When Tipping Becomes a Customer Experience Problem

Tipping has evolved from a hospitality tradition into a widespread expectation across many service sectors, including airlines, medical offices, and self-checkout kiosks. Surveys show that a significant portion of Americans feel tipping culture is out of control, with many annoyed by preset tip screens and the pressure to tip in unexpected situations. The authors recommend that businesses focus on three principles when designing tipping programs: distinctiveness, visibility, and proportionality. These ensure customers only tip for discretionary, observable services and can reward workers based on perceived quality. Solutions like private tipping, eliminating tip pooling, and linking tips to service ratings are proposed to reduce stress and make tipping fairer.