Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 6
78% of Americans Call Digital Tipping Ridiculous as 74% See Suggested Gratuities Rise
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 6

78% of Americans Call Digital Tipping Ridiculous as 74% See Suggested Gratuities Rise

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 6

Summary

  • 78% of consumers said tipping practices have become “ridiculous” in a Popmenu survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, underscoring growing backlash against digital payment screens.
  • 74% said restaurants have raised preset gratuity suggestions, and 59% said those prompts make them feel compelled to tip even when gratuities were once optional or uncommon.
  • 36% said they usually bypass preset options and enter a custom tip, while 42% said they are becoming more comfortable skipping tips in some situations.
  • Restaurant owners said diners still broadly accept traditional tipping for table service—around 20%—but warned that aggressive prompts for counter purchases or coffee orders can feel manipulative and hurt repeat business.

Insights

How can businesses fairly pay staff without pushing away customers in the new tipping era?
Is 'tip fatigue' a sign that America's service industry wage model is finally broken?
When a screen suggests a 25% tip, is it a polite request or a psychological trap?