If you feel like you’re being asked to tip more and at a higher frequency than ever before, you’re not alone.
According to the recent survey “Tipping Culture in America: Public Sees a Changed Landscape” by the Pew Research Center, over 70% of Americans say tipping is expected in more places than it was five years ago.
Experts have termed the phenomenon “tipflation,” or “tip creep,” and it refers to the increased rates at which consumers are now expected to tip at restaurants and for other goods and services.
Courtney Fadler, founder of CF Etiquette, says the ubiquity of touchscreen tablets, many with automatic suggested tip amounts, has transformed the way consumers tip.
"You feel like you have to quickly hit one of those (suggested amounts) and keep moving on. And so, we're definitely being deluged with this," Fadler told KCUR's Up To Date.
The amount to tip depends on the scenario, Fadler says.
"From an etiquette standpoint, when people perform a service for you, it's the gracious thing to tip them for it," she says.
- Liz Cook, freelance food writer
- Courtney Fadler, founder of CF Etiquette
- Drew DeSilver, senior writer at the Pew Research Center
