On Tipping

“Tech Is Allowing Businesses to Overcharge You in Tips.” As a European, tipping in the US was always different. You don’t tip for good service; you tip because that’s how people in the service industry make a living. But during a recent trip to the US, I noticed tipping is now expected everywhere, even in a bottle shop, where I took a pack of beer from the shelf, carried it to the till and walked out after paying. And at one lunch place, the staff member even selected a tip instead of me doing it.

Another related convenience with electronic payments quickly turns into an annoyance: You provide your email to receive an electronic receipt and automatically subscribe to the shop’s marketing emails. I now receive countless emails from coffee shops, lunch spots and restaurants.