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Re:The dark side of touch-screen tipping by vikmals on Tuesday October 24, 2023 @12:59PM (#38001967)
"experts say the switch to digital tips is meant to generate more participation in tipping and higher overall take-home pay"

The real problem is that your business relies on tipping. Tipping should not be the norm in the first place, just charge what you actually need.

Re:The dark side of touch-screen tipping by Condition1952 on Tuesday October 24, 2023 @01:00PM (#38001977)
Ditch credit cards, save money
Re:The dark side of touch-screen tipping by rabbits_2002 on Tuesday October 24, 2023 @02:05PM (#38002914)
my rewards say otherwise
Re:The dark side of touch-screen tipping by mikestew on Tuesday October 24, 2023 @01:59PM (#38002801)
Yeah, well, my new "anchor" is no tip at all, because you pulled one too many golden eggs out of my ass. Now all you're doing is annoying the goose.

Yes, I still tip waitstaff that did actual labor to bring my meal (though with higher minimum wage in WA, I'm debating the wisdom of cutting that down a few percentage points). Any other transaction can pound sand.

Re:The dark side of touch-screen tipping by JohnFen on Tuesday October 24, 2023 @02:09PM (#38002969)
This is where I'm at as well, with the added caveat that I will never tip through the prompts on those machines again, period, regardless of the nature of the establishment. If I'm tipping, it's in cash only.

This whole tipping situation makes me actively angry. I'm done with it.

Re:The dark side of touch-screen tipping by replwoacause on Tuesday October 24, 2023 @06:11PM (#38006398)
Same here. I went to a grocery store yesterday, albeit a “fancy” one with unique and difficult to find products in a nice part of town. I got to the checkout which was operated by an employee who scanned a few of my overpriced items, and then, completely unexpectedly, a tip screen appeared. Before I even realized what I had done because it was a muscle reflex, I tipped $7.50 for the privilege of having a store employee scan a few items for me. I was angry at myself for going so quickly through the checkout process and letting force of habit guide my hand, but also pissed at the merchant for even having this screen turned on in the first place.

It didn’t help that the DEFAULT tip amount that was pre-selected was for 25% (the middle of 3 options). Tipping has gotten totally out of control, and you have to pay attention lest you wind up like me, tipping for everyday ordinary functions that businesses are already paying employees to do. FWIW, I am all for tipping for exceptional service, and often tip 20%+ when that’s the case, but these compulsory tip screens for every goddamn thing are just insane.

Re:The dark side of touch-screen tipping by perryizgr8 on Tuesday October 24, 2023 @02:09PM (#38002960)
> The barista boxed up the cake – $60 (£49), ...

> pressing the middle square to choose a 20% tip, ...

> I realised I'd tipped $18 (£15) for a baked good. I couldn't believe what I'd done.

20% of $60 should be $12, not $18.

Re:The dark side of touch-screen tipping by wjnc on Tuesday October 24, 2023 @02:20PM (#38003113)
The person also picked up a coffee. A coffee that was obviously $ 30 in order to get to that tip. Nice luxury coffee shop though!
Re:The dark side of touch-screen tipping by throwaway743950 on Wednesday October 25, 2023 @01:22PM (#38015390)
I remember reading that a primary force in this, that's often overlooked, is the payment processors having incentive to raise the overall average transaction price so their cut is larger. That's why it's become so pervasive in the software. It's not necessarily businesses looking for a larger portion of employee compensation to come from tips.