I've read lots of articles about how Americans hate their tipping culture. But tipping is optional so why don't they just stop? If you don't tip you both help society improve and you save money. Win-win.
I've drawn a line in the sand. I'll tip (and tip well!) for traditionally tipped jobs, like waiter, bellhop, barber, barrista, bartender, etc. The hundred new things that corporations are begging for? Hell no. Absolutely not. I will not tip at a drive-through oil change service. I will not tip at a fast food counter. I certainly will not tip at a convenience store. Every single new tipping situation is a company begging me to subsidize their employees' wages instead of increasing them.
Screw that. I'm not participating, and they can't make me. Those existing jobs were grandfathered in: waiters make below minimum wage on the expectation they'll make it up in tips, and that's f'ed up, but I can't change that by myself and I'm not going to stiff someone making sub-minimum to prove a point. All the others? Those cheapskate bosses can get bent. Pay more if you want to keep good help. Don't literally beg me to donate money to your employees as a charity.
Because Maria works so damn hard cleaning those hotel rooms, and if I take a stand on principle and don't leave her a tip when I check out, the only ones who will suffer for it are her and her kids. Should I instead write her a note about how we're helping society improve? I don't think thats the problem. Moreso something like this that was intended to help people that needed it is being taken advantage of. Every cafe with $6 espressos will ask you for a tip nowadays. What's worse is that a lot of places default to adding a 15% tip when these screens show! And there is no way of knowing where these tips are going unless you pay cash.
Source: Hacker News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing