Americans are expected to tip more than other countries, which sometimes feels more like an obligation than an expression of gratitude. While tipping at restaurants or for delivery services is standard, there are plenty of places where we feel compelled but baffled by handing over extra cash. If you’re suffering tipping fatigue, here are 15 places where it’s not required, and you don’t have to do it.
1. The Hotel Front Desk
When you check into a hotel, the front desk clerk provides information about the property and hands over the key to your room. This is a professional interaction, which is part of their job, not a personalized service. Tipping here isn’t expected; it isn’t an added service, and you shouldn’t feel the need to do it.
2. The Dry Cleaner
Going to the dry cleaner is a straightforward transaction. You drop off your clothes, they clean them and hand them to you when you pick them up. Dry cleaning is already ridiculously expensive, and tipping here isn’t required or expected, yet many of us feel compelled to do it. Feeling the need to acknowledge the magic your dry cleaner performs is a bit of a stretch.
3. The Trendy Coffee Shop
The cost of your daily cup of joe is already through the roof. So when the digital machine asks if you want to leave a tip or you’re confronted with a tip jar, your morning coffee fix further breaks the bank. You’re not exactly getting a delicacy; you’re ordering an expensive drink from a menu and then leaving. It’s ok not to tip; this is a transaction, not a personalized service and your coffee comes from large batches.
4. The Burger Joint
You place your order at a kiosk or counter at a fast food joint, and then the cashier hands you a pre-made meal. There’s no table service, no personal touch. It’s just a transaction, so don’t feel the need to tip here. It’s not like the cashier’s doing anything beyond handing over your fries (with a smile if you’re lucky). But tip jars are common, and there’s an unspoken implication you need to pay extra for what is essentially cheap, unhealthy grab-and-go food.
5. The Gas Station
Gas is another expensive necessity; most of the time, you pull up, pump your own gas, and pay at the kiosk. Even if someone does come out to fill your tank, it’s not like you couldn’t have done it yourself, or they’re offering you a heated towel or a back rub after. Yet, tipping for gas has become a thing, creating an illusion that a service was provided. It wasn’t.
6. The ATM (Yes, Really)
Not even going to the ATM to withdraw your own money is off-limits these days when it comes to tipping. You insert your card, punch in your PIN, get your cash, and go. There’s no human interaction involved, and no one is providing a service. Still, some places have tip jars next to their ATMs, making you wonder if people are actually tipping a machine for doing what it’s programmed to do.
7. The Self-Checkout
Self-checkout stations at grocery stores are designed for you to do the work to cut down staffing costs. You scan your items, bag them, and pay. There’s no cashier or service involved, so tipping is absurd. Yet, some people still feel the need to drop a dollar or two in the jar. Why are you compensating the store for allowing you to do the work?
8. The Vending Machine
The very thought of tipping at vending machines is ridiculous. This is a 100 percent self-service transaction. No one made or served you your snack; a machine did all the work. Believe it or not, some people tip these machines as if they’re giving a little extra to ensure their bag of chips comes out without a hitch.
9. The Restaurant or Public Restroom
In some restaurants or public restrooms, someone is stationed there handing out paper towels and keeping the place tidy. While this might be appreciated, it can also make you feel uncomfortable and guilty about not tipping. We can’t even go to the bathroom in peace. It’s the establishment’s job to maintain cleanliness, and considering you’re no doubt paying for an expensive meal, you shouldn’t feel obliged to toss in a few coins.
10. The Library Staff
Libraries are places of quiet contemplation and escape. If the librarians help you find books and manage your account, remember they’re doing their job, not serving you personally. It’s a mystery, but the tip jar is set up to give you a misplaced sense of gratitude you feel the need to pay for. You don’t.
11. The Uber and Lyft Driver
It’s become common for Uber and Lyft drivers to ask to be rated for their service and suggest you leave a tip. You’ve already paid the fare that included their service, and it’s their job to get you from point A to point B safely and without incident. Still, the tipping culture persists, as if the drivers need an extra pat on the back. Giving them a cash tip is not even legal; they should never ask for one.
12. The Cunning Tour Guide
Tour guides are professionals whose job is to provide information and share expert knowledge about a place or destination. You’ve probably already paid for an expensive tour, and having to tip suggests their salary alone isn’t enough. You shouldn’t have to tip for performing a service that’s part of their job description, but sadly, it’s become the norm and almost expected.
13. The Home Repair Guy
When a technician fixes something in your home, they perform a job you’ve already paid for. There’s no need for an additional tip beyond the agreed-upon fee, which, let’s face it, is usually exorbitant. Yet, many of us feel like it’s expected for us to give extra money as a sign of appreciation, especially when someone has come to our home. You can show gratitude, but a tip is unnecessary.
14. The Airport Shuttle Driver
Airport shuttle drivers get you from the airport to your destination, but that’s their job. Tipping them seems like an extra gesture of appreciation, but you’ve already paid (probably steeply) for the service. The inclination to tip here often feels obligatory when it’s not expected.
15. The Grocery Store Baggers
Baggers at the grocery store pack your items as a job; they aren’t performing a special service. Tipping them seems out of place, yet some of us feel the need to hand over a few dollars out of habit or a misplaced sense of generosity. They are getting paid; you don’t need to tip.