Tip jars at the cash register are commonplace these days, and so are pre-calculated tip options when you pay with plastic.
When this first became a thing, I felt like I was being coerced into tipping for services for which one doesn’t normally tip. However, I eventually relaxed that opinion, and began to tip a buck for coffee and such.
Today - the reality of why all this bothered me reared it’s ugly head.
I ordered my lunch at a place where they give you one of those order numbers on a stick. You put it on your table, and then a food runner brings your order when it’s ready. It’s also a place where pre-calculated tip amounts pop up on the screen when you pay with plastic. I tipped the 15% option - which I felt is more than adequate for a food runner.
When they hand you a fountain soda in this joint, they tell you to step back up to that spot at the counter is you want a refill. My favorite menu item in this particular joint is pretty spicy, so cold beverage is key. My cup ran dry, and I stepped back up to the counter for a refill.
As I stood at the counter waiting for a refill, no less than 5 employees made eye contact with me over the course of several minutes. Not one offered to help me.
So - herein lies the problem. When you tip up front, you tip before you know whether or not the service warrants a good tip. It’s a total gamble, and today I lost.
#firstworldproblem
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