Nora, a barista in Colorado Springs, Colorado, began earning more money when the coffee shop where she works switched from a no-tip to a tip model. But it came with some emotional baggage. “You almost get emotionally attached to the tips,” she says.
“You’re so dependent on it, it creates a level of anxiety.” Even if the transaction was friendly, Nora, who requested not to share her last name in order to speak freely about where she works, said it was off-putting when customers didn’t tip. It was clear that tipping is about more than just dollars and cents.
Baristas aren’t the only people with mixed feelings about tipping. According to a new Bankrate survey on tipping culture, 59% of Americans view tipping negatively, down from 66% in 2023 . This includes people who think businesses should pay employees better, are annoyed about pre-entered tip screens or would be willing to pay higher prices to be done with tipping.
In addition, 35% of Americans believe tipping culture has gotten out of control. With Americans staring down credit card debt and picking up habits like doom spending and soft saving , it may not come as a surprise that they’re reluctant to add extra dollars to the tab. In fact, 59% of Americans view at least one aspect of tipping negatively, agreeing with statements like the following.
As people get older, their opinions about tipping seem to become more negative. Seventy-two percent of boomers (ages 60-78) and 62% of Gen Xers (ages 44-59) have at.