Plate with fork upside down indicating finished with meal, mug beside, bill receipt on plate with suggested gratuities listed on the bottom of the receipt. U.S. money laying on plate bills and coins.

12 Things I Often Choose Not to Tip For

by

Tipping used to be simple. You gave a little extra when someone went above and beyond to serve you. But now, tip prompts seem to be everywhere, even in places where no real service is provided. You tap a screen, grab your item, and still see a request to tip.

Somewhere along the line, tipping started to lose its meaning. It is supposed to be about gratitude, not guilt. It is still perfectly fine to tip for good service when it is earned. But these are 12 things I often do not tip for, and I am pretty sure you should too.

Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Grabbing a Bottle of Water From a Fridge

Smiling pretty blonde woman taking a water bottle in supermarket
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

You enter a store, open the fridge, and grab the water yourself. Nobody helps, nobody says anything, and the entire transaction takes ten seconds. Then the screen prompts you to tip. For what? You did it all by yourself.

Self-Serve Frozen Yogurt

Frozen soft-serve yogurt in cup on white background.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

You choose the size, swirl the yogurt, and add your own toppings. You even put the cup on the scale yourself. But at the register, you’re expected to leave a tip. It’s hard to tip for something when no one does anything.

Online Pickup Orders With No Contact

Woman hand holding smartphone against blur bokeh of coffee shop background with word order + pay + pickup coffee shop app concept
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

You order through an app, walk into the store, and grab your bag from a shelf. No interaction, no extra effort. If no one even says hello, it doesn’t make sense to add more money to the total. Tipping should come with some kind of service.

Checkout Screens at Retail Stores

Modern female customer scanning groceries at a self-checkout kiosk in a supermarket, enjoying a seamless and efficient shopping experience while embracing the convenience of technology
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

You’re purchasing something mundane like a t-shirt or notebook, when the screen pops up and asks you to tip. It’s not a café or a restaurant. It’s just a store. This is a simple shopping trip that now has awkward pressure attached to it.

Coffee Shop Tip Screens Before the Drink Is Made

Your cup of latte is ready, barista hands put it on the table
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Sometimes they flip the tablet over before you even see your coffee. It’s a weird feeling to have to tip before you’ve tasted a thing or know if the drink order is even correct. The tip screen shouldn’t be there before the service begins.

Bathroom Attendants You Didn’t Ask For

Portrait of a senior chambermaid standing with clean towels in the hotel bathroom
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

You wash your hands, then someone hands you a towel or points to the soap. You didn’t ask for any help, but now you feel bad walking out. It’s not that you’re rude. It’s just weird to pay for something you didn’t need or ask for.

Hotel Staff for Delivering a Toothbrush

Happy maid using chambermaid's trolley while working in a hotel.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

You call down for a forgotten item and someone brings it up an hour later. It’s appreciated, sure, but it’s also a standard part of the hotel’s service. Tipping in that moment feels forced when it’s something that should have already been stocked.

Tipping at Drive-Thrus

Young Man receiving coffee at drive thru counter., Drive thru and take away for protect covid19.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

You place your order through a speaker, pay at the window, and drive off. It’s quick, casual, and not very personal. If someone is especially kind or helpful, you might want to tip. But the prompt shouldn’t be automatic for a routine pickup.

Bakeries With Pre-Packaged Goods

man chooses a fresh bread loaf in the supermarket, in grocery store. man choose food at produce department of shop
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

You walk in, grab a wrapped item from a shelf, and take it to the register. No one greets you or helps with anything. Still, the machine asks for a tip. You didn’t get custom service, so it doesn’t feel right to add more to the bill.

Automated Kiosks Asking for Tips

Young happy woman using self-service checkout with help of supermarket worker.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

You order food at a screen with no human interaction. Before you even tap “confirm,” it wants a tip. Who is the tip going to? It doesn’t make sense to tip a machine that just did what a regular menu does.

Express Shipping Fees at Grocery Stores

24h fast delivery and tracking service: delivery person holding parcels in a GPS pin and alarm clock
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Sometimes you pay extra to get your groceries delivered at a time you choose or on the same day. The delivery driver just unloads the bags, hands them to you, and walks away. No unpacking or putting things away. Yet many apps ask for a tip on top of the delivery fee and service charge. Tipping feels like double-paying for very minimal interaction.

Hair Product Sales at Salons

Shampoo check, women shopping and hair product ingredient checking of girl friends. Female retail shopper people looking at shop, salon or beauty store stock products together to decide what to buy
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

You get your hair cut, tip the stylist a nice chunk of change, and then decide to purchase that bottle of shampoo. The tablet asks if you want to tip again. Come on, you already paid for the service. Purchasing a hair care product at the counter is no different from ringing up a bar of soap.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.

Like our content? Be sure to follow us on MSN.