Saw a sign yesterday that literally made me stop and read it twice: “DO NOT order if you’re not leaving at least a 25% tip.” Not suggested. Not appreciated. Not earned. Required. And at that point… is it even a tip anymore?
Because last time I checked, a tip was supposed to be something you leave after the service based on how you were treated. That was the whole point. It was meant to reflect the experience. But when a business demands it upfront before you’ve even ordered, before anyone has served you, before you know if the service is good, bad, or nonexistent, that stops feeling like appreciation and starts feeling like a forced charge with a nicer name.
And that’s where this whole thing gets weird. Why are customers being expected to guarantee part of someone’s pay before the service even exists? If the real cost of running the business is higher, then just raise the prices and be honest about it. Put it on the menu. Build it into the cost. Stop pretending it’s optional when you’re clearly treating it like a requirement.
Because once a “tip” becomes a condition of ordering, it’s not really a tip anymore. It’s just an extra fee dressed up to sound more acceptable. Am I wrong for thinking that the second a restaurant demands 25% upfront, the whole meaning of tipping is gone? Would you still order there, or walk right back out?
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