Tipping fatigue is at an all-time high, with 90% of Americans expressing that tipping culture has spiraled out of control, according to a recent WalletHub survey. This marks a significant increase from 75% last year.

“You can’t do it everywhere and with these economic pressures, I feel like more and more places are expecting you to do it,” Blane Woodfin of Blue Collar Restaurant Group said. WalletHub experts noted that three in 10 Americans are likely to tip less if confronted with a tip suggestion screen, and some might choose not to tip at all.

“It’s a voluntary gesture. You know that you show appreciation for good service, and now it’s almost like a tax or a surcharge,” Chip Lupo, a writer and analyst at WalletHub, said. “There’s confusion over who to tip, because it’s gone way beyond just the traditional restaurants or bars or hairstyles, which you customarily you tip.

“Now it seems everywhere you go, any type of service that you have done, someone is practically demanding that you tip them for their service.”

Currently, there is a bipartisan effort in Washington to eliminate federal taxes on tips, with about 20 states considering removing state income tax on tips as well. More than one in four Americans say tips should be taxed as they are now.

Additionally, 83% of Americans believe automatic service charges, such as those on DoorDash orders, should be banned. Experts suggest paying in cash can sometimes help consumers avoid service or transaction fees, offering a potential way to save money.

“Most people want to be generous, but they don’t want to be nudged or forced into generosity at every turn, especially when gratuity was truly optional in the past,” John Kiernan, a WalletHub editor, said. “You also have to remember that money is tight for most of us, thanks to inflation, high debt levels and stock market volatility. Not having enough money to make ends meet puts a natural limit on people’s ability to tip, and excessive tip requests can feel like taunting.

“What people really want is for businesses to pay their own staff, rather than passing the buck to customers.”

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