Before Covid, tipping a few dollars, if at all, was standard for bartenders, baristas or “back-of-house” employees.
But with the pandemic came the broad-based adoption of digital payment methods like Block, formerly known as Square, whichprompts you to leave a tip when you pay.
In most cases, there are predetermined options ranging from 15% to 25% for each transaction, even if it’s just a carry out coffee or self-service snack, while tipping 20% at a sit-down restaurant is still the standard.
However, not everyone is on board with tipping service providers more generously across the board.
“Many people seem to resent being asked to tip for things that may not always warrant a tip, such as pouring a coffee or handing over a bag of takeout food — particularly when the employee is standing right there and can see what you entered,” said Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst at CreditCards.com.
In a recent CreditCards.com poll, just 17% who pick up takeout said they always tip, while 19% tip most of the time, 31% tip sometimes and 34% never tip.
Even though many Americans said they would tip more than usual once business activities resumed, according to an earlier poll from 2020, consumer habits haven’t changed much in the end, Rossman added.
