Some Americans have stopped tipping. Should you do the same?

Personal Tipping Policies & Norms

• Many restrict tipping to: sit‑down restaurants, “regular” coffee shops, valets, and personal services (hair, massage, etc.).
• Some refuse to tip for basic counter service or black coffee; others tip because they value positive interactions or being a regular.
• Common restaurant baselines mentioned: 15% for “good” service (older norm), 18–20% as current expectation, with some terminals defaulting to 22–25%.
• Some adjust tips based on time/effort spent or how demanding they were, rather than bill size.

Backlash Against Tip Expansion & Payment Terminals

• Strong frustration with tipping prompts at fast‑casual, to‑go counters, coffee shops, and delivery apps.
• Touchscreens that default to high percentages and ask for tips before service are seen as coercive and stressful.
• Some view declining a tip on a terminal as an intentional, even “empowering,” act; others still tip from guilt or fear of social judgment.
• Tip jars are seen as less confrontational than forced on‑screen prompts.

Wages, Economics, and Law

• Many argue restaurant owners should pay living wages and end reliance on tips, as they say happens in other countries.
• Others note attempts at no‑tip models: higher menu prices, mandatory surcharges, and difficulty retaining servers who can earn more under tipping.
• Debate over whether tips are pooled; practice varies by restaurant.
• Cited US structure: legal lower minimum wage for tipped workers; California examples show high minimums and continued tipping, plus rules where mandatory service charges aren’t legally tips.

Cultural, Ethical, and Psychological Dimensions

• Tipping described as a “social tax” driven by fear of being seen as cheap or rude, and sometimes by fear of retaliation (e.g., spit in food, bad ratings).
• Some see not tipping as freeloading under current norms; others say norms can only change by individuals refusing to participate.
• Concerns about discriminatory tipping (race, attractiveness), tax evasion, and companies effectively capturing the benefit of tips.
• A few propose outright banning tipping and/or using legislation to end the tipped minimum wage across the board.

Non‑US and Sector Comparisons

• Comparisons to countries where tipping is rare or offensive (e.g., Japan; some parts of Europe).
• Questions raised about why only certain jobs (servers, drivers) are tip‑based while similar labor (cashiers, mail carriers, IT workers) is not.