A Reddit user who posts as Marsgreatlol (u/Marsgreatlol) says an AC technician charged $385 for about an hour of work, and the payment screen still asked for a tip. The post, shared on r/EndTipping, is titled “1 hour of AC work for $385, still asked to tip… what is happening.” The technician called the job a “minor fix,” according to the post. In a later comment, Marsgreatlol said the work involved replacing a fuse and some loose wiring and cleaning the unit, and that the whole visit, diagnosis included, took about an hour. Neither the technician nor the company is named, and the account hasn’t been independently verified. Marsgreatlol wrote that being friendly and professional is expected in any job, whether it’s a doctor’s visit or a fast food order, and shouldn’t come with an extra payment. “That’s gonna be a no from me, dawg,” the post reads. Most replies sided with the poster, though a few commenters said the tip request was reasonable. ## Commenters say repair companies shouldn’t ask for tips Many commenters wrote that trade work isn’t a job that calls for tipping at all. Several blamed the business rather than the technician, and some told Marsgreatlol to skip the tip. A few connected the request to rising prices for home services in general. > 1 hour of AC work for $385, still asked to tip… what is happening > byu/Marsgreatlol inEndTipping “Bad companies do this,” one commenter wrote, adding that a good company does the work for the agreed price and pays its employees without asking customers for charity. A user who said they work as a contractor wrote that they “Never thought about throwing a tip on the bottom” of a bill. Another person said their household has stopped going out because of tipping and prices. ## Some commenters defend the tip request A smaller group argued that the technician provided a service, so a tip prompt for it isn’t strange. These replies drew pushback from Marsgreatlol directly. > Comment > byu/Marsgreatlol from discussion > inEndTipping One commenter called the suggested range of 10 to 20 percent “fairly low” and said they had tipped their own mechanic. Marsgreatlol replied that 10 to 20 percent of $385 is a lot on top of a price that was already “overpriced imo,” and asked whether people tip their plumbers or electricians. Another user wrote, “you got a good deal.” Several commenters asked whether the tip screen was a default setting in the card reader rather than the company’s choice. One user said vendors may not even be able to switch it off. Another replied that the option can always be turned off and is usually off by default, and a third called the default explanation “an excuse.” Tipping disputes have gone viral before, including one over a server’s receipt note about an $11 tip.

A Reddit user sparked debate after refusing to tip at a restaurant and describing an uncomfortable confrontation with a waitress. The customer shared the experience in r/EndTipping, explaining how a night out with five friends turned into an argument over a roughly $30 bill. The thread, titled “Tried not tipping for the first time in… Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online. The post Customer refuses to tip on a night out with friends. The awkward aftermath sparks debate appeared first on The Daily Dot.

A diner faced an uncomfortable situation after deciding not to leave a tip during a night out with five friends. The group ordered pizza and a bottle of tequila, then paid separate checks for their individual orders. As detailed by The Daily Dot, the decision to skip the tip line led to a direct confrontation that has since sparked a discussion on Reddit. The original poster shared the experience in a post on r/EndTipping, noting that they left the tip line blank because they oppose tipping culture. According to the post, the waitress noticed the missing tip and approached one of the friends in the group to address it. That friend handed over $10 after the waitress walked away, despite not being the person who decided to skip the tip, leaving the original poster embarrassed and frustrated. The thread, titled “Tried not tipping for the first time in my life… epic fail, pls help,” drew hundreds of upvotes and more than 200 comments. The original poster admitted they will probably return to tipping to avoid similar arguments. They also asked other users whether they had handled the situation incorrectly. ## A friend who once worked as a server wasn’t on the customer’s side Arguments within the group continued after the encounter, particularly with a friend who has worked as a server. That friend accused the customer of hurting restaurant workers by failing to tip. The customer maintained that employers should provide a living wage to their staff rather than relying on customers to fill that gap. > Tried not tipping for the first time in my life… epic fail, pls help > byu/Vulcankitten inEndTipping Opinions in the comment section were split. Some users encouraged the customer to stand their ground, with one suggesting they first try not tipping while dining alone to get more comfortable with it. Another defended the right to choose where money goes, writing, “Friends don’t guilt trip their friends into giving away free money in a struggling economy.” Other users took issue with the waitress. One commenter recommended telling the manager and leaving a bad review, adding, “It is incredibly inappropriate to ask for a tip.” A different user questioned how much service the waitress provided “that she felt so entitled to such a high tip.” The conversation also touched on the legal distinction between voluntary tips and mandatory service charges. One commenter pointed to IRS guidance, arguing that businesses cannot make voluntary tips mandatory. They suggested the customer should have explained that they paid the full amount listed on the bill. Other participants argued that tipping should reflect service quality rather than social pressure. “The problem is expecting everyone to tip in any situation,” one commenter wrote. The account comes solely from the original poster, and the waitress and friends involved have not shared their side of the story. Attack of the Fanboy was unable to independently verify the events, as this originates solely from a Reddit post.

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Explore this post and more from the EndTipping community

Explore this post and more from the EndTipping community

Many travellers use Trivago to browse and compare hotels for their upcoming trips. However, one user laments that the site asks for a tip at checkout. ## Does Trivago ask users for a tip at checkout? In a post on the r/EndTipping subreddit, a user believes they identified a new low of tipping culture after spotting a prompt at the end of Trivago's checkout. Right before the box to put in credit card details, a message reads, "You saved by booking with us! Your support allows us to keep developing more ways to save." While tips are typically given to individual service workers, it's unclear where the tips will go on the Trivago site, as no human worker assists customers with booking. Adobe Stock Redditors point out that Trivago is valued at over $200 million. The company reported a net loss in Q1 of 2025 but quickly bounced back. ## What do users think of the tipping prompt? In the comments of the Reddit post, users say they're flabbergasted by Trivago's unreasonable tip request. "Wow. This one is particularly offensive. The multi-million or probably billion-dollar hotel industry wants a tip for you using their website to book their hotels. Show your support! Give us free money!" one rants. Another jokes, "Won’t you think of their poor starving executives? How will they be able to afford new yachts without your generosity?" "You saved by booking with us. Now give it back," a third says. A fourth adds, "They are not at all shy about this being corporate welfare. Not even claiming that it (somehow) goes directly to the person handling your order." Others call out similar sites that ask for tips or tack on extra charges. "Oojo does this for flights. It’s one of the companies that SkyScanner sends you to. Absolutely appalling. Then they try to charge you extra for the seat selection, which is free if you use the airline’s website," a commenter shares. One even wonders if search engines will jump on board the tipping train, writing, "The next thing you know, Google will be begging for tips." * * * **_The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter_**** _here_**** _._** Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online. The post “Absolutely appalling”: Travel site Trivago criticized for asking for a tip at checkout appeared first on The Daily Dot.

Fast-food chain Wendy's ignites outrage on Reddit after a self-order kiosk at one of its locations prompts customers for a tip, sparking debate. ## Did the Wendy's kiosk ask a customer for a tip? In a post on the anti-tipping subreddit r/EndTipping, a user posts a photo of their order screen on a kiosk at Wendy's. u/TheAnonymousSuit via Reddit The kiosk screen displays "Tip our team" and offers $1, $3, and $5 tip options for the customer's $7.09 order. While tips are a nice gesture for service workers who go above and beyond, members of the subreddit question why a self-serve machine would ask for a tip. Unlike servers at sit-down restaurants, fast food workers earn the federal minimum wage of $7.25 and don't rely on tips as part of their expected compensation. ## How did customers respond? In the comments of the subreddit, users react to the "egregious" request for a tip from the Wendy's kiosk. "This is out of hand. Has anybody ever gotten food at a fast food place (aside from MAYBE Chick-fil-A), where you thought 'man what great service!' The answer is no. There is no reason to tip at fast food," one writes. Another says, "Like, what is the service here? I'll 'ring' in my own order, pick up my own order at the counter. Yeah, someone cooks the meal, but I don't tip the chef in a sit-down restaurant either." "I love Wendy’s, but tipping at a kiosk is wild," a third remarks. A fourth jokes, "That awkward moment when you hit 'no tip' so hard that the screen breaks. Oops." Others question whether the tips from the kiosk will actually go to Wendy's workers, despite the fine print under the text stating otherwise. "There is no way they give the tips to employees. I just don't believe it," a commenter suggests. A second wonders, "What does that mean, the name on the receipt, the manager's friend, evenly distributed? Like it could mean anything." The Daily Dot reached out to Wendy's for further comment. * * * **_The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter  _****_here_**** _._** Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online. The post “There is no way they give the tips to employees”: Customers are scratching their heads at Wendy’s self-order kiosk tip prompt appeared first on The Daily Dot.

A Redditor is calling out the honeymoon registry platform Honeyfund after discovering that it asks for tips to cover operational costs. In addition, some newlyweds claim the platform is deceptive with its fees. ## Why does Honeyfund ask for tips? In a post on the subreddit r/EndTipping, a user posts a screenshot of a pop-up on Honeyfund, asking for a tip of up to $10. The platform allows wedding guests to contribute to a couple's honeymoon fund instead of purchasing a physical gift. The tipping screen reads, "When your friends and family give to your Honeyfund, we proudly cover those transaction fees so 100% of your gift funds go into your Honeyfund wallet." u/send-cats-asap via Reddit However, the poster says the message feels deceptive. "We set up a honeymoon fund instead of a traditional registry. Not only do they charge 2.2% to redeem your funds, they have the audacity to REQUEST A TIP," they write. According to Honeyfund's website, the charge to redeem funds from the Honeyfund Wallet only applies to couples who try to direct transfer to their banks. However, the fee-free option of using PayPal may have lifetime maximum transfer limits, which could make the option unavailable for some. Honeyfund offers a fee-free prepaid Mastercard, which can be loaded with the couple's funds. The platform also writes that optional tips, called Honeyfund Gives, from guests allow them not to charge fees to gifters. However, couples can turn off the tipping screen shown to their wedding guests. ## What do other couples think of the tipping screen? In the comments of the Reddit post, other couples share their thoughts on the wedding registry tipping prompt. "When they say '100% of your gift funds go into your Honeyfund wallet,' they fail to mention that it costs to get money **out** of that wallet. Kinda of shady," one writes. "'Honeyfund is free to use'....that says it all. Free, not begging to be tipped, free!" another says. "Turns 'free' into 'not actually free, but really close,'" a third jokes. * * * **_The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter_**** _here_**** _._** Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online. The post “The audacity”: Couple surprised to see their Honeyfund registry asks wedding guests for a tip appeared first on The Daily Dot.

A Panda Express customer posts their receipt on Reddit after noticing a strange surcharge. Others say it's a sign tipping is getting more sneaky. ## What surcharge was on the Panda Express receipt? In a post on the subreddit r/EndTipping, one user posts a picture of their receipt. The last line item is a 5% "Employee Benefits Surcharge" that amounts to $1.08. "Had a lunch at Panda Express, SFO and they added a 5% Employee Benefits Surcharge. Why not just increase your menu prices by 5%? They even had the audacity to ask for a tip on top of this," the caption reads. u/Pale-Bison563 via Reddit According to ABC7, this surcharge may be used to offset the cost of benefits for Panda Express's workers in California, such as their health insurance. ## Do customers agree with the surcharge? In the comments of the Reddit post, other anti-tippers share outrage over the new surcharge. "Gonna pay cash, minus the bs fees, and if they don’t agree, then keep your food and get $0.00. Or they can accept my 10% customer fee for visiting their establishment (sarcasm)," one jokes. "Nah, bro…Unless I see a sign, they're not getting that. And if I see the sign, I’m walking…," another writes. "I'm not leaving until I get my dollar back. Even if it means I'm stealing a dollar's worth of forks lol," a third remarks. Others suspect that the charge could be location-specific. "I’m guessing this has to do with SFO and not Panda Express. All dining options at SFO are vendor employees, typically a company like HMS Host," a commenter suggests. "SF charges this specifically. If you go to Oakland or other surrounding cities, you won't see it (as far as I know). Some places in LA do this too, but SF is one place that does it everywhere I have been in that city," another points out. The Daily Dot reached out to Panda Express via email for further comment. * * * **_The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter_**** _here_**** _._** Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online. The post “The audacity to ask for a tip on top of this”: Panda Express customer shocked to find the location added a 5% employee benefits surcharge to his bill appeared first on The Daily Dot.

A Lyft driver shows what they see on their side of the ride-share app before deciding to pick up a rider. However, some riders say they plan to boycott the service after realizing it shows how often they tip. ## Can Lyft drivers see how often riders tip? In a post on r/EndTipping, a user posts a screenshot of the driver's side of the Lyft app. At the bottom, it notes that the rider tips "88% of rides" and is "usually ready at pick-up." u/MediocreParamedic_ via Reddit According to Bloomberg, Lyft recently launched the feature, which can help drivers decide which riders they will pick up. However, the feature is currently being tested with a handful of drivers and isn't available to everyone. While the new feature is still rolling out, drivers using apps like Uber and Lyft can see how much a rider added as a tip for individual rides they accept, according to drivers on Reddit. ## What do Lyft riders think of the feature? Upon seeing the screenshot, the group of Redditors who are already enraged by the pervasiveness of tipping culture share their frustration. "Tipping is optional, and Lyft has the audacity to treat it like it's a fee with a minimum? That's wild. Haven't ridden with either ride share platform in a few years, but this [expletive] is insane to me," one writes. "My buddy last week was trying to order one, and it took sooo much longer than the last time that we thought he was just too drunk to order it. Maybe the drivers were denying him because his tip percent was too low," another says. "Done with Lyft, I guess," a third remarks. "WTH. Guess Lyft is trying hard to lose business," snarks another. Some suspect that the feature will cause rides to become more expensive. "Yeah, it will fail. Guess what happens when a driver doesn’t decide to accept your ride?? The algorithm keeps bouncing the ride until it finds a match. Lyft still needs our revenue- so 99% of the time it will increase the pay rate in the hopes of finding a driver match," a commenter suggests. "Looks like a way to squeeze extra money out of customers without having to 'raise prices.' Rider tips, much like tips in a restaurant, cut what the company has to pay the driver," another writes. "Sounds like a good reason to not use Lyft," another laments. * * * **_The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter  _****_here_**** _._** Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online. The post People are freaking out now that Lyft drivers can see how often they tip before picking them up: “Sounds like a good reason to not use Lyft” appeared first on The Daily Dot.

A Lyft driver shows what they see on their side of the ride-share app before deciding to pick up a rider. However, some riders say they plan to boycott the service after realizing it shows how often they tip. ## Can Lyft drivers see how often riders tip? In a post on r/EndTipping, a user posts a screenshot of the driver's side of the Lyft app. At the bottom, it notes that the rider tips "88% of rides" and is "usually ready at pick-up." u/MediocreParamedic_ via Reddit According to Bloomberg, Lyft recently launched the feature, which can help drivers decide which riders they will pick up. However, the feature is currently being tested with a handful of drivers and isn't available to everyone. While the new feature is still rolling out, drivers using apps like Uber and Lyft can see how much a rider added as a tip for individual rides they accept, according to drivers on Reddit. ## What do Lyft riders think of the feature? Upon seeing the screenshot, the group of Redditors who are already enraged by the pervasiveness of tipping culture share their frustration. "Tipping is optional, and Lyft has the audacity to treat it like it's a fee with a minimum? That's wild. Haven't ridden with either ride share platform in a few years, but this [expletive] is insane to me," one writes. "My buddy last week was trying to order one, and it took sooo much longer than the last time that we thought he was just too drunk to order it. Maybe the drivers were denying him because his tip percent was too low," another says. "Done with Lyft, I guess," a third remarks. "WTH. Guess Lyft is trying hard to lose business," snarks another. Some suspect that the feature will cause rides to become more expensive. "Yeah, it will fail. Guess what happens when a driver doesn’t decide to accept your ride?? The algorithm keeps bouncing the ride until it finds a match. Lyft still needs our revenue- so 99% of the time it will increase the pay rate in the hopes of finding a driver match," a commenter suggests. "Looks like a way to squeeze extra money out of customers without having to 'raise prices.' Rider tips, much like tips in a restaurant, cut what the company has to pay the driver," another writes. "Sounds like a good reason to not use Lyft," another laments. * * * **_The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter  _****_here_**** _._** Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online. The post People are freaking out now that Lyft drivers can see how often they tip before picking them up: “Sounds like a good reason to not use Lyft” appeared first on The Daily Dot.

A Redditor claimed they were charged a new kind of fee while dining at a nearly empty restaurant. The charge, which was added before the tip, appeared as a "Quiet Time Surcharge" on their bill. The story quickly picked up the debate, where users argued about whether the fee was even legal. u/michalwalks via Reddit ## Redditor claims they were charged for eating during slow hours In a post on r/EndTipping, u/michalwalks wrote they were "charged a 'Quiet Time Surcharge' because the restaurant wasn’t busy." They explained that the restaurant seemed calm when they walked in, so they decided to give it a try. However, the bill included "an extra 20% pre-tip charge labelled 'Quiet Time Surcharge.'" At first, they assumed the line item was an error. "I ask the server what it is, thinking it’s a mistake. They look a bit sheepish and say something along the lines of: 'management says when it’s not busy, you’re basically getting the place to yourself. It’s kind of like flying private instead of commercial.'" The response left the diner stunned. "I had to laugh, but also… are you kidding me? I’m not 'chartering a restaurant,' I just wanted dinner. If anything, it’s less service work when the place is empty." According to their post, the idea of restaurants adding charges simply because they lacked customers seemed absurd. They ended by writing, "So now we’re at the point where restaurants tack on fees not because they’re busy, but because they aren’t. That’s wild." ## Reddit reacts with anger and sarcasm Many Redditors argued the fee was both unfair and unenforceable. u/Zetavu commented, "All charges not advertised are illegal, and others can be removed. I would refuse to pay the bill until it was removed, get a receipt, and check the charge online." Similarly, one person suggested confronting the server directly. They wrote, "If there is no signage indicating the totally reasonable and not at all weird a** thing is going to be added to the bill, I would call the server over, ask him or her what it is, then tell them 'remove it or I am going to refuse to pay and you and I can call the police together.'" Other users chose a more sarcastic approach. u/Thrompinator quipped, "If this is a true story, I foresee much more quiet time in this restaurant's future." u/G-Knit via Reddit However, some commenters vented frustration with tipping culture in general, a common refrain in the subreddit. User u/lastlaugh100 compared the fee to automatic gratuities, writing, "Used to be 18% auto gratuity for parties of 6 or more because it's more difficult serving larger tables. Now they are doing the same thing if the place is empty. F*** tipping. It's pure greed." Finally, another Redditor questioned how far such practices could go. "Is there anything restaurants won't pass on to the customer? At this point, [expletive] it, you're part co-owner with all the business expenses coming out of your pocket." * * * **_The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter_**** _here_**** _._** Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online. The post “I would refuse to pay the bill”: Customer says they were charged a “quiet time” fee at a restaurant appeared first on The Daily Dot.

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