Tipping was once reserved for people who provided particular services — waiters who took your order and made sure your dinner was pleasant, bellhops who carried your luggage, hairdressers who kept you looking sharp in the latest styles.
But now, opportunities for tipping seem to be everywhere. People who take carryout orders expect a tip. Clerks who hand you a bagel expect a tip. Even concession-stand workers at sports stadiums and some fast-food chains such as Subway expect a tip.
Customers are getting fed up with it.
One man posted a rant on TikTok after he placed an order for pizza online and picked it up himself, and then was asked if he wanted to give a 20% tip. "For what? What did you do?" he says.
Another, on Reddit, bought a Dr Pepper at a self-serve kiosk, which then offered an option for a tip. "Who am I tipping, myself?" he wrote.
The problem has proliferated with the increased use of touchscreens at checkout. The screens present pre-set buttons offering the option to tip up to 30% of the bill or more.
According to etiquette expert Diane Gottsman, these touchscreens or iPads are leading to widespread frustration with what is called "guilt tipping." In her 2023 Tipping Guide, she writes that to deal with the problem is to decide in advance how much you would tip if you were paying cash.
"The problem is, we are prompted by large percentages and guilt clicks in. People also feel the pressure of others watching and they begin to question their better judgment....
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