The pandemic pushed tipping too far, but customers can push back

A recent video sharing one woman’s New Year’s resolution to no longer tip has gone viral, proving that, for many consumers, tipping has become excessive. Just a few years ago, diners often ponied up 15% on a restaurant bill or bar tab. As restaurants were forced to close during the pandemic, tip prompts creeped up to 18%, 20%, or even 30%. Tip prompts were also added to many other services where tipping had never been customary – like drive-thru windows and even deli counters. Referred to as “tip-flation”, this phenomenon has sparked debate. In an interview with Global TV News, Associate Professor Vivek Astvansh encourages people to feel confident not to tip when no service warrants it, stating, “It’s OK not to tip when no service was provided to you.”