People With Jobs That Involve Tips: Tell Us Your Do's, Don'ts, Or General Rules For Tipping In Your Line Of Work
Over the past few years, the tipping pendulum has swung pretty far in both directions; in 2020, over-tipping was the norm in an effort to help service workers and small businesses stay afloat through the worst part of the pandemic, but now, many Americans think that tipping culture has gotten "out of control."
According to NPR, this "tipping point" of tipping culture is likely due to a combination of pandemic-informed habits, using technology as a method for purchasing goods (think: iPad tipping), and inflation affecting what it means to receive a living wage as a service industry worker. But no matter which way you cut it, people are beginning to speak out against "tip creep" and "tipflation." Bankrate even recently reported that two-thirds of Americans now have a negative view about tipping as a result of this palpable shift.
With finance experts saying one thing, many service industry professionals saying another, and most consumers getting caught somewhere in the middle when it comes to tipping etiquette, it's hard to know what the norm is these days when it comes to all things gratuity — which is why we're turning to you, our readers, to help us fill in some of the blanks.
If you work (or have ever worked) in a profession where receiving a tip for your services is an option, we want to hear from you, and we want to know as much as you're willing to tell us about your tip expectations.
Here are some hypotheticals so we can best explain what we're looking for: Let's say you work at a small cafe as a barista, with counter service only. Are there certain beverages or items that wouldn't warrant a tip — like a drip coffee or a grab-and-go pastry — or is a tip expected across the board?
What about counter-service restaurants, like Chipotle or Panera Bread, for example? Are tips a required addition, a case-by-case occurrence, or rarely necessary?
Maybe you drive for a rideshare company like Uber or Lyft, where tips are purportedly getting lower and lower. Do you expect a tip for each trip? If so, what's a "good" tip vs. an "average" one?
Perhaps you deliver food or groceries through services like DoorDash or Instacart (or a local restaurant) where, like with most restaurant jobs, tips usually end up comprising most of your paycheck. Are there ever circumstances where you wouldn't expect a customer to tip you?
Or, maybe you work for a small local business like a bakery, farmer's market, or florist. Any customers paying with a card are given the option to tip via a tablet; are there specific instances when you think tips are expected vs. just the customer going above and beyond?
This is just the beginning when it comes to professions with tips. If you're a hairstylist or beautician, nanny or babysitter, if you clean hotel rooms or homes, or if you do any of the other myriad jobs for which tips are an option, we want to hear your tipping do's, don'ts, and general etiquette for your customers when it's time for them to pay. Tell us your thoughts on tipping in your profession in the comments below or through this anonymous form, and your expertise may be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed Community post.
Your answers will help customers navigate a wide array of scenarios so we can all be a little more respectful and confident the next time we tip. ??