Tipping used to be simple: restaurant servers, delivery drivers, maybe a valet. But now tip screens are popping up everywhere — and it’s getting ridiculous. If you’ve ever felt odd about being asked to tip a coffee barista or at a self-checkout kiosk, you’re not alone. Here are eight places where one writer draws the line — and where you might, too.
Fast Food Isn’t Sit-Down Dining
When you walk into a fast-food place, order at the counter, pick up your tray, and leave, it doesn’t feel like the kind of service that calls for tipping. The writer notes that many fast-food chains now show tip prompts even though the model is more self-service than table service. Plus, in some states like California, fast-food workers earn high minimum wages — which means tipping on top feels less justified.
Hotel Cleaning: Should Guests Pay Extra?
Cleaning staff in hotels do important work, but it’s already included in your nightly rate. The writer refuses to tip because they believe hotels should pay fair wages rather than shift the burden onto guests. And when you tip only at checkout, there’s no guarantee the right person gets it — the last day’s staff may grab it while weekly workers go without.
Self-Checkout = No Service, No Tip
If you are scanning and paying for your items entirely yourself, the logic of tipping falls apart. The writer argues that if there’s no interaction, no personal service, then a tip request feels misplaced. Essentially: you’re doing the work, so why pay extra?
Coffee Chains and Awkward Tip Screens
Places like big coffee chains now display digital tip screens that feel more like pressure than gratitude. The writer points out that declining in front of a barista-suggestion (“It’s going to ask you a question…”) feels awkward, and the company — often huge — should perhaps pay wages rather than rely on customer tips.
Sports & Concert Concessions: No Table Service Here
When you grab a soda and hot dog at a stadium, there’s rarely a server coming to you or clearing your tray. The writer argues that the food markup is already massive, so adding tip prompts feels like double charging. In short: you’re buying a product, not hiring a dedicated attendant.
Farmers Markets: Support the Vendor, Skip the Tip Jar
Buying produce at a farmers market is mostly a quick stall interaction — weigh it, pay for it, go. That transaction doesn’t feel like a service that merits a tip in the writer’s view. They say that you’re already supporting small-scale local businesses; the tip jar feels extraneous.
Cookie Shops & Small Treat Orders
At a treat spot like a cookie shop, you might order, pay, and walk out with a box — sometimes even via kiosk. The writer only tips when the order is big and complex (for a party, say), but for the regular grab-and-go box, the tip prompt feels unnecessary. Basic service, they argue, should be built into the price.
When You’re Pressured Before Service Starts
Finally, the writer draws a hard line: if you’re asked or hinted at tipping before service — circles around amounts, baristas saying “It will ask” — then no tip. Good service should earn extra voluntarily, not rely on guilt or obligation. That kind of pressure, they say, turns tipping into a weird charge, not a thank-you.
Wrap-Up: Where Do You Stand?
Tipping culture has changed — maybe even gone too far. If you’ve encountered tip screens at fast food, coffee shops, or self-service stations and felt uneasy, you’re not alone. Are you cool with tipping only in traditional service settings, or do you believe all these new prompts are fair? Let me know in the comments if there’s a place we missed where you refuse to tip (or think you should).
