Tipping experts clear up controversy over gratuity at self-service kiosks and other sneaky surcharges

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Key points

• Cornell University professor William Michael Lynn informed The Post that the country's anti-tipping sentiment is growing.
• According to Lynn's research, 32% of individuals stated they wanted tipping abolished in 2016.
• The Protocol School of Palm Beach founder notes residents stressed regarding tipping should just keep it simple.
• Lynn, who published "The Psychology of Tipping" earlier this year, notes America's tipping culture is truly unique to the US.
• "People's attitudes towards tipping have gotten worse, " remarked Lynn, who has been studying tipping for over 40 years.

While shoppers feel pressure to tip cashiers who don't cook a thing, we've reached a tipping point: self-service kiosks are asking for tips. At restaurants, where a tip of 15 to 20% has been standard for decades, suggested tips are climbing higher and higher.

In a viral incident earlier this month, TikTok creator BD Powell asserted that a Shake Shack kiosk at the Salt Lake City airport raised the rate of his items after he selected "no tip" during checkout.

Shake Shack denied that the man's total changed after not selecting a tip, saying the change in cost was due to an error. But the incident struck a chord just the same. Individuals are fed up with feeling forced into tipping.

Notably, the Post spoke with tipping and etiquette experts to clear the air regarding when and where to tip, how to avoid tipping guilt, and how tipping may actually be hurting the restaurant industry.

"People's attitudes towards tipping have gotten worse, " remarked Lynn, who has been studying tipping for over 40 years. "They've started to dislike it more and more."

According to Lynn's research, 32% of individuals stated they wanted tipping abolished in 2016. That number climbed to 52% by 2022.

"Even in traditional settings, people are asking for larger and larger amounts, " remarked Flynn. "Nowadays, individuals are starting at 20% and going up to 30% in terms of the tip options they provide. It's this expansion in occupations asking for tips and in the amounts that they're asking for that's fueling this dissatisfaction."

Etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore notes residents should feel no obligation to tip at unmanned kiosks, and discourages the practice.

"If you're not having any contact, if somebody's not bagging up your food, if there's no one touching your food, no one cleaning your table, there's absolutely no reason to add any additional tip. Any tip at all, " Whitmore informed The Post.

But who even gets paid when you tip at a kiosk? Lynn notes the capital probable goes straight to the top.

"That money's not being thrown away, and there is no service provider like a waiter or other human who collects that tip. So it has to be going into the coffers of the business."

Though Whitmore insists that tipping is always optional, she notes there are some situations where giving a little extra can go a long way.

"There's a Thai restaurant that I frequent, and I always obtain takeout. I don't sit down. I grab and go. But I always ask for extra sauce. I know there's somebody in the back who's preparing it and bagging it up for me. So I generally leave a few extra dollars, and that's my way of just saying thank you, " remarked Whitmore.

"Some people don't give any kind of tip in that situation because they don't see the person; they just pick it up and go."

For context, the author of "Business Class: Etiquette Essentials for Success at Work" notes it's good form to tip at establishments that you frequent and have developed a relationship with the staff. She additionally states it's significant to tip your Uber Eats or Postmates guy.

"It's important to leave a tip for that person, because they're not necessarily going to ask you for a tip, but it's always nice if you include an extra 10%, 15%, sometimes even more, depending on how far they traveled."

Guilt tipping is additionally on the rise, especially as more stores adopt digital screens at checkout that ask for tips.

"People feel a sense of guilt when a cashier is standing there waiting for them to put in their tip amount, " remarked Whitmore.

"A lot of individuals don't necessarily feel like a tip is warranted as the employee hasn't really done much for them. They just took their order and put it in a bag and remarked, 'Here you go!'".

Notably, the Protocol School of Palm Beach founder notes residents stressed regarding tipping should just keep it simple.

"If you've got any doubt or if you have any guilt, just carry cash, " remarked Whitmore. "Leave what you can. If it's just $1, leave $1. If it's $2, leave $2."

As for restaurants that automatically include gratuity in bills, the etiquette expert notes don't be afraid to secure clarity from servers.

"It's perfectly acceptable to say, 'Is a tip included? Is a service charge included?' And if it is, then if you feel like giving $1 or two more, that's completely up to you."

Lynn, who published "The Psychology of Tipping" earlier this year, notes America's tipping culture is truly unique to the US. Throughout Europe, for example, "tipping is really rare, " he stated.

"We're the only country I know of that allows waiters and waitresses to be paid a substandard minimum wage, and that puts pressure on consumers to make up those low wages with tips."

Eventually, Lynn notes, the high cost of tips could work against restaurants. He thinks restaurants should be capping tips at around 20%.

"I think that the industry can, in fact, support reduce those increases if they simply stick to promoting the 15 to 20% norm and stop asking for these enormous tips. Instead, start with 15% and go up to 20 and leave it at that."

In practice, the researcher warns the growth in the amount restaurants are asking for tips could eventually hurt the industry.

"It seems to be a constant growth. That's good in the sense that service employees are getting paid more, but it increases the front of house/back of house pay disparity, and it increases the cost to consumers of dining out, " remarked Lynn.

"How much more can the average tip growth before it starts to backfire and hurt businesses? I don't have an answer, but it can't keep going up forever."

In short, tipping experts clear up controversy over gratuity at self-service kiosks and other is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.