As a former waitress (post-college), I know what it is like to hustle for tips, and I consider myself a generous tipper, especially amid inflation.
I always tip New Jersey gas station attendants a few bucks since state law requires them to pump the gas. I leave money daily for housekeeping at hotels with a note that says: “Thank you.” I give our apartment building’s superintendent a monthly gift in addition to a year-end holiday tip.
Yet it is astounding how often I encounter the touchscreen tip option (with very pricey gratuities) when I buy coffee, pay at the nail salon and even at self-serve checkouts, where no human interaction even occurred!
”People are being asked to tip more than ever,” says Ted Rossman of Bankrate. “There are crazy examples that you would have never even thought of 10 years ago. It’s getting harder and harder to avoid.”
Which is why Americans are apparently fed up, according to a new Bankrate survey on the subject. In fact, 59% of respondents report they have at least one negative view of tipping.
That might be why, in almost every area you can imagine, the percentage of people who always tip is down compared to 2021. For food delivery folks, that number has sunk from 59% to 51% over that time frame.
For taxi or rideshare drivers, from 48% to 41%. For hotel housekeepers, from 28% to 22%. For coffee shop baristas, from 23% to 20%.
Here are some tips (pun intended) amid an omnipresent demand for gratuities.
Have you encountered tip creep? Let me know how and where in the comments.
Write to me at onthemoney@thomsonreuters.com.
