As the Gig Economy Grows, So Do the Tipping Expectations of Service Workers
Tipping has become increasingly at-issue in recent years. The reasons for this are varied, but seem to revolve around the factors���more than a little related���of a terrible economy and so-called income inequality. Nowadays, tip jars and the like are popping up in places where you did not see them in years past, and the expected size of tips has been growing, as well, as those working in the service industry understandably seek to put more distance between themselves and the street in what has remained a challenging economic environment.
Now, Christopher Elliott over at USA Today informs us of something called ���guilt tipping,��� where service providers essentially demand tips from customers through a variety of means. He describes guilt tipping as when ���an employee pressures you into dropping a dollar into the tip jar with a sign (���Tips welcome���) or even asks you for a gratuity.��� Elliott refers to it as ���a new kind of harassment,��� and suggests that the growing gig economy is at the root of the problem. The gig economy is itself a function of the aforementioned tough times, as many turned to it simply because they cannot find a ���regular job.���
Personally, I have not had to face guilt tipping, at least not to my knowledge; maybe I���m just naturally too abrupt to notice. However, I do not recall ever being directly solicited by a service employee to pay a gratuity ��� of course, I see tip jars lots of places, and there is always a space at the bottom of a restaurant payment slip to include a tip, but I���ve not had anyone confront me about paying one. Nevertheless, I will take Elliott���s word for it that such a thing exists.
Tipping used to be that ���little extra��� for a job well done, but we know it has not been that for some time now. Long ago, tipping became, essentially, a mandatory, additional cost for a customer in a variety of retail service forums that have expanded greatly over the years. I certainly do not object to tipping, and have generally tipped very well whenever I go out to eat or use other services wherein tipping has been a traditional component of the transaction. However, I will be keeping my eye out for this guilt tipping thing, and hoping that the situation does not get out of hand should someone actually get in my face about leaving a gratuity.
By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large
