50 Times Tipping Went Too Far And People Had To Shame It Online

Firstly, we wanted to get to the bottom of why gratuity has gotten so out of hand. “Traditionally, tipping was originally an act of appreciation, completely voluntary, not an obligation or expectation,” recalls Mafe Aclado, finance expert and general manager of Coupon Snake.

“Today, it has become quite the contrary,” she notes.

However, Aclado believes that it’s not the fault of servers, who all of a sudden became entitled to be tipped 20% or more, as some people might think.

It’s rather the fault of inflation, the high cost of living, and societal pressure, according to Aclado. “For most servers, income doesn't go up with inflation, so they are forced to depend on the tips they receive in order to make up the difference from their income. Another reason for this is social influence; people feel tipping is a necessity, and they feel guilty for not doing it."

Meanwhile, financial expert and founder of Richiest Michael Ashley says, “I believe the tipping culture in the U.S. has gotten out of control largely because it’s a way for businesses to dodge paying fair wages. Employers can legally pay workers as little as $2.13 an hour, expecting tips to cover the rest.”

This means that customers are burdened to make sure workers earn a liveable wage, which “isn’t fair to either party,” says Ashley. “Over time, tipping has become more expected across various industries, even in situations where it wasn’t traditionally common, like grocery delivery or coffee shops. It’s also tied to systemic issues like racism and sexism, which makes the problem even more complex. Ultimately, it's a way for companies to maximize profits while passing the responsibility of fair pay onto consumers,” he explains.

If tipping culture continues to progress, Aclado believes that it will increase financial burden and reduce satisfaction for both customers and employees. “The fact is, we live in an economy where money is tight, and the truth is that it is only a matter of time before today's excessive tipping pressure becomes unbearable for customers, causing them to withdraw their patronage, and this would affect businesses profit, and their ability to increase employee wages.”

Ashley believes that if tipping culture escalates, it’s going to result in greater unfairness to employees. “Workers will be increasingly dependent on the whims of customers to make a decent living, which is incredibly unstable and unfair. This could exacerbate stress and burnout among workers, especially in service industries.”

“Customers might also start feeling more resentful as they’re expected to tip for more and more services, potentially leading to a backlash against tipping altogether,” he further explains. “If we don’t address the root issues like the sub-minimum wage, where both employees and customers will suffer, we'll continue to see growing economic disparity.”

To prevent this from happening, Aclado recommends setting a limit on how much tip they are willing to leave. Meanwhile, Ashley believes that people need to push for the abolition of the sub-minimum wage so all workers are guaranteed a fair wage without having to rely on tips.

“Some businesses have already started experimenting with tip-free models, where they pay their employees higher wages and incorporate that into their pricing,” he notes. “This approach can work if it’s done thoughtfully, with transparency about pricing so customers understand where their money is going. Also, raising awareness about the origins and implications of tipping can help shift public opinion and encourage more people to support these kinds of changes.”

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