Around 7 pm last night, after a work day, a workout, and screaming children. I caved in and ordered a pizza for takeout. I purposely did not order delivery, instead opting to take the 15-minute drive to my family’s preferred pizza place. The experience was simple: I asked the teenager at the counter for my order. They promptly went to the kitchen, returned mere seconds later, and handed me the order. Of course, after cashing me out - the famous iPad screen asking if I would like to tip 20%, 25%, or 30% appeared. Should I tip? When did the suggested tip amounts get so high? I went out of my way to get the pizza to avoid the delivery fees and also took the pizza home to avoid service fees. At this moment, is a tip necessary? American tipping culture is out of control, and inflation mixed with terrible service is only making it worse.
No matter who you are, we can all agree that American tipping culture is out of control. In a time where everything is getting more and more expensive, thanks to inflation, it hits the wallet harder when everything in your day-to-day life requires a tip. And not just a tip, but one starting at least 15% of your total. Your morning coffee will add 20%, 25%, and 30% to your overall total.
The golden standard with American tipping culture is if you receive good service, then you give a baseline of 20%. Although that is already high, it was an easier pill to swallow when you were only tipping at restaurants, service-based appointments, and your morning coffee. But now, when it seems everyone is expecting a tip for anything, it is not out of scope to say that the tipping culture is out of control.
And the unfortunate aspect? Tipping culture is only getting worse, with no natural end in sight. You will have no issue finding people complaining of tipping culture; just give it a quick Google search. But what is missing? The solution to this obvious problem.
