The craziest places I've been asked to tip

Would you tip a robot? That’s essentially what I was asked to do when a self-checkout machine at Newark Liberty International Airport prompted me for a tip. I picked a premade sandwich out of a refrigerator, scanned it at a self-service kiosk and was presented with an on-screen tip prompt.

I didn’t feel an ounce of guilt hitting the “no tip” button, but this is the sort of thing that’s giving tipping a bad name. Another outrageous example was when I was asked to tip while making a reservation at a pick-your-own strawberry farm. Situations like this are often considered part of “tip creep.”

What is tip creep and why is it growing?

Tip creep refers to being asked to tip in unconventional places. The most widespread example that has caught on in recent years is at coffee shops, but self-checkout machines and pick-your-own strawberry farms fit the bill as well.

There’s a fun “what’s the weirdest place you’ve been prompted to tip?” forum on Reddit. A dermatologist’s office, a car mechanic shop and a movie theater ticket counter are three of my favorites. Those all feel pretty excessive. Doctors, in particular, are highly paid professionals bound by strict regulations and ethical codes. They should not be soliciting tips under any circumstances.

The proliferation of tip prompts has hit counter-service transactions the hardest. In these settings, you used to have to go out of your way to tip (dropping bills or coins into an old-fashioned tip jar). Now you have to go out of your way not to tip at many coffee shops and other businesses.

That’s particularly true when you pay with a credit or debit card and the cashier flips the payment terminal around with suggested tip amounts of 15, 20 and 25%. Sometimes it’s awkward not to tip in these settings, which leads to “guilt tipping” – hitting one of those buttons yet wishing you hadn’t.

Is inflation to blame?

Inflation is a key contributor to why consumers are annoyed about these interactions. Many people feel like they’re already paying a lot for the product or service and grumble about forking over even more dough.

But inflation also helps explain why businesses have their digital hands out. They’re looking for ways to supplement their employees’ wages without having to foot the bill. Tipping has become a hidden surcharge.

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