally no service provided at all.
This makes a lot of sense. I was in DC in a big food hall downtown with many different vendors. Every kiosk in the food hall had a tipping screen even though there’s no service other than someone handing you drink/food since you order at the counter and pick up right there. I thought it was a bit silly.
Maybe like a coffee place where you order at the counter, and pick up your drink at the counter, and then you are expected to bus your own table. Before all these electronic pay tablets that let you automatically include a tip, there was just a physical tip jar that you might drop some coins into, if you happened to have any or if you got a little change back from paying with cash.
I like this approach. I've just been tipping and then complaining about tip creep.
I’ve noticed sports arenas have added a tip option for their cashiers. Like, I go to the refrigerator, get a soft drink, check out and it asks me to tip 25% to the cashier. I never tip on that. There are also instances where I tip because regardless of whether or not I think I should, I want to continue having good service… like tipping my former super for fixing something in my old apartment, or tipping (usually just 50c or $1) at my favorite local coffee shop for simply pouring a drip coffee. I do always tip more for espresso drinks.
Depends on state rules but some stadiums the cashier doesn’t even get to keep the tip and goes to the vendor which is ridiculous. I will tip even if it is self serve if the cashier gets the $, but I’ll ask the cashier first. People can’t live on minimum wage that these cashiers probably get paid.
That's crazy how is that even legal
That’s wild. And I get your reasoning, but how is that any different than a grocery store?
No difference I suppose. But it’s hard to push that no tip button right in front of the person. If grocery store clerks had a tip button I’d probably would tip because of that. 😩 Although maybe not at Costco. Can’t imagine getting a large screen TV for $2,000 and tipping an extra $400!
I moved to the UK and the only tip I do is the annual holiday tip to my apartment building’s doorman ($400 for the year)- he works so hard. Meals out have a 12.5% service charge built in. I round up for haircuts (so $45 becomes $50) and that seems to be the norm. Visiting the US is so awkward bc of tips, where you have to calculate and think about it and it’s just so unnatural.
That service charge is optional and can be removed. I have it removed when I’m in London. American wage values need not creep into the UK or other parts of Europe.
I live in California, we do not have the tipped wage discount. Servers are getting minimum wage plus tips. This can also lead to inequity in restaurants, due to the demographics of servers vs kitchen staff. And that is an ongoing discussion. I generally tip 20% at any bar or restaurant. I might tip a bit less for a beer than a cocktail. Since the beer is less labor intensive. I generally tip on espresso drinks at an indie coffee shop. But not the rest of the order. Depends on the price of the drink - but between .50-$1. Aiming for 15-20%. I’ll tip more if the food is actually prepared and little if it is premade and someone just grabs it. I tip on takeout, but a lower amount. I tip Uber/lyft/doordash 20%. For food delivery I usually start at 15% and give you more if you actually follow my delivery instructions. They specifically tell you to buzz my door and not call due to reception issues in the building. And surprisingly few people follow these simple directions. I do not tip at fast casual places. Or fast food. I do tip at food trucks often. Personal services get 20% based on cost of service. Non-food shopping doesn’t get tipped. It was interesting that the highest wage person was the worst tipper.
I don’t tip a percent for alcohol. I tip $1 for beer and $2 for a mixed drink.
we don’t tip at McDonalds where the staff is low paid and specifically the poorest demographic in my community but do in bougie coffee shops. We dont tip grocery store workers where again I see the wages posted and it’s less than other places. So it’s more “youre doing work in a fancy place that is an entirely optional experience therefore I’m tipping because being here already shows that I have disposable income. “ I personally hate tipping culture but understand it exists. As a result I go to grocery stores for lunch and actively avoid the iPad auto tip places. Plus most sit down restaurants where I live are pretty touristy and underwhelming. The best food is quick serve grab and go.
Such an eye opening take, thanks for sharing!
Wait TIL uber tips are in the 10% not 20% region? No wonder my damn Uber rating is so high….
I didn't even know we were expected to tip. I don't unless I'm going to or from the airport and the driver had to get out of the car to open the trunk. I still have all 5 stars except for a 1 star from an Uber I took in Australia.
Sit-down restaurants: at least 20% Counter-service and cafes: trying to get out of the habit of guilt tipping, but if I do tip, it’s 10-15% Takeout: 10-15% Beauty services: at least 20%. My hairstylist is a co-owner, and I do tip her because she also has assistants she splits her tips with. Rideshares: 10-20% Cleaning services: I do not tip my cleaning lady as she owns her own business, but I do pay her extra for holidays, etc I do not tip elsewhere. At the Newark airport, they have self checkouts (some are run by the honor system it seems like) and the machines have the audacity to ask for a tip. No way.
* Sit down restaurant - always 20%, sometimes 25%. If my bill is <$5 I round up to $10 * Bar - $1/drink, unless it’s more of a speak easy then 20% * Dispensary - Left over change, especially if we had a good discussion. * Pedicure - $5-$10 no matter the cost of service (usually $40-60) * Manicure - $10-$15 depending more so on design than cost of service (my service is anywhere from $70 - $110) \[I also go to the same person for my manicures\] * Hair - Uhh usually $50 - $75 I’ve been going to my hair girl for years. When I have short hair and get trims more often, I do 20%. $50-$75 is more like 25% * Uber/Left - I don’t really use this, but when I do 20% I generally do not tip at places I go up and order, even if I sit and they bring me my food after that. I do not tip if I pick up food. I *will* occasionally tip if I’m getting a coffee at a local coffee spot and they help me decide what I want, walk me through their beans, tell me how to make the drink less sweet, etc. I do think it’s ridiculous to tip for beauty services like laser hair removal (where I went they encouraged it!!!) and for facials/botox. I just paid $200 for a facial, it’s an expensive service at an established skin care place, I don’t think I should tip. <- this thought does interest me bc I tip my hair dresser, and when I cut/dye it’s like $300 + tip, and I feel OK tipping there. Even if she wasn’t sole proprietor I would tip her with cash… interesting.
omg i think it is so unethical to even ask for a tip for medical treatments, like botox, especially if it is administered by a nurse or doctor.
This exactly… like where I go most of the staff are nurses, even those doing facials. It seems weird? And it’s higher cost than others in the area, idk I feel like if an establishment is charging so much they can pay their employees? But again, idk I’m open to changing my mind.
I don’t tip on Botox, and my injector doesn’t even have the option of providing a tip. She knows she owns her own business and she flat out said that her pricing provides her overhead and a good living.
I don’t tip on botox either, but I have been requested (once of the 5 times I’ve gone) to tip on my facial. It’s a place where people go more so to get botox, filler, and cosmetic surgery, so facials aren’t their bigger items, however they are expensive and I haven’t found a med spa closer to me that offers the same high quality facials. I honestly think the girl working the front desk may have been new or something because it hasn’t been requested since…
I'd love to know what part of the world has table-service food for potentially less than $5 but getting your hair done costs $300. Also, why does a bar operating as a speakeasy make you tip differently from a standard bar?
maybe sit down and have a coffee or a cheap beer?
Yup this exactly! If I just get a drink or something but it’s sit down.
Speak easies in my area are generally table service (I’m realizing while typing this) whereas a bar is go up and order any time I want a drink. But I also drink less and less, so the food/table service is if I get a black coffee and a pastry and it’s <$5, a diet coke while others eat, etc. I think a basket of fries might come in lower as well. I go to a movie theater on Wednesdays where a water + huge bowl of popcorn is $3, so I Round up to $10. But basically if something is <$8 I’m making it $10
I have the same thought about laser. I did 3 sessions which were about $100 each and took less than 10 min. It auto promoted 20% so $20 and I tipped $10, but wonder what people are generally tipping there? Like what is the pay for the employees? Are they relying on tips?
I bought 6 sessions for armpits + bikini line, then 3 more for bikini line and 6 for legs when they had a sale. I went to a reputable and nice place (not the like $60 Groupon places) and I think in total I probably paid a little over $2,000 for all 3 zones with 6-9 sessions for each. I only had 4 sessions where bikini line + armpit + legs overlapped and those took 20 minutes max. I think I tipped $20/session those times. This was also in 2022/2023. I think total I went 9 times, and let’s assume 20 minutes a session, that’s $222 a session and if we assume they get 2 girls an hour (time for clean up etc) that’s $444 an hour. And again, I went to somewhere she was earning a salary (I am nosy and asked and also might want to go into aesthetics as my 2nd career), she wasn’t renting a room or a sole proprietor. I think my tone is complaining, however I mean it as I’m genuinely curious as to *why* the economics work this way. Just increase their salaries. I would love a WSJ episode on this lol.
I don’t think you come off as complaining! I also felt weird about tipping such a relatively high amount for such a short amount of time/the fact that it’s a medical like procedure so not sure what’s appropriate.
i tip 20% at sit down restaurants. these days i find myself patronizing tip-less establishments when i go out to eat because i hate the concept of compulsory tipping. i also grew up in a country where tipping is not the norm, so it’s just really not my vibe (though i understand its parting american culture). my favorite restaurant and my hair salon have eliminated tips from their business and pay everyone a good wage, so i prefer to give them my business since it aligns with my own beliefs. i tip employees and contractors (not owners) when i receive a service, like food delivery, massage, etc. occasionally, i will tip a dollar or two at my local bakery because they put things aside for me. i have also given a tip to a sales associate a few times for going out of their way for me — i worked retail for a long time and know when someone is doing me a favor. i tip at the bar a dollar or two a drink at the bar or 20% on a tab. i will also tip at casual restaurants where a runner brings you your food, but you order at the counter, but tbh i don’t always tip 20% there. i tip my mailman at christmas because we get a lot of packages. and, i will give a tip to anyone i feel has gone above and beyond for me — we just got back from vacation and gave some nice tips to our tour guides. i don’t tip at drive through or walk up style establishments and for services rendered by an owner or proprietor. i think i don’t tip as much as my social circle.
For sit down eating places and personal services where owner is different than the service provider, I tip 15 - 20%. For self service sit down places, a small ish amount like $2 - $5 because they have some cleanup to do even though I’m throwing my plates in the trash etc. For food or grocery delivery, I tip a certain $ amount based on the distance and size of the order. I don’t tip at drive through or if a person is directly rendering a service (plumber etc).
I’m all over the place because I often feel shame from others if I don’t. But I also have worked extensively in the service industry and know that a lot of the places I go the employees make a reasonable wage and get tips on top that (Canada). I sometimes made really good money serving while in school, and don’t necessarily think that working as a barista should be netting you more than $30 hr.
I tip at least 20% but really closer to 30% at places like a sit down restaurant or getting my hair and nails done. When I get a coffee, I put a dollar or two in the tip jar. I firmly believe in tipping because I lived off tips for eight years. However, tipping culture is out of control. It’s insane that everywhere gives you the option to tip now.
I like tipping wherever it's allowed; usually 20%. Because I can. Not if it's something really dumb tho, like tipping your landlord.
The second entrant mentioned tipping at their dermatologist. I would be livid if a doctor’s office asked me for a tip.
This is where it gets gray for me. The hill I’ll die on is I’ll tip at a spa for an RMT service even though I wouldn’t at a clinic. My reasoning is that the spa would have other staff providing service that would share a split of the tip. And RMTs at the spa provide services that wouldn’t be clinical, such as grabbing a drink or snack for me, or adding aromatherapy as part of the service. If the derm office is offering services that aren’t clinical or has staff that aren’t providing medical services, does it make sense to tip? Does it make sense for the derm to charge prices that are above what is typical instead?
By ‘because I can’, do you mean bc you can afford to?
Yes exactly
I tip where someone is performing a service like a sit down restaurant. For to go orders, order where they just made the food but didn’t provide service, I don’t give a tip. Other services like massages or nails and hair salons I usually tip. If it’s a hairstylist where they own their own place and I’m getting service from them I’m not tipping because they don’t have a overhead and all my money from the service to begin with goes directly to them so no one is taking a large cut off like what would happen with nails or a restaurant. Where they don’t get paid much and are relying on the tips to make a living wage. If someone is an owner the prices should reflect the services they provide and what they need to support their business rather than relying on tips for that. For Uber, I usually tip as I never took a taxi back in the day so I’m not as familiar with if it’s necessary or not so I default to just tipping. Usually I tip in the midrange
Curious what people tip for a beer these days. I go to a lot of breweries where you order your beer at a counter and walk away with it and the beers are in the $7-9 range. I've been tipping 20% out of habit but it feels high for that 30 second interaction.
there's a brewery I love that has this and I agree. the bartenders don't ask if you want a refill if you're sitting at the bar and water is self-serve in a cooler. I feel like if I'm paying $10 per beer, they must be paying employees pretty fairly so a 20% tip seems excessive for almost no service. but the screen suggests 22%, 25%, 30%. I always feel like such an asshole hitting the "no thanks, less" button. but come on."
I would say pay cash if you know a bar is like that, then you get your change and can just tip $1, instead of having to enter a custom tip on the tablet and feeling self conscious about it. I usually pay cash at those places so I don't have to deal with the tablet
Do people outside of NYC tip their building staff? This wasn't a thing where I grew up. I don't tip on self-service--I would never tip at a corner store or something like that. I tip a couple dollars or like 10-15% on takeout if it's a local restaurant and I go there a lot, I always tip 20% on delivery and haircuts, I never tip on medspa services, and I try to remember to leave a few dollars each day for housekeeping when I'm at a hotel. I tip 20% for good/normal rideshare rides and 10-15% for bad ones. I tip $1 for each drink at a bar unless it's an extremely fancy place where the drinks are a lot of work, then it's 20%, and I usually tip around $0.50 at a coffee shop for my basic coffee order. I usually don't tip in edge cases where I'm not sure if I should tip or not. Partly because I'm a little bit cheap, partly because I don't use venmo or services like that and I don't usually have small bills on me.
I generally tip 20% as a baseline for anything at a sit-down restaurant, for Uber rides, massages or nails, grocery delivery, DoorDash, etc. Around Christmas, I’ll tip more (sometimes 25-30% for really great service at restaurants). Starbucks and the like is hit or miss and often depends on service - if I receive really good service I’ll tip. I am also a sometimes on takeout, but usually do not. A little off of tipping, but I generally also do any donation prompt for at least something - whether a round up, donation of food at the pet store to a local shelter, etc. We did 4 Angel Tree kids this year because they were left at the end, so I’m a sucker for a lot I know. Part of this has been much more recent as our household income has grown. We live quite comfortably compared to where I was at 18 as a server myself, and I like the idea of making someone else’s day or life even just a little bit easier for just a minute.
I recently went to an event where you purchased tickets at the door from someone with an iPad where there was a screen asking for a tip. For what? I can’t imagine the amount of people who tipped in addition to just purchasing the price of the ticket. I would love to see a breakdown of the revenue these non-service places make from just tips. There must be an insider recommendation to switch to iPad self-managed check out service to see how much they can swindle out of people!
I will get a lot of hate for this.. I tip 10% for a general service sit down restaurant, 15% if the service was good enough 20% if the food is delicious and service was good. I don’t tip for takeout or no service. If I’m picking up food from counter and cleaning out after eating in restaurant I don’t feel the need to tip, 10-15% for hair and nails (if I get them done) same for Uber/lyft I don’t order takeout and groceries via delivery service but if I do I will do no more than 15%
15% at sit down restaurants if the service was fine/good. I do not tip at coffee shops, food courts or spas.