Customers can freely choose whether to tip or not

**Interviewer:** In the U.S., tipping seems to be an unwritten rule wherever you spend money, which can be quite frustrating. Are there situations where it’s acceptable not to leave a tip?

**Shelle Santana:** The rules around tipping are constantly evolving. With the rise of services like grocery delivery, Uber rides, Amazon deliveries, food takeout, and pet grooming, the opportunities to tip have increased, which can be overwhelming.

Santana, an assistant professor of marketing at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, points out that while the idea of tipping has become less discretionary, its prevalence has surged, leading many to feel dissatisfied with the expectation of tipping.

People often wonder: is it ever okay to forgo a tip?

When considering whether to tip, it can be helpful to ask yourself a few key questions:

**Question One:** Do I really need to tip in this situation?

Tipping is typically a way to express appreciation for service, especially when it goes above and beyond expectations. Santana believes that when dining out, tipping is definitely warranted.

While there are no hard and fast rules about when to tip, there is a general expectation that patrons tip servers in bars and restaurants, as well as hairstylists and barbers. In other circumstances, it can be up to individual discretion.

The question of how much to tip can be tricky. Dipayan Biswas, a marketing professor at the University of South Florida, notes that restaurant tipping averages about 20% of the total bill, with most customers tipping between 15% and 22%.

Tomomi Horning, executive director of the Edward and Lynn Breen Center at Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania, suggests that if you’re tipping on a company card or if the service staff knows you work for yourself, you might feel inclined to leave a higher tip.

Horning explains that sometimes the act of tipping is less about the individual and more about what they represent—be it their employer, company brand, community, or other affiliations. It can even communicate social cues or create an image that transcends monetary value.

In essence, if you want to avoid the impression that your employer is stingy, it’s wise to tip generously.

**Question Two:** When is it okay to skip the tip?

Imagine you’re at a counter paying for a doughnut with your card, and the machine prompts you for a tip. Many people might hesitate and wonder, “Should I even leave a tip?”

Santana advises that if you frequent a shop, it’s better to tip when prompted to maintain a good relationship and ensure quality service in the future.

Professor Biswas notes that many digital payment devices have tip prompts. If you’re unsure where that tip will end up—whether it goes to the store owner or to the front-line staff—it might lead you to opt out of tipping altogether.

**Question Three:** Was the service really that bad?

This is a touchy issue. Gery Markova, a professor at Wichita State University’s Barton School of Business, points out that over the past 30 years, minimum wage has greatly diminished, with tips becoming essential for many service workers to make a living wage. Even if the service is subpar, a generous tip can often be seen as a polite gesture.

Therefore, you might still feel compelled to tip, especially if the service employees did their best despite shortcomings caused by management decisions, such as inadequate staffing.

However, it’s essential to use your judgment—if the server is rude, it’s perfectly acceptable not to tip, and you could even discuss the matter with a manager.

**Bottom Line on Tipping:**

Unless tipping is included in the price you pay, customers absolutely have the freedom to decide whether or not to tip.

Markova emphasizes that as long as the service industry’s “living wage” falls short of being sufficient for basic living expenses, tipping will continue to serve as a way to supplement workers’ incomes.