Over the last few years, the dynamics of tipping in America have overnight been transformed by the introduction of self-service technology, adding new dimensions to an ancient phenomenon. Tipping is no longer limited to direct contact with waiters; nowadays, even automatic check-out machines and point-of-sale (POS) terminals ask for gratuities. This new phenomenon raises some pertinent questions: Where does your money go when you tip a self-serve machine? And do you tip at a point-of-sale kiosk?
The rise of self-checkout tipping
The use of tip prompts at self-checkout machines has been increasingly popular among industries like airports, coffeehouses, restaurants, and sports facilities. Such machines typically offer consumers pre-determined tip options—sometimes as little as 18% or more—regardless of the amount of human touch needed in the transaction. The practice, so-called “tip creep,” has led consumers to feel obligated to tip even if they receive little or no face-to-face service.
Rachel Wolfe, a journalist for the Wall Street Journal, highlighted the ambiguity of where tips deposited at self-checkout counters are headed. She clarified that laws require tips to be passed on to employees, but the transparency of these machines makes it difficult to know if the gratuity is reaching the intended people.
The destination of tips at self-serve machines
The second basic problem with tipping at self-scan counters is uncertainty in where the tips accumulate. Compared to the other types of tipping where money is passed to real service staff, the electronic nature of self-scan tips reduces the avenues of money transfer. That transparency has raised questions among consumers on what happens to their gratuity, i.e., whether it ends up with the staff or simply contributes to the company’s top line.
Etiquette trainer Diane Gottsman described the exasperation of contemporary tipping etiquette. She said that in fast transactions with little service, not tipping is acceptable.
The Ethical implications of self-checkout tipping
The prevalence of tipping prompts at self-checkout lanes has raised ethical concerns about the responsibility of employers versus consumers to pay employees. Several academics have sounded the warning that businesses are using the reminders as an excuse to pass the cost of fair employee pay to customers and not increase wages themselves. It is a subject that challenges the utilization of tipping in the modern service economy and whether or not it is being exploited to subsidize lowly paid systems.
Consumer reactions and tip Fatigue
The quick proliferation of tipping prompts in out-of-the-way places has also resulted in another trend referred to as “tip fatigue” because consumers are bombarded by the incessant request for tips. Included in this is the need to tip for services that previously did not necessitate tips, such as self-service transactions. Thus, some consumers are also resisting such prompts, questioning their practicality and applicability.
Point-of-sale kiosk tipping tips
With the ever-changing nature of tipping practices, customers might wonder what to do when confronted with tipping requests at point-of-sale kiosks. Although tipping is a matter of personal choice, experts provide some recommendations:
- Balance: Think about the quality of service. If there was minimal or no service from the staff during the transaction, tipping is not required.
- Be mindful of social pressure: Recognize that computer messages can create a feeling of obligation. Tipping decisions ought to be made based on service encountered, not felt obligation.
- Stay up to date: With tipping trends constantly evolving, remaining mindful of customary tipping practices can help in making well-informed decisions.
