Consumers are at a tipping point when it comes to tipping culture, especially regarding the food service sector. From U.S. ballot initiatives about what the minimum wage should be for tipped workers to memes about iPads with tip options showing up in unexpected places, there is widespread debate about tipping’s place in society today. But which way is the digital chatter trending? We used our social listening and consumer intelligence solutions to get a pulse on the online conversation about tipping in food service.
Explore more consumer insights about the food and beverage sector in our data-rich industry report.
How do social media users feel about tipping?
From January 1 to October 22, 2024, there were more than 60,640 English-language posts about tipping in food services across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, X, and forums. Overall, there are about four times more negative posts about tipping than positive ones.
The conversation was at its highest this summer, with the volume of posts from June to August being about 42% higher than from March to May. This increase in posts may correspond with more people going out for food during the warmer months and vacation time. Interestingly, though volume peaked in August, engagement actions peaked in July thanks to one particularly buzzy Reddit post (more on that below).
Tipping by dining experience
Of the posts that mentioned particular service experiences, nearly half mentioned sit-down and dine-in restaurants. Of those posts, many expressed negative views on tipping culture with several highlighting increased pressure to tip due to pre-entered tip screens on iPad devices at restaurants.
About 40% of experience-specific posts mentioned pickup and takeout orders, with many questioning whether or not tips should be expected. In both segments of the conversation, the most engaging piece of content was this Instagram post from comedian DL Hughley featuring a video from on-the-street interview series Subway Takes.
This post about tipping generated the most engagement actions of those that mentioned eating at restaurants and takeout orders.
In it, comedian Robby Hoffman shares her opinion that businesses should pay employees a living wage instead of expecting customers to give a mandatory tip. The post has generated 30,477 likes since April.
The tipping discussion on Reddit
Each month except August, Reddit was the top source of social media conversation about tipping. Fittingly, r/tipping, a community of about 28,000 members dedicated to U.S. tipping culture, was the top subreddit for the discussion. However, the Reddit post that generated the most engagement came from r/AITAH, a subreddit with about 2.5 million members where users ask for judgment on their behavior, and significantly boosted engagement actions for the overall conversation in July. The post in question asked “AITAH for not tipping after overhearing what my waitress said about me?”, generating about 56.2K engagement actions. This included about 8,200 comments weighing in on racial discrimination and when it’s appropriate not to tip.
The tipping discussion on X
This post about tipping generated the most engagement actions on X.
On X, where about 30% of the overall tipping conversation originated, August was the top month for relevant mentions. The most engaged post from X, posted on August 26, came in response to a screenshot of a post from a server complaining about European diners leaving no tip on a $288 bill. That highly engaged response, arguing that “Tipping should be something extra for wonderful service, not wage subsidizing” generated more than 57,000 likes, about 1,600 reposts, and 411 comments.
Other top X posts from that month include one featuring a video of a tip screen at a fast food drive-thru and another asking users how much they would tip on $74.42. Both, like other highly engaged content in this discussion, touch on consumer questions about what is the new norm in tipping.
Takeaway: Tipping anxiety
While the idea of “tipping fatigue” has emerged over the past few years, our analysis reveals a consumer attitude that may be more akin to “tipping anxiety”. Reddit, where netizens go for advice and recommendations, may have emerged as a top source for the tipping discussion because so many people discussing tipping are looking for answers on what is appropriate in today’s economic landscape. Across sources, engagement is high with content that speaks to this anxiety as people seek out reassurance that their tipping practices and views are correct. Tipping’s impact on workers and businesses is a prominent thread of the overall tipping conversation. However, when it comes to the buzz around being a food service customer today, our analysis suggests that the current state of tipping culture is souring the experience.
