Technology Can Push You to Tip Too Much
How much do you tip when a merchant uses a mobile payment system like Square? According to this article from NerdWallet , you might overdo it if your barista or restaurateur enters their own “recommended” tip amounts, especially if it’s for a salesperson who you wouldn’t normally tip otherwise.
“The rollover inflation is real, and it’s getting closer to the tablet next to you,” writes Liz Weston. “Hop in a New York taxi and a credit card reader prompts you for a tip of 20, 25, or 30 percent. Get a haircut or massage and you might be presented with a screen that already has the 25 percent tip checkbox checked.
But, according to the article, the old tip rules – 15 to 20 percent for taxi rides, dinners, and haircuts – still apply, and you should tip accordingly. What makes this potentially uncomfortable is the fact that the person you supposedly hold tightly on the tea, if you don’t choose the “recommended” amounts, is right in front of you.
“A lot of people feel extra pressure,” Weston writes. “Even in restaurants, where customers usually left a tip or a signed credit card receipt on the table, waiters can hold cards at the elbows of customers and show them screens that say ‘add a tip’.”
Personally, I’ve noticed this practice in coffee shops and in my favorite bagel (if I just get drip coffee with me, I usually don’t tip).
Did you notice that too? And if so, how much do you tip?