Have We Had Enough? Is Arizona Reaching “Tipping Fatigue”?

During the TIME THAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED (okay, the pandemic shutdown), we were all scrambling to help wherever possible.

Other than feeding our sourdough starters and howling at the moon, food and grocery delivery services took off like wildfire since we were all confined to quarters.

A lot of people who could afford the added fees on top of the cost of the goods were padding tips as much as they comfortably could. It happened when we picked up our food from restaurants, too.

At the time, I shared a lot of stories where someone left restaurant staff ridiculously high tips of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. While I know events like that helped many struggling souls, they may have confused some of the more realistic tipping strategies for the rest of us. How much should you tip? Now that everyone seems to have their hand out, exactly who should you tip?

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How did tipping change in Arizona?

Back in the 1950s, tipping around 10% was the norm. By the 1970s and 1980s, the standard crept up to about 15%. According to YourTipCalculator.com, most of us are expected to leave about 15 to 20% or higher at restaurants in Arizona.

The shift is no longer just cultural; now tips are tied to wages, and not just at your sit-down restaurant. Many of Arizona's service workers earn a lower base pay, and it's expected that your tips will make up the difference.

Have you noticed how modern point-of-sale systems now prompt you for a tip at checkout, even when you're the one doing all the work? Suddenly, we’re tipping in more places than ever, and a lot of us are getting pretty salty about it.

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Maybe don't add a tip for this "service"

I read a story about someone who had the "free" continental breakfast at a hotel. They made their own waffles, filled their own beverages, and toasted their own bread. Then sat down to eat, and near the end of the meal, the guest was presented with a "bill". They were "charged" $20 for the meal, then given a $20 credit. On the following line (can you guess?), the bill requested a tip and even suggested a fair amount to add to the "bill".

Needless to say, the guest who had served herself—even putting the used dishes and tray into a bussing bin—was downright irritated. That's an extreme example, but it's situations like this that are ruining tipping for those who legitimately earn their tips.

So, who should you tip?

You’ll want to tip for your restaurant servers, bartenders, baristas, hair stylists, delivery dashers, and rideshare drivers.

These are the folks whose paychecks depend heavily on gratuities. This was the place where tip amounts went up as customers showed extra compassion for service workers during the dark times. (Okay, the pandemic. Whatever.)

Who are we tired of tipping?

These are the places we're TIRED of being asked for tips. My friend says, "if I order on my feet, I'm not tipping". If I'm standing at a bar, I waive this and add a tip, but if I'm ordering a fast-food burger, that's a hard no from me.

In Arizona, we're getting pretty frustrated with tip requests at self-checkouts, fast-food counters, and even retail shops. A recent Pew survey found that 72% of Americans feel tipping is now expected in more places than it was five years ago.

I don't mind adding a tip, but I do mind adding a tip in places that don't make sense. If a self-checkout machine asks for a tip after I scan and bag my own groceries, that's it. I'm done. That's too far.

How do you handle it when the screen is turned around, and you're asked for a tip? Do you feel obligated, or do you click no?