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Friday, June 06, 2025

Tip screens are everywhere now, and many consumers are fed up.

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... According to a new Bankrate survey, 41% of Americans say tipping culture has gotten out of control -- up six percentage points from last year. Among Gen Xers and baby boomers, that share rises to 45%.

"The high cost of living is a headwind, and many people resent all of the tip creep that has occurred in recent years," Bankrate senior industry analyst Ted Rossman said in a statement.

Pre-entered tip screens have become a particular pain point, with nearly two in five respondents saying they find them annoying. That negativity coincides with a rise in digital tipping tech, now appearing everywhere from takeout counters to coffee shops -- even self-checkout machines at the airport are asking for tips.

New payment terminals have made it easier than ever for businesses to ask for tips -- a potential boost for workers -- but they also allow employers to funnel more money to their staff without footing the bill, Rossman said.

"It's essentially a way to raise prices without actually raising prices," he said. ...


#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-06-05 12:42 AM | Reply

OK, back a couple decades ago, I used to visit Europe (specifically, The Netherlands) for business.

Obviously, I had to dine in restaurants.

One thing I noticed was that when the credit card bill was given to me to sign, there was no line for a tip. I asked the waiter about that and he asked me if I would want a receipt to sign with a tip line.

OK, then I will say, an ~off the record discussion~ ensued with the waiter as I tried to understand what had just occurred.

Long story short ...

In The Netherlands, the ~deal~ seems to be, pay the wait people a living wage so that they do not have to rely on tips to survive.

The wait people get paid a good wage regardless of tips.

So what does that seem to promote?

As I observed with the local company employees who wined and dined me, when we went to a restaurant for dinner, it was not just a dinner. It was a most enjoyable evening. Sitting and talking, and the wait person was not anxious to turn over the table to get more tips.

Such a great experience. I still remember it a couple decades later.


And, for the record, The Netherlands was an amazing place for me to visit, even on business. I went out into the countryside, and met great people.



#2 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-06-05 12:56 AM | Reply

I only tip at restaurants where I dine, and Pizza delivery girl - that's all. Also give cash 'thank you's' for mail delivery person and the trash pickup guys at Christmas time.

#3 | Posted by MSgt at 2025-06-05 02:23 PM | Reply

It was a most enjoyable evening. Sitting and talking, and the wait person was not anxious to turn over the table to get more tips.

I was stationed in Belgium and we we used to go to the Netherlands to eat sometimes. Meals like that were very expensive too, as they had to make up the time somewhere. Take two or three hours at a table and the meal is going to cost, as they probably could have had 3 sets of diners at that same table in the time frame.

#4 | Posted by boaz at 2025-06-05 03:14 PM | Reply

In general, the service outside of high end restaurants and hotels is pretty ---- in Europe. That said, the less Americans eat out and continue to get fatter and fatter, the better. It is way healthier to cook at home, and if you have a family, meals together inside the house actually bring the family together. So much of what we do today is outsourcing the raising of kids to 3rd parties. That includes moms that don't cook dinner, kids that don't cut the lawn, and dad's too useless to do normal house repairs. The higher costs go, the more people revert back to doing things themselves - so, Biden's out of control inflation may have that long-term benefit.

#5 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-06-05 08:20 PM | Reply

ScottS, always eager to apply lipstick to everything that pig, Trump, does.

#6 | Posted by ClownShack at 2025-06-05 08:39 PM | Reply

"#6 | Posted by ClownShack"

I never mentioned Trump in this discussion. Perhaps your housing would be more affordable if you didn't allow Trump and I to live rent free in your head.

#7 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-06-05 08:48 PM | Reply

Trump's dreadful economy will crush Americans buying power, forcing more people into poverty and making do with less.

Yet you present that as a bonus.

#8 | Posted by ClownShack at 2025-06-05 08:55 PM | Reply

" when we went to a restaurant for dinner, it was not just a dinner. It was a most enjoyable evening. Sitting and talking, and the wait person was not anxious to turn over the table to get more tips."

Agreed. We realized it wasn't the usual rush through dinner to get to the movie or the event, the dinner was the event. I was also envious of being able to juke from a cheese shop to a wine shop to a bakery to a bodega to get dinner.

And every time I return I fall right back into the old habits.

#9 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-06-05 09:30 PM | Reply

Looks like "travel in Europe" is one more thing Ol' Squats has never done. Like "kissed a girl".

#10 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-06-05 10:06 PM | Reply

"Trump's dreadful economy will crush Americans buying power, forcing more people into poverty and making do with less.
#8 | Posted by ClownShack"

Under Joe Biden - real wages (wage increase - inflation) were NEGATIVE -------. Biden made your life unaffordable. Thus far under Trump - REAL WAGES ARE INCREASING. Of course, you don't want to talk about the actual data, you want to project out some doom and gloom because the Democrats are incapable of debating with actual facts.

#11 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-06-05 10:24 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

"I was also envious of being able to juke from a cheese shop to a wine shop to a bakery to a bodega to get dinner.
#9 | Posted by Danforth"

I assume by this you mean dumpster diving at 2AM.

#12 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-06-05 10:26 PM | Reply

Under Joe Biden - real wages (wage increase - inflation) were NEGATIVE -------. Biden made your life unaffordable. Thus far under Trump - REAL WAGES ARE INCREASING.
#11 | POSTED BY SCOTTS

Source, "Trust me, bro!"

In reality. Trump has caused nothing but inflation and unemployment.

Trump's first term in office crippled this nation. His second term will kill it.

#13 | Posted by ClownShack at 2025-06-05 10:39 PM | Reply

Source, "Trust me, bro Grok!"

#14 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-06-05 10:43 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

"I assume by this you mean dumpster diving at 2AM."

Tell me you've never been to Paris or Florence without using those specific words.

#15 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-06-06 12:32 AM | Reply

"Source, "Trust me, bro!"
#13 | Posted by ClownShack"

Source is the BLS ------- - they publish monthly.

Total inflation under Biden was 20.8%.
Total wage growth was 19.6%

You -------s got poorer by 1.2% under that broken brain pedophile - that is all that he could muster in 4 years.

Meanwhile, under Trump in 5 months, real wages outpaced inflation by 1% - so, you -------s got richer even if you didn't realize it yet.

#16 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-06-06 01:30 AM | Reply

"Tell me you've never been to Paris or Florence without using those specific words.
#15 | Posted by Danforth"

Both cities are overrated ---------. I will literally take any city in Spain - including Madrid - over either of them. Paris was wonderful 20 years ago. Now? Trash - human and otherwise. Same goes for Florence although to a slightly lesser degree.

#17 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-06-06 01:31 AM | Reply

" Both cities are overrated ---------."

Forgive me. I should've said Sienna and St-Remy.

My point was the charm and ability to pick up a stunning dinner by visiting a half-dozen specialty shops on the two-block walk home.

#18 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-06-06 02:32 AM | Reply

"#18 | Posted by Danforth"

Other than the bread, French food is pretty trash. Maybe 100 years ago it was super special because Americans didn't use many spices so the French sauces stood out. Now? Pretty trash level which is why so few French restaurants are actually still in business. Also, their cheese sucks and their wine is a step above the low quality Italian crap.

Italy - and Tuscany in particular - is very similar. 95% of the meals are flavorless steaks and/or cheese and cold cuts. The pizza is decent but they don't actually use toppings so you basically get bland sauce, a bit of cheese, and a lot of dough. Other than nostalgia, pretty much every US city with over 100K people will have an Italian restaurant on par with Italy. Hell, in a truly blind tasting - I suspect Olive Garden would hold its own. Now, American style pizza is different - but for the places trying to copy Italy, it is pretty damn close. I just wouldn't choose to eat that style on a weekly basis because I find it boring.

As I have said - Europe is like a theme park for middle class Americans. If you actually have money and travel, you will go try the food in Japan, Korea, or Turkey. That is on a different level to what they serve in the US.

#19 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-06-06 02:58 AM | Reply

You've never been out of your mom's basement, Jeff. Go ---- yourself.

#20 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-06-06 02:50 PM | Reply

"Other than the bread, French food is pretty trash."

I stopped there.

Anyone who doesn't enjoy French cheese has no palate. And coursed dinners with pairings will show California wines outpacing French wines in the early courses, but the French killing it with the main courses when depth is paramount.

#21 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-06-06 03:13 PM | Reply


In The Netherlands, the ~deal~ seems to be, pay the wait people a living wage so that they do not have to rely on tips to survive.
The wait people get paid a good wage regardless of tips.

The cost of living is higher in the Netherlands.
Restaurants are 10% more expensive for the equivalent meal.

Not saying it all evens out but when you include rent in the CoL they are close to being equal.


If you actually have money and travel, you will go try the food in Japan, Korea, or Turkey. That is on a different level to what they serve in the US.
#19 | POSTED BY SCOTTS

There is a implicit bias in this statement "have money" and goto anywhere, it will be a different level than they serve in the US.

For instance, going to Napa is going to be a different level than East San Jose.

#22 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-06-06 03:58 PM | Reply

Other than the bread, French food is pretty trash.

I had a great "Coq au vin" in Paris, spectacular could not find anything close in the States. But I also had Andouillette, and it tasted like ass.
In Japan I have had some shit curry, but wonderful Sushi.
Strange for me is that India has shit Indian food, had to goto London where I finally had good Indian food.

SF has good Sichuan, but not great. Hard to find a restaurant in US that uses the Sichuan peppercorn.

#23 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-06-06 04:07 PM | Reply

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