TIPPING IN THE U.S.

International tourists visiting Seattle and other cities in the US have to face the difficult issue of tipping, which may not be as common in their home country like Japan. Deciding how to tip, when to tip, and how much to tip can seem overwhelming. Tipping can be frustrating even for Americans who have grown up with this system.

Since I moved back to the US after living abroad for five years, the practice of tipping has increased. It used to be that tipping was primarily done in exchange for certain types of service providers, such as a waiter, a hotel worker, a hair stylist, or a taxi driver. These days, you can also expect to be asked for a tip when ordering takeout food, or sometimes even when buying a snack at a convenience store.

Part of the explanation for the increase in tipping may be that many stores no longer accept cash. Now, when you purchase something by tapping your credit card or smart phone, the first question that gets asked is how much tip you want to pay, such as 15%, 18%, or 25% of the total. If you are lucky, there might be an option at the bottom of the screen that says “no tip”.

but sometimes you have to select multiple screens to avoid paying a tip. And, of course, the employee is often watching, which can make you feel guilty so that you end up paying a tip even if you don’t think you need to.

The other side of the argument is that many employees working at cafes and convenience stores get paid the minimum wage, and so tips provide a supplement to their income in an expensive city such as Seattle where minimum wage is not sufficient to pay for rent. So, some people might consider tipping to be a social responsibility to help support these employees as a form of social welfare.

In any case, the decision to tip remains a personal choice, and so it is difficult to provide advice that will work for everyone. It is nevertheless a good idea to at least be prepared for the inevitable pop-up screen asking for a tip when you order a cup of coffee during your trip to the US, and knowing in advance how you will handle it.