'I Can Afford To Tip. It Doesn't Mean I Have To' — Customers Debate Whether Tipping Is Really Necessary
MAYA LAB / Shutterstock Tipping has become a controversial topic, both for customers and employees. It's meant to be a small gesture of gratitude for a job well done, especially for a job that provides a service.
However, people are beginning to wonder if tipping culture has gotten out of hand, as it has become expected in fast casual restaurants, coffee shops, and even online shopping. One person took to social media to find out how others feel about tipping, and how they're approaching it when they go out to eat.
A Reddit user asked how people feel about the statement, 'If you can't afford to tip, you should eat at home.'
In the Reddit post, the user explained, "I keep seeing statements similar to this all over the Internet expressed by restaurant employees. How does this help you if you work in a restaurant? Even if people don't tip, don't you still need customers in order to have a job?"
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Many commenters said they don't tip mainly because they didn't receive great service. One user wrote, "I had a work luncheon last Friday. It took 45 minutes to get a pitcher of water and a cup to drink. I didn’t tip because of that. Bad service = no tip. I can afford to tip, but you need to provide good service to get a tip."
Another user shared, "I can afford to tip. I'm choosing to participate less with tipping culture anymore, too many dissatisfied with patrons instead of asking the industry for fair compensation. Yes, I go out less but that's actually created more cash to share for great service when I do go."
Others argued about who's responsible for paying the employees.
Every worker knows what they’re getting into when they agree to take the job," a third user said. "They are choosing to forgo a constant rate for the allure of 'potentially' big bucks. Doesn’t give you the right to guilt other people for what you’re at fault for in the long run."
On the other hand, a previous tipped employee clarified, "Workers know what they’re getting into, yes. In my experience, close to 100% of people tip. I worked service industry for 5 plus years. I worked my [behind] off and made memories for my customers. You’re gonna make good money serving if your restaurant is busy, it has nothing to do with the gamble of maybe getting a big tip. When people don’t tip it’s not gonna make or break your paycheck."
Some simply suggested that, if workers can't afford not to get tipped, they should get another job.
However, in reality, it's not quite that simple. As a commenter explained, "Highly disagree with that. Sometimes people have to take jobs to make ends meet. The buck stops at the employer/business owner and the state that allows this to keep happening."
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There are millions of tipped employees across the U.S. They work primarily in hospitality roles, such as waiters, hairstylists, and delivery drivers, but workers in some other fields rely on tips as well. Often, tips can make up the majority of their paycheck, with minimum wage for tipped employees being as low as $2 in some states.
While many bring up the point that employers should just pay their employees more, this isn't necessarily the best option. If businesses have to raise their employees' wages, they will also have to raise the prices of their goods or services. Either way, the customer will still end up paying more.
Kayla Asbach is a writer currently working on her bachelor's degree at the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.
