Tipping culture is fading, but so is the mystery of how much servers really make
A bartender says people aren’t tipping like they used to, but the real shift is in how servers talk about their earnings.
The story
A bartender with 25 years of experience claims customers are tipping less, citing trends like servers sharing tip counts and a growing reluctance to tip, though studies show mixed evidence.
Source: brobible.com
Our reading
A bartender with 25 years of experience says people aren’t tipping like they used to, but the real shift might be in how servers talk about their earnings. She claims people are getting tired of tipping, but it’s unclear if they’re just tired of the whole system, or just tired of being asked.
It’s possible the real problem isn’t that people are refusing to tip, but that servers are now bragging about how much they make. If you know how much a server earns, you might be less inclined to add a gratuity, especially if you think the service was just okay.
The bartender says people should tip or accept worse service, but the real question is whether anyone still believes in the idea that a drink is worth more than the labor that made it.
