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It’s fair to say that Americans are getting pretty sick of tipping.
According to a 2025 Bankrate survey, nearly two in three Americans have at least one negative view about tipping. About two in five Americans say that businesses should simply pay employees more rather than have them rely on tips. Around the same percentage of Americans also believe that tipping culture has “gotten out of control,” and 38% of respondents say they’re annoyed by pre-entered tip screens.
Technically speaking, tipping is optional. That said, if you’re dining in the United States, tipping is basically essential. Tipped employees are only guaranteed $2.13 per hour on the federal level—meaning that, for the most part, their income is composed almost entirely of tips from customers.
Lately, frustration with tipping appears to be reaching a boiling point. Part of this could be chalked up to “tipflation”—the idea that more places are now requesting tips and in higher amounts. For example, internet users have documented tip requests on everything from self-checkout machines to public drinking fountains.
This frustration has led to a series of viral tipping stories making their way across social media. Recently, one story captured the attention of TikTok—and it has people debating just how much one is supposed to tip on an expensive meal.
How Much Should You Tip For An Expensive Dinner?
In a post with over 34,000 views, TikTok user Rob Coleman (@rob33521) shared an AI-generated image of a receipt. The receipt shows a subtotal of $612.73 and a tip of just $9.
Underneath the prices is a long explanation of an alleged experience at a restaurant.
“To everyone acting like tipping rules are written in stone, let’s talk about it,” the text starts. “I had a $612 dinner bill, and suddenly I’m ‘supposed’ to leave over $120 just because the total was higher? Same plates carried, same drinks refilled, same amount of time at the table—but somehow the menu prices decide the server’s pay?”
The user claims that he tipped just $9.
“That’s still real money for a couple hours of service,” he notes.
However, after leaving the tip, he claims that “the mood shifted immediately, like I’d broken some unspoken law.”
“Then the manager came over talking about ‘industry standards,’ as if that settles the whole debate,” the text reads. “Since when does a more expensive meal automatically mean more effort? If I order a $50 entrée instead of a $20 one, does the plate suddenly weigh more?”
The piece ends with the user stating their belief that a tip should not “automatically become a percentage-based surcharge just because the restaurant charges more.”
A Practical History Of Tipping
It should be noted that both the user’s image and text have characteristic signs of AI generation. As such, it’s difficult to determine whether this experience actually took place, or if the entire series of events was fabricated for views.
Still, the post itself led to a vibrant discussion in the comments section, with many echoing the frustration behind the story.
For context, tipping used to be fairly controversial. The practice was brought to America from European aristocratic service culture; as a result, many thought that tipping went against the values of the then-new nation.
This changed after the Civil War. As more Black people and immigrants entered the workforce, there was a growing trend of shifting costs from employers onto customers. Companies would underpay workers, then expect the difference to be made up in tips.
As tipping became more established, so too did the etiquette around it. By the first half of the 20th century, it became standard to offer servers a tip of 10%—tipping based on a percentage of the total, not on the amount of items ordered. By the 1980s, tipping expectations rose to 15%. Today, many servers expect tips between 20 and 25%.
Some argue that tips should be correlated not with price, but with the quality of services rendered. However, research has shown that this is rarely the case. Studies consistently detail that better service does not necessarily lead to better tips. Instead, the best predictor of a tip remains the subtotal printed on the original bill.
Commenters Are Sick Of It
In the comments section, users argued about tipping, the appropriate amount to tip, and more.
“I’m with you but at least leave $20,” wrote a user.
“At a place like Chilis or Applebee’s a cheeseburger is going to cost between $12-15 you tip based on the total of your bill. If you want them to build server salaries into it your cheeseburger is going to cost $22-25,” said another. “you’re getting the better end of the deal when you tip appropriately.”
“If I buy a $20 bottle of wine and the table next to me orders a $200 bottle, my waiter gets $4 and the other waiter gets $40 tip? The whole tipping system is broken and doesn’t make sense,” declared a third.
BroBible reached out to Rob via TikTok direct message and comment.