A woman was utterly “astonished” following a visit to her local cafe, where she left a 73p cash gratuity for her coffee order, prompting the barista to voice a loud comment. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Comments
Subsequent to purchasing a drink at her neighbourhood coffee shop, where she is known by name, a woman provided a cash tip for the barista, but she was left “astonished” by the reaction of one worker. The subject of tipping continues to be controversial, with proponents and opponents strongly divided.
In the UK, gratuities are appreciated but not required. Legislation on minimum wage is in place, and businesses must pay workers the full amount, which means consumers are not compelled to supplement employee income as is the case in America.
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Gratuities are a central element of American culture, yet across various online platforms, individuals are voicing their annoyance with growing pressure to tip, even at establishments where it would not typically be expected.
One American woman purchased a coffee costing $5 (£3.66) and placed a $1 bill (73p) – 20% of her total – in the tip receptacle, only to be rendered speechless when the barista spotted more money in her wallet then “loudly” and derisively exclaimed: “Oh wow! A whole dollar… that’s SO generous! Thank you SO much.”
On Reddit, in a post entitled “Tipping 20% wasn’t good enough,” the woman stated: “I have never been so taken aback. The sarcasm was so blatant, I was certain she was going to contaminate my beverage in some way.
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“But honestly, why should she be entitled to more than a dollar for my $5 coffee? Why should she even get an additional cent for that matter? She’s doing the job she’s paid to do, which involves making a beverage. There’s clearly no outstanding service there.”
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She further added: “If we’re going to give gratuities at coffee shops, it should be standard procedure to provide the tip AFTER we receive the drink and not before. Service is terrible [at the moment].”
The comments area was filled with a multitude of opinions. One person commented: “Should have taken that dollar back.”
Another agreed: “Should have cancelled the order and requested a reimbursement.”
A third commented: “I would have summoned the supervisor and stated watch this while I reclaim my tip due to your discourteous employee.”
The original poster responded: “I wanted to but didn’t have the courage lol.”
To which, another user replied: “And that’s it in a nutshell. That’s why servers get away with this kind of b******t. If they were reprimanded in this way and publicly shamed, they would be more likely to keep their sarcasm to themselves and could even develop some appreciation.”
One Reddit user admitted: “Unfortunately, I’ve become that individual, and confront them. I’m tired of the avarice. I was once a very liberal tipper. Not any longer.”
Tipping 20% wasn’t good enough
byu/moonchildcountrygirl inEndTipping
Another added: “From my perspective, a person working in a coffee shop isn’t really a ‘server’. There is standard pay and server/bartender pay.
“If they are being paid standard rates like most coffee shops and fast food establishments, you are under no compulsion to tip them. The notion that they believe they should be tipped for handing customers a coffee is insane.”
One person, who claimed to be a former barista and expressed dissatisfaction with the staff member’s conduct, stated: “This is no longer the culture I recognise.”
Another commented: “We could simply cease tipping. The cost of serving the customer is already reflected in the price of food and beverages. Enough is enough.”
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In the United States, tipping is generally optional but it is anticipated for occupations such as waitstaff, bartending, taxi drivers and hotel workers who all receive a small base wage supplemented by gratuities. These employees often rely on tips from customers to survive.
The gratuity amount usually differs based on the standard of service, but 20% is generally viewed as the benchmark in restaurants, while $1 (73p) per beverage at a bar and $2-5 (£1.47-£3.66) per day for hotel cleaning staff is typically expected.