I would never say that great workers aren’t deserving of a little extra cash, but the question remains: How much work should someone be doing to warrant a tip? Well, one man posted on Reddit trying to find out the answer. In fact, posed it using fast food as an example. Why is a tip at Starbucks expected, but it’s not at McDonald’s?
While tipping used to be reserved for fantastic service from waitstaff at restaurants and maybe other service providers like tattoo artists and hair stylists, it seems like everyone these days is asking for a tip. The delivery driver, the coffee shop barista… I’ve even been asked to tip on an online clothes order (which I think is absurd). Where do we draw the line?
In his Reddit post, this man brought up his genuine question of whether baristas at large-scale coffee shops get mad, offended, or frustrated if customers decline to tip. He also questioned, “Is it hypocritical to then not tip at fast food restaurants?”
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For reference, he explained, “If I order 3 Frappuccinos from Starbucks and 3 Frappes from McDonald’s, does the Starbucks employee do more to make those drinks than the McDonald’s employee? Because McDonald’s doesn’t ask for tips. So, do Starbucks employees offer to tip the McDonald’s employees? If not, then why should I tip the Starbucks employees?”
The man also clarified, “Small mom & pop coffee shops are different to me. I’d rather tip to keep them around and not get overtaken by big box stores.”
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While some said outright that they never tip at any fast food place, others agreed with the man’s statements on smaller businesses. “Those enormous chains have these fancy machines. Order a double espresso, they take a cup, place it on the machine and press a button. No tip earned or deserved,” one user said. “Smaller places, where the barista grinds the beans, packs the filter, then pulls and serves the shot…if it’s good, tip is earned and deserved.”
Another user gave some insight into the differences between Starbucks and McDonald’s. “Starbucks makes the drinks. McDonald’s is mostly automated. I work at Starbucks, not only do I not care if someone tips, I don’t tip (and never have) at Starbucks,” they wrote, adding that they also made a slightly higher hourly rate than a McDonald’s worker.
According to food reporter and author Corey Mintz, Starbucks “is a quick-service restaurant, comparable and in competition with other fast-food leaders such as McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Subway.” Basically, if you don’t tip at McDonald’s, then you should feel no obligation to tip at Starbucks.
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A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that 72% of Americans said that the option to tip is given in more places than five years ago. Though tipping has clearly become more prevalent, many are still struggling to understand the unspoken rules.
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Only a third of respondents said they are extremely confident in knowing when (34%) or how much (33%) to tip for different services. Ninety-two percent always tip at sit-down restaurants, while fewer are willing to tip hairstylists (78%), delivery drivers (76%), and bartenders (70%).
Consumers are also unsure whether tipping is a choice or an obligation. While 21% said it’s a choice, 29% said they feel obligated, and the rest said it really depends on the situation. The lack of expectations can be confusing and might be contributing to why much of America has negative views towards tipping.
Etiquette expert Thomas Farley told MSNBC that the prevalence of tipping, thanks to tipping screens, is actually hurting service professionals who legitimately rely on tips as part of their earnings because people are just fed up. He explained, “People are really feeling imposed upon. We’re already living through inflationary times. Everything is crazy expensive. And on top of that, you’re being asked, every time you turn around, ‘How much would you like to tip?’ It feels pushy, it feels needy, and almost every customer I speak with says, ‘Why aren’t businesses just paying people more?'”
As a general rule, it seems that if a person owns the business or earns a salary, you should not feel the need to tip. The same goes for any establishment with counter service. If you are ordering your food at a counter and transporting it to a table or to your house, you do not need to feel pressured to tip. Starbucks, that means you, too.
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Kayla Asbach is a writer currently working on her bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.
