The tipping dilemma: Are digital payment prompts pushing us too far? Cape Girardeau business owners and shoppers respond

This story originally appeared in B Magazine.

With the rise of electronic and contactless payments, consumers can now purchase goods with a quick tap or click. As fewer people carry cash, businesses are increasingly trending away from physical currency—and certainly from paper checks.

While digital payments offer undeniable convenience, each swipe or tap often comes with an unexpected twist: the prompt to leave a tip. Sometimes called the “spinning of the iPad,” these requests are appearing not just at sit-down restaurants or Uber rides but in places we might not expect. Many agree it’s customary to tip the waiter who refills our drinks or the hairstylist who gives us a trim. But what about the barista pouring your latte or the clerk handing you a bag at the counter? How much is appropriate, and is it rude to hit “no tip” and slink away?

B Magazine readers and business owners weigh in on the digital tipping culture and share their honest feedback about who, when and why they tip.

“I feel strongly that tipping has gotten out of hand. My own POS (Point of Sale) prompts for tips at the time of sale, as opposed to after any potential service is rendered, which I do not prefer. I’m not sure how to curtail it when nearly ALL employees in hospitality fully expect it as part of their wages. It’s a trend that seems totally unstoppable. Or even unchangeable. As a consumer, I’ve had fast food restaurants stick a card reader out of the drive-thru window for me to choose a tip amount. I click no tip and move on without guilt. Everything that was done in that transaction was part of their job as an employee and they are receiving at least minimum wage at those locations.”

— Bob Schooley, owner of the Ground-A-Bout

“As a self-employed stylist, tipping is welcome but not expected. When we dine out, I absolutely tip the server. But I believe tipping has gotten out of control as a whole. Ordering at a counter and retrieving my refills does not constitute a tip for a person who solely carried the order to my table. A drive-thru coffee that’s already overpriced, is also a no for me. On vacation, there was a tip line at a novelty shop. The cashier simply scanned and bagged our items then an option to tip. Absurd, no thank you.”

— Sara Rackley, stylist at Cutting Edge Salon

“Tipping... that's tricky! I certainly don't tip for everything. Actually, I only tip for the stereotypical service industry — sit-down restaurants and barber shops — in my regular life. But unfortunately, it also depends on the funds. If my kid needs a haircut, and I only have $18 for an $18 haircut, then I pay $18. Some might say, ‘If you can't afford the tip then you can't afford the service.’ I disagree.”

— Kayla Johnson, registered dietitian at Nourish Inc.

“I’m not going to tip every time the option appears on a receipt! The expectation that I have to tip because someone handed me a bag across a counter makes me not want to tip at all or tip so poorly in protest that it’s an unnecessary insult to the other person. I want to maintain the option on my part, without pressure, to tip outside the traditional times and places.”

— Leonard Gladden, administrator at the School of Hope

“I believe businesses asking for tips has gotten a little excessive and can be offensive to customers. Using my store as an example, we provide a personalized shopping experience to our customers daily. Our staff offers a service creating the perfect products for our customers and does not expect tips for simply doing their jobs. We only allow tipping when hosting an event, such as birthday parties, girls night out or corporate events. Tipping definitely has its place when in certain service-oriented industries.”

— Marnie Ward, owner of Magnolia Soap And Bath Co.