In America, the suggested gratuity is consistently increasing on receipts and payment terminals. In addition to the requested percentages being significantly greater, shoppers have reported seeing an increase in the number of “tip” requests in increasingly unusual locations. Tipflation is the term used to describe the phenomenon.
In contrast to the old standard tipping range of 10% to 15% for restaurants, North Americans (as well as tourists) are now frequently asked for 20% to 30%. Instead of consumers having to leave big tips, many believe it’s something deeper than that: companies should pay workers more.
Dipayan Biswas, a Marketing and Business Professor at University of South Florida, and Thomas P. Farley, etiquette expert, have some suggestions on when and who to tip—especially now with an increase of holiday shopping.