In the Early 1900s, the acronym TIPS was created, and it stands for “to insure prompt service.” Giving someone a tip was another way of speeding up any order or request by providing compensation. Nowadays when you walk into any restaurant or food related place, waiters are always asking for a tip, completely undermining the true meaning behind why it exists. Another problem about tipping in America is the fact that tips can be taxed. In the U.S., 41 out of 50 states tax tips as income, which means that the intent behind tipping is diluted due to a portion being removed from your paycheck. While cash tips cannot be taxed, most places have transferred to online tipping, meaning the majority of the tip money earned is taxed. Another problem with tipping culture is how some places accept both forms of payment for tips (cash and online), while other places (like Chick-fil-a, McDonalds, etc..) don’t accept tips. 

Today, the discussion focuses on tipping culture in society today, and what people who receive tips think about them. A survey was recently conducted using data from Lake Oswego High School students who work in the food service industry. About 60% of students tip over 16% at sit-down restaurants. Junior Teddy Flaa commented about his experiences at sit-down restaurants and the pressure of tipping, saying, “When I go to any restaurant now, I feel like I need to tip, even if it’s super bad service.” Flaa is not the only person who feels this way about tipping being required for most food places. Over 91% of the people who responded to the survey said that tipping has gone up in the past 10 years. Due to most tips being online, places that only take cash miss out on a lot of tips. Junior Finley Lovrien commented on this problem and said that “nobody really carries cash around anymore.” Another issue that has not been brought to attention is the truth that tips are taxed, as over 50% of the people who responded were unaware that they are. 

While tipping culture sure has gone up over the years, societal pressures have also helped the push towards increased tipping at most places. If someone feels the need to show gratuity towards a hard worker, by all means feel free to tip, but the normalization of obligatory tipping across America needs to be less acceptable.