Wildest Places People Are Being Asked To Tip
Tipping has always been a touchy subject, but lately, the debate over when — and where — we’re expected to tip has reached a boiling point. While tips are a crucial part of income for millions of US workers, especially those earning well below minimum wage, people are now encountering tip prompts in places where no service is actually being provided, like vending machines, loan applications, and self-checkouts. So when we asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to share the most ridiculous place they’ve ever been asked to tip, the answers were equal parts baffling and hilarious:
1.
“At the self-checkout at Newark Airport — and if you don’t tip, it claims the transaction was declined, so you have to do it a second time.”
2.
“I always hear ads for the EarnIn app while listening to podcasts. They have a tip feature, and I’m still shocked every single time I hear it. People need money from their paychecks early, and you’re asking for a tip?! The audacity.”
—fruitbat49
3.
“Honestly, I hate the normalized model of tipping for food delivery before it even arrives. It’s so twisted that it’s normal for your food to just go missing or arrive hours late if you don’t tip in advance. There are thousands of stories of people, mostly women, being harassed or even threatened by drivers for not raising the tip. Meanwhile, food delivery apps and others simply profit off exploiting both customers and drivers.”
4.
“I was paying an entry fee to get into a restaurant-turned-club where they play Latin music (salsa, bachata, etc.), and after I paid, the screen asked if I wanted to leave a tip. I’m sorry, I don’t understand why I would tip someone who just sits next to a door. You’re not doing me a service.”
—Anonymous
5.
“I was asked to tip at a self-serve, self-pay vending area at the baseball game! What the hell?”
—Anonymous, 68, TX
6.
“Every week, someone throws a plastic bag filled with advertising flyers onto every driveway in our neighborhood. I always pick mine up, but a lot of people just leave them. They end up blowing around in the wind, getting soaked in the rain, and slowly falling apart. While a few folks might find them useful, most see them as an eyesore. Then, every December, the person who delivers them includes a tip envelope with their address in the packet.”
—Anonymous, 68, NJ
7.
“At a movie theater. I bought my ticket, popcorn, and drink. They did not even fill the drink — I had to do it — and they asked for an 18-25% tip. Unbelievable.”
8.
“Winery — a free wine tasting. When I purchased a couple of bottles after the tasting, I was asked for a tip. If I ordered these bottles online through the winery’s website, it would not ask for a tip.”
—Anonymous
9.
“I went to an event at a stadium that had small, convenience store-like Amazon shops in it. There was no employee in there — it was all do-it-yourself and self-checkout. After I grabbed two water bottles and paid, it asked if I wanted to leave a tip!”
—Anonymous
10.
“At a popular indoor waterpark resort’s Dippin’ Dots stand. The employee was chilling in an air-conditioned booth by the outdoor pool, scrolling on his phone. Took less than a minute to scoop the dots into a cup. He turned the iPad to me, and it was a tip request. Get the hell out of here!”
—Anonymous, 46, VA
11.
“A vending machine…”
12.
“At a vintage clothing store. The dressing room was self-serve, I put the rejected clothing away myself, and even helped another customer with the date of the dress she liked. Then the checkout person wanted a tip?! I bought a cute jacket, but I won’t be going back.”
—Anonymous, 46, OR
13.
“Subway…it’s fast food.”
—Anonymous, 34, IA
14.
“The liquor store.”
—Anonymous, 50, Canada
15.
“The mechanic! My brother-in-law went with me to get my car fixed. (I know zero about cars — he went so I wouldn’t get scammed.) The total cost was $800 for parts and labor. When it came time to pay, it asked if I wanted to add a tip! Like, why am I tipping you if I’m already paying for labor?!”
16.
“There was a snack machine at my college campus with a tip option. But the one that got me the worst was one of those robot cotton candy vending machines at the mall. It offered tip options at 20%, 25%, and 35%.”
—Anonymous, 25, GA
17.
“At a weed dispensary.”
—Anonymous
18.
“I did an online loan application. It included a 10% flat fee. I was asked three times to tip. I had to be careful to avoid accidentally tipping — it defaulted to yes, and you had to actively select ‘no.'”
—Anonymous, 49, AZ
Have you been asked to tip somewhere absolutely ridiculous? Share your story in the comments or the anonymous form below — we’re still recovering from the vending machine one.
