A lot of us have felt that awkward pressure moment at a restaurant when the end of a meal often comes with a quiet judgment of how much tip you’re going to leave.
Of course, nobody is saying good service shouldn’t be rewarded. But the line gets blurry fast when tipping feels like a test, and starts popping up in unwarranted situations and places.
Like during a skydiving session, where you’re already paying a pretty serious amount just to jump out of a plane. Or in restaurants where robots are bringing your food to the table — are you supposed to tip the robot, the restaurant, or just pretend you didn’t see the screen?
People have been sharing what they call “reasonable, no-hate rants” on the subreddit r/EndTipping. It’s basically a space for those who feel tipping culture has gone a bit off the rails, and these stories prove exactly why.
#1
I stopped by this coffee shop I frequent—often enough that they know my name—and ordered a drink. I didn’t tip on the card but left a dollar in the jar. The barista saw it, and I guess noticed the other cash in my purse, and said loudly, “Oh wow! A whole dollar… that’s SO generous! Thank you SO much.”
I have never been that dumbstruck before. The sarcasm was so unreal I was convinced she was going to spit in my drink or something. But really, why should she be entitled to more than a dollar for my $5.00 coffee? Why should she even get an extra cent, for that matter?
She’s performing her job, which is to make a drink. There’s clearly no good service there. If we are going to tip at coffee shops, it should be customary that they receive the tip after we get the drink, not before. Service is so bad right now.
Image source: moonchildcountrygirl, Getty Images/unsplash
#2
I’m a barista at a small local family-owned coffee shop. We get paid just above minimum wage—not a tipped wage—but we operate with a Square tablet that we have to turn around for tips. I already HATE having to turn it around every single transaction, but the other day my coworker did something awful and I hope they’re fired for it.
We have this regular who comes in every single morning. He’s an elderly man and he usually just gets a small latte and sits and chats with his friends for a couple hours. He’s always incredibly kind to us and makes sure he sees everyone who’s on shift so he can say Good morning to them.
Well, some of my coworkers really don’t like him because he never tips when the tip screen is turned around. Last week, I noticed that he hadn’t been coming in in the morning despite his friends being there. Honestly, I got really concerned because I thought he had run into some medical issues, but then I saw him outside of work and asked him where he’d been. He told me that one of my coworkers rudely told him he was “forgetting something” when he walked away after paying to sit with his friends. Then they yelled at him about how rude it was he never tipped and told him that none of the people who work there actually like him. I was absolutely floored. He told me he planned to never come back because he no longer feels comfortable. Needless to say… I will be talking to my boss about it and I’m mortified that this has happened.
Image source: SaintTourmaline, Wallstreetbeaters/reddit
Tipping culture is often described as more intense in the US and Canada compared to many other countries. In North America, tipping is not just a bonus for good service anymore — it’s often expected in restaurants, cafes, hotels, and even newer settings like digital checkout screens.
The modern tipping culture in the US is often traced back to a pretty uncomfortable history, and several historians point out that it became widespread after the Civil War era.
After slavery was abolished, many formerly enslaved Black workers were pushed into service jobs like waiting tables, rail car services, and hotel work. Employers often didn’t pay them a proper wage, and instead allowed or expected them to rely on tips from customers. In some cases, tipping was even used as a way for businesses to avoid paying wages altogether.
Over time, this system stuck. Even when minimum wage laws started to develop, tipping had already become normal in the hospitality sector.
#3
Last year, I went skydiving with some friends in Virginia. We called ahead and were told it was $300 per person. When we got there, they said photos and video were another $100, which we agreed to—so $400 total.
Then, right when we were about to pay, before anything had even happened, they asked if we wanted to leave a tip. That honestly felt weird. I’ve never heard of tipping for skydiving, especially when you’re already paying that much and haven’t even done the jump yet. Nothing about tipping was mentioned on the phone either.
We said no, politely. After that, the vibe completely changed. The instructors and pilot were clearly annoyed, talked to us in a rude, almost scolding way, and the whole experience felt tense. What should’ve been exciting ended up feeling uncomfortable.
This is why tipping culture is getting out of hand. When you’re treated worse for not tipping, it stops being optional and starts feeling like a hidden requirement. I’d much rather just pay a clear, upfront price and be treated the same either way.
Image source: Kingjoker58, Lola Prior/unsplash
#4
I went out for dinner with a couple of friends last weekend and was pleasantly surprised to see our food being brought out by those funny little robot servers.
At the end of the meal, the robot brought us the plastic tray with the bill and a big laminated sign that said, “Electronic waiters work hard, don’t forget to tip us 😊.” I’m sorry, but what the hell. I was actually a little taken aback at the audacity of the restaurant to pull that.
No, electronic waiters do not deserve a tip. They deserve a tip even less than regular waiters do, which they also do not deserve, to be clear. I was so legitimately angry that I didn’t even take a pic. And no, when I paid my bill at the front, I absolutely did not tip.
Image source: Whitershadeofforever, k2yip/reddit
In the US especially, tipped workers in some sectors can legally be paid a lower minimum wage than other jobs, under the assumption that tips will make up the difference.
This tipping culture also stuck around because it benefits businesses — menu prices can stay lower than they otherwise would be, since part of the labor cost is pushed onto customers through tipping.
In a way, many workers in hospitality and delivery jobs rely solely on tips as a meaningful part of their income.
#5
My wife and I were out with a friend and his wife this past weekend. After a long day out, we decided to grab pizza and found a nearby pizzeria on Google. The listing said they were open until 10 PM, so we called around 8:30 to check, since a lot of places in that neighborhood close early. The lady on the phone said the kitchen was open until 9:30, and after that it would just be counter pizzas, if available, until 10.
We got there around 9 and ordered two pizzas and a side of garlic knots. The pizza was good, the knots were nice and cheesy—so far, so good. We finished up by 9:45, and the check came out to around $51 and change after taxes. We left $60.
As we were leaving, the waitress said something in Italian to the guy at the counter. Once we got to the car, my friend’s wife—who understands a bit of Italian—said the waitress had said something along the lines of, “bastards only tipped 9.”
Safe to say we won’t be going back. Even percentage-wise, we tipped around 16–17%. I get that we were there close to closing, but there were a few other tables occupied too. It’s not like we held the place up after closing.
Image source: Alarmed_Ant9964, Curated Lifestyle/unsplash
#6
Had dinner at a decent restaurant last night and the server was a little odd but friendly enough. I asked him how the evening was going as I was paying on the tablet.
He said everything was going good and the table inside was a lot of fun and great until they weren’t. I replied by asking if they had too much to drink or what happened.
He says “no they just got real stingy and light with the tip at the end which ruins the entire experience”
What a crazy thing to say to another customer and made me feel real awkward. Definitely didn’t leave a tip after that!
Image source: stonks_hunter, Curated Lifestyle/unsplash
#7
So the wife and I have decided to stop going to sit down restaurants 98% of the time. Sometimes its just unavoidable. Mostly Because of the tipping but also the lack of quality. We have noticed that restaurants in my area raised all their prices and lowered the quality. The last restaurant we went to said it would add an automatic 22% if the tip line was left empty. Like WTF. I think that’s theft personally. I never leave tips for any kind of walk up service either but the stuff is getting ridiculous. So we have just decided to not patronize any food service establishment and make everything at home. Guess what, its cheaper and better than any restaurant we’ve been to in years.
Image source: tigerbloon71, Getty Images/unsplash
But more and more Americans are getting sick of today’s tipping culture.
In a recent survey, about 81% of them said tipping has gotten out of control. More than two in five Americans said they think the US should ban tips.
“Tips have gone far beyond traditional establishments, which had been places like sit-down restaurants, bars and hair salons. Now, it’s everywhere you look. That’s part of the frustration, because people are at a point where they don’t know who to tip and how much to tip,” says Chip Lupo, an analyst at WalletHub which did the survey.
#8
Years back, I had a sit-down restaurant. When I first started, I tried to pool the tips so everyone in the store—from the dishwashers and cooks to the servers—would get a piece of the tipping pie. I also introduced business profit participation, meaning we would all make the same, including myself. The idea was that we’d all share fairly and keep things balanced. Sounds fair, right? Nope. The “pro servers” were livid. It was a spectacular failure.
So I gave in “for the good of the store.” Imagine making so much in tips that you’re earning more than the owner on any given day, while I was working 60 to 80 hours a week. That was the expectation from most of the professional serving staff. And when it came to helping train younger, less experienced staff? Forget it. The attitude was basically, “Your problem, not mine.” On top of that, you never knew when they’d show up, if they’d show up, or who would show up. Meanwhile, they were making a lot more money than anyone else in the business.
I had a serious dilemma on my hands. My solution? I fired every server and turned the place into “order at the counter.” Honestly, it was probably the best decision I made for my own well-being. The business stayed about the same at first, though I genuinely thought I might go under. But over time, things actually improved.
Why? Because customers didn’t feel obligated to deal with bad service and still tip 20% or more. My reviews got a lot better too. Almost all my one-star reviews before had been about the service, never the food. Removing that element solved a major issue.
I still have a tipping option when people pay, but it’s not percentage-based—just fixed amounts like no tip, $1, $3, $5. If someone places a huge order, they don’t feel pressured to tip $20 or more. And if people do tip, it gets shared among the staff. If they don’t, that’s fine too—no pressure, no attitude—because I already pay my employees well above industry standard.
In the end, tipping culture sucks. I really believe that. But it’s part of the system, and some customers still want to tip, so you can’t make everyone happy. What you can do is minimize the downsides as much as possible.
I don’t know how this take will land, especially coming from an owner, but after being here a while and hearing people’s complaints, I wanted to share that at least one owner agrees. If I get downvoted into oblivion, it is what it is. I just wanted to put it out there. Thanks for reading.
Image source: DriveNew, Getty Images/unsplash
#9
I went to a pizza place last night. Order at the counter, they bring you your food when it is ready. When you finish up, you bus your own plates and go to the counter to pay.
The guy tells me my bill amount. You have to use their kiosk to check out. I hit 0 tip and tap my card.
The guy keeps saying, your card isn’t processing….your card is wrong…I keep saying, I don’t understand, what is wrong? He finally says that my card is only authorizing for the amount of the bill. He was highly agitated. So I was like, so what is the problem? He finished checking me out. I took the receipt and….
It finally happened to me, I checked my credit card this morning. The restaurant added a tip to my card without my permission.
I did message my credit card to ask them what they do in this situation…but man, the audacity.
Image source: Bluestatevibes, Getty Images/unsplash
#10
I just discovered this sub, and I knew this was the perfect place to say this. If you order food on DoorDash, don’t tip—and I say this as a delivery carrier (or “Dasher,” as they call us).
You might ask why I’d say that. When we accept a delivery order on DoorDash, the information we get is how long it will take and how much DoorDash guarantees we’re going to be paid. That’s where the issue comes in. Their “guarantee system” combines the tip and the delivery fee, but they don’t tell us how much of each makes up the total.
Here in the SF Bay Area, orders usually have a guaranteed pay of around $7. If, after completing the order, the customer tips $5, DoorDash breaks it down like this: delivery fee $2, tip $5. But if the customer doesn’t tip, DoorDash pays it like this: delivery fee $7, tip $0.
So tips are only actually worth it to the driver if you tip more than $7, which usually isn’t the case. If you tip $7 or less, you’re effectively tipping the company, not the driver. People fall for the “100% of your tip goes to the Dasher” line. And yes, technically that’s true—but DoorDash reduces their base payment accordingly.
So please, don’t tip on DoorDash. In California, thanks to Prop 22, we already make enough (and that’s coming from someone in a high cost-of-living area).
TL;DR: If you tip less than about $7 on DoorDash, don’t tip—the company just pays less, and the tip effectively replaces part of the delivery fee.
Image source: eric39es, DoorDash/unsplash
Tipping is often described as a way to show appreciation for a service. If you regularly go to a café or a restaurant, tipping can build a kind of relationship with staff, and in some cases, it encourages better service over time.
So in that sense, tipping is seen as a way for customers to directly support workers.
But a lot of research has also pointed out why the system can be problematic too, especially in countries like the US, where tipping is deeply built into wages rather than being purely optional.
Studies show it is not a reliable measure of performance, and better service doesn’t always lead to better tips, and vice versa.
#11
My wife called me on Friday afternoon while I was at work and said she and my son wanted to try a new pizza place that opened near us about two months ago. No problem—I like pizza. She mentioned they only had 12-inch pizzas, which was fine, and I told her to get me a pepperoni and a Caesar salad.
I left work a bit later and stopped to pick up the food on my way home. When I walked in, the guy at the counter was as nice as could be. I told him my wife had called in an order and gave her name. He checked the system and said, “Here it is—two pepperoni pizzas and two Caesar salads.” Then he rang it up and said, “That will be $70.50.”
I was in shock, but it’s the neighborhood we live in. I took out my card and tapped it, and the screen showed options for 20%, 25%, 30%, and no tip. I hit “no tip.” The guy’s face dropped instantly, and his whole demeanor changed. I said thank you and told him to have a good evening, but he just walked away without saying a word.
I’m not giving you $15+ for absolutely nothing. I got home and told my wife this is the first and last time we’re ordering from there. I’m done with this nonsense.
Image source: dcaponegro, Getty Images/unsplash
#12
Walked up to a pizza counter with my son and we each ordered a slice. Took the person behind the counter literally 10 seconds to slap them on paper plates, and ring us up. $14 for two slices, no drinks. This place also has a sign that they automatically add 5% to every ticket…
Tip options were 18%, 20%, and 25%.
I thought about for a second and selected no tip, She looked down at the screen, looked up at me and did an exaggerated eye roll and a very audible exasperated sigh…
AYFKM? You did literally 10 seconds of work, which is your job, and you expect me to personally give you an extra $3 for it on top of the exorbitant price of the pizza and the 5% upcharge? Get bent.
Image source: latesummerthrowaway, Beatriz Morrone/unsplash
#13
Went to a new restaurant yesterday, a new to me place that seemed quiet, and I felt I’d give them a shot. At the end, I check my bill and there’s an extra 20% pre-tip charge labelled “Quiet Time Surcharge.”
I ask the server what it is, thinking it’s a mistake. They look a bit sheepish and say something along the lines of:
“management says when it’s not busy, you’re basically getting the place to yourself. It’s kind of like flying private instead of commercial”
I had to laugh, but also… are you kidding me? I’m not “chartering a restaurant,” I just wanted dinner. If anything, it’s less service work when the place is empty.
So now we’re at the point where restaurants tack on fees not because they’re busy, but because they aren’t. That’s wild.
Image source: michalwalks, Curated Lifestyle/unsplash
Tips can be influenced by bias, including factors like gender, age, race, and appearance, rather than just service quality. That means two workers doing the same job may not earn the same amount.
Research has found that workers of color often earn less in tips than white workers doing the same job, even when the level of service is similar.
Studies show that even female servers are held to a very high standard. And if this standard is not met, they are treated unfavorably in comparison to male servers who produce the same level of service quality.
“Because of the two-tiered system, because of the racial segregation, the people who are most impacted and impoverished by the current tipping system are people of color, and in particular women of color,” says Saru Jayaraman, director of the Food Labor Research Center at the University of California, Berkeley.
#14
I just ordered a grande coffee through their drive thru, nothing special. Total is usually $3.45. I don’t have the Starbucks app so I always just tap my card and I do usually tip, just the fifty or so cents to round up to $4. Today I get to the window and my coffee is ready, the girl had the POS device laying flat on the counter and motioned for me to just tap my card on it. Well little did she know my chip isn’t working to tap so I had to insert it, and I see the total is $5.45. So they preset a $2 tip thinking I’d just tap and drive off. Not today…I told them that’s the wrong amount, she cleared it and I paid the $3.45, no tip. ALWAYS check the totals before paying!!! And I’ll also be finding a new coffee shop
Image source: Salt_Historian_9850, Shay/unsplash
#15
I drove to the local Dominos to pick up my dinner the other day. Since I did the driving, I didn’t see a reason to leave a tip. The employee at the window clearly didn’t agree.
Instead of handing me my food, he looked at the receipt, walked away, and spent about a minute aimlessly shifting things around the register area. He was obviously making me wait for no reason, as my boxes were sitting right there the whole time. Eventually, he walked back over, picked up the same boxes that had been sitting there, and handed them out.
It’s wild that even when you do 100% of the logistics, there’s an expectation of a tip—and “punishment” if you don’t.
Image source: Alert_Light_886, Arantxa Aniorte/unsplash
#16
I walked into a café, ordered a plain drip coffee, and the guy at the counter tapped the iPad one time before spinning it toward me without saying anything.
The screen shows 20%, 25%, 30%and a tiny “no tip” hiding in the corner like it’s ashamed to exist.
I hit no tip.
The barista let out this dramatic sigh, like I had just canceled his birthday, and muttered loud enough for me to hear, “Some people really can’t be bothered.”
My friend, you pressed one button. That is all that has happened so far. I haven’t even seen the coffee yet.
At this rate I fully expect the grocery store self checkout to ask if I want to tip for scanning my own items. Next week I’ll walk into a building and a screen will pop up asking if I’d like to tip 18 percent for entering.
I just wanted caffeine, not a moral evaluation.
Image source: lynxbby, quan le/unsplash
Even as criticism of the system grows, we can’t ignore the fact that tips remain a direct source of income for millions of workers. And all the stories here are not reasons to cheap out or avoid tipping altogether.
The broader debate is often about shifting responsibility.
Experts believe that wages should be transparent and included in menu prices, so workers are paid fairly without depending on customer discretion.
Policymakers and labor groups have also pushed for changes like eliminating the lower “tipped minimum wage” and making employers pay full base wages regardless of tips.
Some US states, like California and Washington, already require higher or equal minimum wages for tipped workers, moving away from the traditional two-tier system.
#17
I’m so tired of these fast food type places asking for tips, especially when it’s through the app. Yesterday I ordered Starbucks through the app, I hit no tip. I pull up to the speaker and give my name then pull up to the window. Cue angry looking employee, doesn’t say a word just hands drinks through the window. I said “have a nice 4th of July”. She responds with “have a day” which we all know means FU, and closes the window. Now I’m pissed, she’s obviously mad because I didn’t tip, did she tamper with my drink? It should be illegal to let employees see the tip amount before service, have it pop up after, or better, remove it completely from the app. Starbucks employees make a decent wage for putting coffee in cups, they shouldn’t demand a tip, especially since it’s expensive as hell anyway.
Image source: upset_Dad9, Curated Lifestyle/unsplash
#18
The restaurant we went to had an automatic 10% “service charge” on the receipt, one of those “this is not a tip, this is to keep up with rising costs etc etc”. On the tip line he put $0.00 and drew an arrow from the tip line to the service charge line and called it a day. Simple yet makes complete sense. If you tack a service charge on the receipt, sorry but your waiters get a $0 tip.
Image source: 13dogfriends, Getty Images/unsplash
#19
So I ordered Paisanos pizza tonight, it’s mid size chain in the mid Atlantic. I ordered online and was going to have it delivered, but at checkout it said I could save $8.50 buy selecting pickup, that plus not tipping the driver would save me over $15, so sure I’ll pick up.
Checking out with Apple Pay and prompted for a tip, I select nothing because I’m picking it up. I get there and give my name, they print out a receipt and ask me to sign it. On this receipt is a place for a tip. So obviously since I already paid and didn’t include a tip now they’re trying a second time for a tip, for carry out. What the f are we doing. So glad I decided this year I’m done with standardized tipping. I’ll tip when warranted, this ain’t that.
Image source: Jazzlike_Dig2456, Getty Images/unsplash
For now, though, nothing about the tipping system is fully fair. That leaves customers in a grey zone.
Experts suggest people should recognize that the system has real flaws, but also know that tips still directly affect someone’s take-home pay.
For example, in restaurants or cafés where tipping is clearly part of the setup, leaving a standard tip is still seen as the safest way to avoid hurting service staff financially.
At the same time, people are encouraged to pay attention to when tipping feels genuinely expected versus when it’s just an optional prompt on a screen — like at self-checkouts or automated kiosks where there is little or no service involved.
“When they turn that device around, it’s this glaring thing, and people feel shamed into tipping, but you don’t have to,” says Elaine Swann, a lifestyle and etiquette expert and founder of the Swann School of Protocol.
#20
Seattle drive-thru café. I’d been going there for about three years, once or twice a month. Keep in mind, this is Seattle—the land of a $20+ minimum wage. I ordered two drinks, hit “no tip,” and then the barista said out loud, “No tip—okay, that’s nice.” She then handed over the drinks angrily without any acknowledgment. What is that? I won’t be going back.
Edit #1: I removed the business name. I didn’t expect this to lead to multiple negative reviews being posted because of my experience. I left my own review and came here to rant and start a discussion. I don’t agree with the business getting flooded with artificial reviews based on a Reddit post.
Edit #2: The owner, Taylor, reached out to me directly after seeing this post. We talked for about 10 minutes, and she apologized profusely for the experience. She’s even sending us a gift card. So please stop posting fake reviews—the owner addressed it and went above and beyond after the negative experience.
Image source: tobias_hund, Ahmed/unsplash
#21
We ate at a “midrange” steakhouse with a $100 gift card. Bill was a little over $60. I handed the card to the waitress and asked if I could leave the tip with the gift card (I still tip wait staff up to 20% based on experience, don’t hate me, no tips in other eateries though). She said yes, but only if using the remainder of the gift card. I said “…it’s a $100 gift card”. She just looks at me for a few seconds and I said “I do want some of it back.” She took the card and said she will “try to find a way”, and miraculously the card came back with a receipt and a tip line. She really thought I’d just let her keep the rest since it was a gift card.
Image source: Difficult-Insect
At the end of the day (or service), tipping shouldn’t feel like a performance review. It is meant to reflect appreciation, a small extra way of saying thank you when someone has made the experience better than expected.
And if someone provides genuinely poor or rude service, you are not obligated to reward that behavior.
#22
I went to a restaurant in the Chinatown district of a major US city for lunch. The “service” consisted of scanning a QR code to order and then getting up to go to the back of the restaurant to pay. They did bring our food to the table, but didn’t check on us or offer water refills.
After I paid, the receipt had boxes for 15%, 18%, and 20%, along with a custom tip option. Not feeling that the minimal service warranted a tip, I left the boxes blank and signed the receipt. I also took a picture of it, just in case the restaurant tried to add a tip later.
The lady saw the receipt and said, “Excuse me, the tip is not included,” and handed it back to me. I already wasn’t going to tip, but that comment sealed it. It felt like she was trying to pressure me. I wrote “0” and handed it back.
Shame, because the food was good—but I won’t be going back.
Image source: Responsible-Guard416
#23
I go to a pizza place for lunch most days. It’s a bit of a walk from work, but their pizza is delicious and they have good seating. I usually only get 1 slice at the counter, sometimes 2. The staff know me by sight and one guy knows me by name — this guy happens to be working today. My usual order is about $5 and they have a “Tip $1 / $2 / $3 / No Tip” kiosk. As a rule, I don’t tip for counter service. Today, the guy hangs around as I’m tapping the screen and say “Is there anything I can do to make this a great experience?”. I tell him “No, it’s already a great experience.” He looks me in the eye and says “Okay, well I thought I’d at least get a dollar.”
Made me feel gross. On the one hand, I like this guy and if he needed a dollar, I would totally give him one. On the other hand, whining about a tip like that is icky.
It’s a shame – I liked going there. Going to find a new place tomorrow.
Image source: paxprobellum
#24
I was at WWWY festival in Vegas this past weekend. I was brutally hungover and thought a steak wrap sounded great. I walk over to the stand. Order what turns out to be the saddest,coldest, smallest, most pathetic steak wrap in existence for $23.00! The guy hands me a premade wrap (I thought they would be made fresh. I would not have bought if I knew it was premade) and I tap my card against the payment machine. He then sheepishly says here and I asked did the transaction go through? He then says yes but I need to do this and clicks 20% for me and goes to click done. I said absolutely not and clicked no tip. The lion, the witch, the audacity of this jerk! His face when I clicked no tip was like I ended a newborn and he called me a jerk as I walked away.
Image source: NorthBoss420
#25
Literally my first time not tipping. I’m at this restaurant, sitting at the bar solo. Bartender’s friendly enough to start, nothing special, but I’m cool with that. Then these two blonde women walk in, clearly 30+, and suddenly it’s like I don’t exist.
He’s fawning over them, asking for their IDs because they “look 22” (lol, okay), mixing up special off-menu drinks for them on the house, laughing way too loud at their jokes…just full court press flirting.
Meanwhile, I get tossed a menu and nothing more. No attention. No engagement. No effort.
So yeah, f*ck him. I paid my bill and didn’t leave a tip. If my presence doesn’t matter when it comes to service, then my money doesn’t either.
Too bad.
Image source: FeistyFroyo4005
#26
My girlfriend and I went out to a restaurant. I’ve been on a kick where all I tip is $5 no matter what unless I’m super complicated and annoying to the server. The server took our order refilled our drinks once and handed us the check. So I left $5
Checked my credit card statement today and saw the charge go up $15 dollars instead of the $5 that I tipped. Called the restaurant and asked them to look into it. Sure enough she put The tip is $15 when she rang it in the register. He said he saw my $5 tip on the receipt.
Make sure you’re checking your charges!
Image source: colson1985
#27
A restaurant I used to frequent had a lunch special—$10.99 for a slider plate, wings, or a Philly cheesesteak with a drink. You get the idea. They weren’t exactly fast, though. So with a 20% tip, that $10.99 meal came out to about $14.37.
A few months later, they dropped the “includes drink” part. Now, after tax and tip, the total was around $18.30. That’s when I stopped going.
The owner asked me why, and I explained all of that. He said, “I’d rather you come in and eat and not tip a dime than not come in at all.” Fair enough. So I started going again and tipping a dollar.
Then I got a nasty Facebook message from a server who was upset she wasn’t getting a 20–30% tip for walking a plate 15 feet. Again, they were slow, and refills were rare. So I stopped going again.
It seems like a lot of other people did too. The cook, the barback, the surly waitress—all out of a job. Not sure what the owner is doing now, but it can’t be going well.
Image source: Ima-Bott
#28
Went to a restaraunt the other day. No host but sat at the bar next to a couple. Bartender comes over looking kinda stretched thin as they were busy. However, he takes my order and asks if I want to pay now. I said I guess. Proceeds to take my card, preses some numbers and hands it back.
I asked if I need to sign he said no. I asked for a receipt and he was hesitant. Proceeded to ask 3 more times for it. He brings back a generic receipt. Asked him for one with my card on it. He added his own tip. 22%. Absolutely ridiculous.
Image source: Personal-Ladder-4361
#29
Uber to airport? App asks for a tip
Coffee at airport? Terminal asks for a tip
Uber from airport to hotel? Another tip
Bellman? Tip!
Dinner? Tip server
Drinks after? Tip bartender
Book a tour? Tip your guide and bus driver
What else am I missing?
It’s all gotten so ridiculous. You could spend hundreds of dollars in tips on vacation.
Image source: dcht
#30
A friend had drinks with another friend. They split the bill. Clicked 20% on the terminal and went home.
When reviewing the credit card a couple of days later – it was 40% tip! turns out the terminal added tip of 20% of the whole amount to each transaction.
Calling the place they claimed that the software is new / weird / faulty. They agreed to refund the tip, but if they won’t my friend plans to report fraud to the CC company.
Image source: Orultehen
#31
Where I live the hair washers get a tip. Prices are already sky high, but I usually give a tip of varying amounts to my hairdresser.
I have noticed that folks have been tipping the hair washer. I don’t (nobody tips me for wiping their a$$ that’s my job I am a nurse). Admittedly I will give a cash to her at Christmas.
What are your thoughts?
Image source: notoast4me
#32
Left a 20% tip for average service on the weekend. Wasn’t a particularly expensive dinner, around $100 and we were there for around an hour. When leaving the waitress approached asking “Were you unhappy with the service?” This was a direct slight to her being unhappy with the tip.
Seriously WTF. Tipping used to be 18% and slowly creeped up. A $20 tip for an hours time to just take our order (someone else brought the food, and yes they forgot to bring a side and had to flag someone different down for it).
Waitstaff are becoming entitled and getting mad when you don’t tip that 25-30% tip. A culture shift needs to happen. Otherwise I don’t plan to keep going to restaurants at this rate.
Image source: RadReptile
#33
My wife and I were dining at a restaurant in the city. The place was pretty over priced and the service was just alright. Total came to $70 and I paid with a $100 then walked to the bathroom. The area where the bathroom was is very close to where the waiters/waitresses congregate. While I’m walking back I hear our waitress say to someone “I need change for a $100 bill but make sure it’s a $20 and a $10 so he has to leave the $20”.
Jokes on her, I had a $5 in my wallet.
Image source: Feeling_Term_5935
#34
I took my wife to a 3 Michelin star restaurant to celebrate my birthday last week. The experience was wonderful, and I paid the $30 valet with the check. My wife was driving, and when we got outside the valet driver, while holding onto her car keys, verbally demanded a cash tip. She was pretty intimidated and put off, I had to turn to him from the passenger side and tell him we already paid $30 for his service and are not carrying cash. I reported this to the restaurant and they refunded the parking charge, but it was a bad and harsh end to an incredible evening. Really pissed me off.
Image source: mbergen
#35
so I ordered online for pick up. got there and got my food and didn’t tip. the lady looked at me and asked “no tip? where’s the tip?” I said “no services were rendered. you don’t go to a resteraunt to tip the chef. you tip a server based on the service. not the total. no one here helped me? I ordered my own food, picked it up on my own. so why would I tip the chef? he did his job. you did yours by charging me.” and I walked out.
Image source: ItsMrsEwingBit**es
#36
In my city, there’s an all-you-can-eat hot pot restaurant that I genuinely love. The food is amazing, and the service is good too—until it’s time to pay the bill. They use an iPad at the table, then turn it to you “for a question,” but they watch as you enter the tip. The only options are 20%, 22%, and 25%. I’ve dealt with the awkwardness because the food is great, but I always dread that moment.
Then a new place opened in town with the same concept and similar prices. The difference is that it clearly states at the table that tips aren’t expected. A lot of places say that, but here, when you pay and get the check, there isn’t even an option to add a tip.
With similar quality and satisfying the same craving, we haven’t gone back to the first place since trying the new one—purely because it removes that uncomfortable tipping moment at the end of the meal. I hope to see more places like this. They say competition drives change, and in this case, it’s definitely for the better.
Image source: Inner_Development703
#37
So, I go get a sandwich at this place for the first time. Total is 9.20$. I pay cash with a ten. He seems unhappy. He gives me back 35 cents only. I say he made an error, and still owes me money. He doesn’t answer to that, and say loudly ” For here or to go?” I repeat myself. He finally manages to give my change. Almost told him I would have given him all, which I do habitually (don’t judge me please), if he had not try to stiff me, or may I say, litterally steal from me. This place lost a customer. I live nearby but will never go back. All that for 45 cents. And if it’s a mistake, how strange it’s always the customer who gets disadvantaged by their “mistake”…
Image source: djdlt
#38
Recently I was at the Dairy Queen drive through and ordered four Dilly Bars.
Total after tax was $15.90. I handed the young lady at the window a $20 bill. When I didn’t start driving away right away, she asked if I wanted change, and looked annoyed/inconvenienced when I said “yes.”
I didn’t realize employees at a place like Dairy Queen expected tips when they are already paid above minimum wage and the job requires low effort.
Image source: freebird_inthe_wind
#39
Went to a local pastry shop. Spent around $26 for 2 cookies, a cinnamon roll, and an iced latte. The cashier greeted me very friendly, but as soon as the tip screen came on she started watching. She saw I put 0 tip then didn’t even bother looking at me or saying anything else when she handed me the receipt. I told her thank you have a great day and left.
The expectations that these people have are crazy!! I’m glad I’ve gotten more comfortable giving no tip when literally there’s no reason to. I hope more and more people start doing the same.
Image source: UnboundMerk
#40
Went to a local Mexican spot for my aunts birthday, about 15 people. They brought the little card reader and for my family our food was $82, plus an automatic 22% tip included since we were a big group($107 total) It wouldn’t let me back out or alter it, stuck my card in the machine and a tip screen pops up🙌🏻 Asking for a tip on top of a tip, just like I’ve seen people share here. So I was aware enough to skip the second tip. After we left I told my husband and he was baffled, said it was a good thing I handled the payment, because he knows he would have totally tipped again and not noticed! We know they are counting on a lot of people not to notice this. So shady, won’t be going back
*edit to clarify our bill was for my family of 4, but we were part of a group of 15 people
Image source: Traditional_Hair6337
#41
I recently ordered some barbecue in the bustling metropolis of Louisa, Virginia. A little backstory—I used to date a waitress, so I’ve seen how hard they work and have no issue tipping, especially when someone goes above and beyond.
Fast forward to yesterday. I phoned in a pickup order for a work function the next day: four pounds of barbecue at $20 a pound, plus two 12-ounce bottles of sauce at $12 each. After taxes, the total was pushing $120.
I showed up the next day on time, and they had forgotten my order. I ended up waiting 30 minutes while they prepared it, and I was the only person in the restaurant. Then, after all that, I was asked how much gratuity I wanted to add.
Seriously? I’m driving there, picking up the food at the counter—late—and carrying it back to my truck. The only interaction is someone handing me an aluminum pan of barbecue and two small bottles of sauce. I didn’t leave any tip.
Image source: Salt-Inspection4074
#42
Got a haircut last week. Just a trim. I was planning to tip $5.
Then I looked at the receipt. There was a $3 “wellness fee” added. I asked what that was for.
The receptionist just smiled and said nothing.
Then the tablet asked for a tip. Options started at 18%.
So let me do the math. $25 haircut. Plus $3 wellness fee. Plus 18% tip on the $28 total. That’s about $5 more. So now I’m paying $33 for a $25 haircut.
I tipped 15% on the original $25 before the fee. So $3.75. And I left.
I’m not mad at the hairstylist. She did a good job. I’m mad that places keep adding random fees and then still asking for a full tip like nothing happened.
Image source: mariyagel
#43
Went to lunch with my son. It is a local sit down burger place with servers. Burgers were $12 for a plain, ordinary burger. I ordered a plain burger and my son ordered a Swiss mushroom burger for $16. We also had drinks and fries. Total bill before tip was around $45.
I found the bun too big so wanted to just eat the meat. No silverware so I asked the server for a fork. He jokingly said forks were $50 and laughed. Then I had to ask for Ketchup. Drinks weren’t refilled without our asking. When we were ready for the bill, he brought over the handheld and I watched him touch the 25% tip button. Options were 20%, 22%, and 25%. I looked at him as he smiled, seeming proud of his boldness. I selected “other” and changed the tip to $3.00. I tipped based on his low level of effort. I wonder how many people don’t notice his trick and just go with the 25%.
Image source: DoingItForMyKid
#44
Went to pick up a couple pizzas at Dominos. Ordered and paid online using Apple Pay. The previous few locations I have been to just handed me my order and that was it. This time i got the “just need you to sign something” comment. She hands me the receipt paper with lines for a tip. I commented that I never had to sign when using Apple Pay before and she didn’t say a word. She watched as i wrote 0 on the tip line and then I took a picture of the copy in case of any discrepancy down the road. She sulked back to work and gave me a pathetic sounding “have a good night” Since I was the delivery driver I gave myself a tip.
Image source: TipRude9274
#45
In my recent trip to the MGM. A bartender followed us onto the casino floor and demanded to know why I didnt tip.
In Nevada bartenders get a full minimum wage, so any expecations for tips have zero justification. The bartender said they still expect tips but could not proivde an underlying reason why besides his status as a bartender.
I shared this unpleasant expereince with the manager upon checkout. Today I received an email apology from the casino, they refunded the entire transaction!
Image source: Existing_Art8081
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