64% of consumers are being guilted into tipping even when service is poor: survey

We’re guilt-tripping over guilt-tipping.

Two-thirds (65%) of American consumers are experiencing tipping fatigue — up from 60% last year and 53% in 2023, according to an annual study by Popmenu, a tech company serving more than 10,000 restaurants.

Over the last year, people have paid around $150 in tips on average, which they didn’t feel were necessary, with 44% saying they tip at places where they don’t think it’s customary.

And the concept of guilt tipping also goes for situations where the service was not up to par.

According to the survey, 64% have given gratuity even when they received poor service and customer expectations fell short.

Consumers also said they have added tips when they felt bad for a worker (52%) or when they wanted to avoid looking cheap (45%).

When being asked to tip on a digital payment screen with suggested gratuity amounts, 66% feel pressure to give the tip — especially when the employee is in front of them.

People are still tipping at places without full service, too, such as coffee shops (46%), food trucks (32%) and fast-food restaurants (27%).

Even though 43% of consumers admitted they are tipping less this year, considering they’re asked to tip for different services ten times a month on average, there’s been an increase in restaurant tipping after a decline over the last few years.

Almost half (45%) said they are tipping restaurant servers at least 20%, up from 38% of consumers last year.

About one in four customers (23%) tip delivery drivers 20% of more — an increase from the 19% of consumers who did so last year.

Regardless, Americans are feeling guilted into tipping, and 62% shared that they would prefer to pay more for their food so workers can get a higher paycheck and tipping can be eliminated altogether.