Have you noticed that more places are asking you to tip? It’s known as “tip creep” and it can lead to some pretty awkward moments. And it has many people wondering if tipping etiquette has changed, so NBC 7 Responds went to an expert for answers.
“When it comes to tipping, people are confused, they’re frustrated,” Diane Gottsman, a national etiquette expert, told us. “It’s good to just have some basic facts about what is expected when it comes to gratuity.”
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WATCH HEREGottsman said when you go to a restaurant and are waited on by a server, that gratuity is part of the dining experience. She says if the server does a decent job, then a 15 to 20 percent tip is fair. If they go above and beyond, don’t hesitate to leave more.
The “tip creep” started during the pandemic, when we wanted to help workers severely impacted by COVID restrictions, and it’s stuck around. “There’s inflation, it’s harder to get employees, keep employees,” Gottsman said.
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SIGN UP Tips at full-service restaurants increased 25.3 percent in the third quarter of 2022, while tips at quick-serve or counter restaurants increased 16.7 percent, compared to the same time period in 2021. That’s according to Square, one of the largest companies operating digital payment methods.
Gottsman says if you’re picking up takeout from a restaurant or ordering a muffin at the counter, then it’s your choice whether to tip – it should not be expected. Think of it as a tip jar, where we used to drop our change when we paid cash for something. Bottom line, you want the tip to match the service you received.
