Summary

Tipping in U.S. restaurants has dropped to 19.3%, the lowest in six years, driven by frustration over rising menu prices and increased prompts for tips in non-traditional settings.

Only 38% of consumers tipped 20% or more in 2024, down from 56% in 2021, reflecting tighter budgets.

Diners are cutting back on outings, spending less, and tipping less. Some restaurants are adding service fees, further reducing tips.

Worker advocacy groups are pushing to eliminate the tipped-wage system, while the restaurant industry warns these shifts hurt business and employees.

Key cities like D.C. and Chicago are phasing in higher minimum wages for tipped workers.

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  • @foggy
    74•11 hours ago

    I mean…

    2016, I went to a bar and got a 16oz beer, a burger and a basket of fresh fries for $18. I was happy to throw $3-5 on that for decent service, hell even subparbaervice.

    Now it’s an 11oz beer being sold as a 12oz beer for $9 and a $22 burger, add fries for $4

    If I get 2 beers, it’s $50 with a tip.

    The fuck?

    • TimeSquirrel
      -26•11 hours ago

      Well, I mean, are you going to continue to go out and hand them all that money? Then they’ll continue to feel like they can safely raise prices. If you start making burgers at home and buying beer at the local liquor store, you’ll be paying a small fraction of what you paid even in 2016. If you need some social interaction, just make it a cookout and invite people. I’m sure they’ll be happy to have you at their place in return.

      • @foggy
        39•11 hours ago

        Making an awful lot of (mostly irrelevant) assumptions here.

        I’m simply stating that inflation is a big reason that people don’t tip as much.

            • Lightor
              4•4 hours ago

              Customers shouldn’t be responsible for ensuring a livable wage for a restaurants employees.

              • arglebargleEnglish
                0•3 hours ago

                And those employees for the most part don’t want a liveable wage, they don’t want the pay cut.

        • @[email protected]English
          -6•10 hours ago

          Maybe I’m just weird (probably), but the cost of something has absolutely nothing to do with my choice of a tip. If item + what I feel is an acceptable tip = more than I want to spend, I simply don’t purchase that thing, not tip less.

          • @[email protected]English
            18•9 hours ago

            I see a thing as worth a certain number of wage-hours. When the number of wage-hours doubles, but the thing still brings the same essential value to me, as my own wage stagnates, why would I pay a “i feel bad that you also are a wage slave” premium on top? Fuck that. Tipping is an absurd politeness. If those workers are fed up with being underpaid, they should be looking to their bosses, not at my broke ass who just wants food on my break. If they want the tips they have come to expect to be part of their wages, they should look at congress, not my broke ass who just wants a decent haircut.