Tipping has long been considered a way to show appreciation for good service, especially in sit-down restaurants. But with tip prompts now popping up everywhere—from coffee counters to fast food pickup—many Americans are asking: Has tipping culture gone too far?
On a recent segment, Fred Roggin and contributor Jill Marie Plaza tackled this growing frustration. Fred shared his unease about tipping when no extra service is provided. “If someone just hands you something over a counter… and they flip the screen around asking for a tip, that’s a little much,” he said. “People feel like they’re being judged if they don’t tip.”
Jill responded by saying the decision should be entirely personal: “If you want to tip, tip. But you shouldn't be intimidated into tipping just because a machine asks you to.”
A viewer echoed that sentiment with a story about picking up pizzas. When the tip screen popped up, their husband asked where the “no tip” option was. The employee responded with, “Why don’t you want to tip me?” The viewer called the experience a form of “tip bullying,” noting they regularly tip at restaurants but found this kind of pressure inappropriate.
Another viewer offered a heartwarming take: instead of cash, they tipped their car mechanic and crew with fresh grapes and mini pies. Their message? Kindness matters too, and a tip doesn’t always have to be monetary.
As tipping prompts become more common, it’s raising a larger question: Should tips only be given for exceptional service, or are we now expected to tip just for basic transactions? Wherever you land on the issue, one thing is clear—Americans are reaching their tipping point.
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By: Fred Roggin
April 29, 2025
