Tipping has become a key part of the service industry, allowing staff to earn more for going the extra mile for the customer. However, in the last few years, we have seen the practice evolve into something that feels more like an added tax.
Reddit user KeyComplete4809 recently shared an experience at a restaurant where a declined credit card set off a chain of uncomfortable exchanges between him and the waitress. Eventually, he fully covered the bill but left a sub-1% tip because of the bad taste the interaction left him with. This sparked a tense standoff and a question that followed him all the way home: was he standing up for himself or just being petty?
In many places, tipping has evolved from a gesture of appreciation for exceptional service into an expectation
Image credits: Pressmaster (not the actual photo)
So much so that if you skip it, the staff might think it's simply because you're deliberately being a jerk
Image credits: Pressmaster (not the actual photo)
Image credits: KeyComplete4809
Despite how commonplace tipping is, it can still seem confusing to calculate how much money you should leave in different situations
According to Bankrate's 2025 Tipping Survey, 63 percent of Americans hold at least one negative view about tipping (which is up from 59 percent last year), and 11 percent are confused about who and how much to tip.
Around two-thirds (67 percent) who dine at sit-down restaurants always tip their server, and over a third (35 percent) typically tip at least 20 percent of the bill (down slightly from 37 percent last year).
Cortney Norris, an assistant professor of hospitality and tourism management at Oklahoma State University, studies tipping habits and says that the waitstaff should get at least 18 percent of the bill.
Beyond that, the size of a restaurant's gratuity depends on how well you're served, including whether your order is correct and whether the server checks on you after you receive your food.
"I think that percentage range has moved up, based on inflation and cost of living. [Waitstaff] wages haven't," Norris says. "$2.13 has been the sub-minimum wage since 1991. That tip amount has to increase to offset everything else going on in today's economy."
Tips are not considered necessary at fast food restaurants, counter-service restaurants, or for take-out orders. Counter-service restaurant workers will likely appreciate any tip for fantastic service, but unlike waitstaff, they probably already receive a full hourly wage, Norris says.
However, the aforementioned survey also found that while 58 percent say the amount they tip is most influenced by the quality of the service, that's down from 64 percent last year, meaning servers could have a harder time earning a generous tip with excellent performance.
Furthermore, only 26 percent of respondents feel good when they leave a generous tip, down from 29 percent last year.
Image credits: Sam Dan Truong (not the actual photo)
The guy revealed more information about the evening in the comments
And most people said he was completely entitled to leaving such a small tip
But some said he was just being petty
