Papa John’s is under fire for guilt-tripping messaging on their pizza delivery boxes as tipping fatigue continues to enrage customers. A viral video posted on TikTok by @sydneeee___ exposed the blatant ask, “DELIVERY FEE IS NOT A TIP. Please reward your driver for outstanding service,” and spawned thousands of comments from users who collectively feel … Read more
A Los Angeles-based food delivery driver has gone viral after sharing that she has significantly boosted her daily earnings by including her feet in the delivery confirmation photos sent to customers. Jade Phoenix shared the unique strategy on the social media platform Threads, claiming the side quest has led to a surge in customers adding … Read more
For American travelers, tipping may feel second nature, but in Europe, that instinct can backfire. While navigating new currencies and customs, small gestures like leaving loose change on a table may not translate well, travel expert Rick Steves warned. “You’re just raising the bar and messing up the local balance,” Steves wrote in a blog post. “And it’s … Read more
Here’s a tip for restaurant goers. As more restaurants adopt digital payment systems that automatically suggest a gratuity option, debate has heated up over whether those tips should be calculated pre- or post-tax. The topic of tipping and proper etiquette has long been a cultural debate, but the discussion drew recent attention after a Dave … Read more
As more restaurants experiment with eliminating tips, the idea of a no-tip dining model is gaining traction — but not without resistance from some industry professionals who fear it could drag down service. The shift is a response to growing frustration among diners. Hidden fees, service charges, and inflated gratuities have left many customers feeling blindsided when … Read more
DEAR ABBY: My daughter “Kate” is 22 and just recently graduated from college. She has been dating her boyfriend for five years. I love this young man like he was my own. The problem is, I just found out Kate has been seeing someone on the side. He is her boss, and he’s 54 years … Read more
As tipping prompts pop up everywhere — from coffee counters to convenience stores — many Americans are feeling fed up and confused about what’s appropriate. Now, even former NFL star JJ Watt is weighing in. Watt recently ignited debate on X after questioning whether to tip in a self-service scenario. He asked followers what they would do … Read more
Busted, Buster! Customers are accusing Dave & Buster’s of running a tipping “scam” by covertly inflating the 20% standard. A Reddit user shared that she went to the dinner-and-arcade emporium with their sister, boyfriend and nephew, and the sister was planning on paying the bill but didn’t have her physical card. Staff brought them the … Read more
Americans may be feeling “tip fatigue,” but most are still leaving gratuities for a range of services — and where they live appears to shape how much they give, according to a new report. South Carolina tops the list, with an average tip rate of 20.71%, making it the only state to surpass the 20% … Read more
Sticks and stones may break your bones — but they won’t heal as easily past a certain age. New research has found the “point of no return” when we no longer recover as well from illness and injury, no matter how strong and healthy you may feel. A new study has found an average age … Read more
You’ve ordered drinks at the bar, and now it’s time to pay. Before you even see the total, the bartender hands you a tablet with a digital tip screen. The typical options are 18%, 20%, 25% — or “custom.” Welcome to one of America’s latest cultural dilemmas: How much should you tip your bartender? Bartenders from around … Read more
We’re guilt-tripping over guilt-tipping. Two-thirds (65%) of American consumers are experiencing tipping fatigue — up from 60% last year and 53% in 2023, according to an annual study by Popmenu, a tech company serving more than 10,000 restaurants. Over the last year, people have paid around $150 in tips on average, which they didn’t feel … Read more
Fewer young Americans are tipping at restaurants and bars these days. A Bankrate survey released this summer revealed that members of Generation Z – those born in the late 1990s and early 2000s – are the least frequent tippers. That includes Gen Z drinkers at the bar – and bartenders are taking notice. “Even five years ago, young people … Read more
A customer had some reservations about his bill at a restaurant. One frustrated customer claimed that they were charged a “quiet time surcharge” on their bill, which was added before the tip — because the restaurant they dined at was empty. The user shared on Reddit that they decided to check out a local restaurant … Read more
Las Vegas servers say they’re feeling the heat as high prices and declining tourism hammer their tip earnings across the Strip. Tipping in Sin City is reportedly down by as much as 50% among servers, as some of them blame the economy and policy while others point to high prices, a tipping backlash and poor … Read more
Tipping culture has seemingly seeped into nearly every aspect of modern life, with everywhere from automated self-checkout kiosks at retail stores to supermarket lines suddenly stuffing a jar — or the dreaded tablet — in customers’ faces. The most recent to hop on the tipping train? Budget travel sites. Screenshots of third-party hotel booking websites … Read more
Think you’re a generous tipper? That depends on your ZIP code. Residents of New York and New Jersey are among the stingiest tippers in America, despite boasting some of the nation’s highest incomes and priciest restaurant tabs, a new 2025 study shows. The Garden State ranked 35th out of 40 states studied with an average … Read more
He’d reached a “no tipping” point. A diner has divided commenters after rescinding a gratuity after a waitress “scolded” and “humiliated” him in front of the other customers, as detailed in a viral Reddit post. “I just can’t believe it happened the way that it did,” spluttered the bewildered Redditor. The incident reportedly occurred while … Read more
She served up sass — and got served a pink slip. A fired-up waitress has gone viral for calling out a diner who “stiffed” her on a tip — and then getting fired after she refused to apologize for it. TikTokker @picklejuicelover33 shared the drama in a now-viral video that’s racked up over 2 million … Read more
A disgruntled patron posted a receipt from a recent trip to a restaurant that charged its guests a mandatory “living wage fee” on Instagram threads — and the internet was incensed. Despite the clarification at the bottom of the receipt, the original user captioned their post: “WTF is a living wage fee?” @ ant.really.do.this / … Read more