Tipflation is real, and people are really getting sick of it.
At least, that’s what recent surveys suggest. These days, people are asked for tips in more places and in higher numbers than ever before. As a result, there’s a growing sense of tip exhaustion amongst the American shopping population.
One survey found that almost two-thirds of Americans experience “tip fatigue,” with that same survey finding that a majority of Americans would rather simply pay more for their items and do away with tipping altogether.
No matter what one thinks of tipping, how it works should be pretty straightforward. One pays for their item, then adds a little extra money that goes right to the employee who helped them. But what if there’s nobody working at the store?
Why Did This Man Get Asked For A Tip At Self-Checkout?
In a video with over 81,000 views, TikTok user Alexis Rose (@_apatch_) shows a man holding an orange while standing near an airport self-checkout machine. The orange has a barcode on it.
“OK. Pretend I’m a 60-year-old, you know, mom, grandma, and I’m traveling, right? I want this orange,” the man starts.
He then holds the orange up to the barcode scanner. It rings up as $1.69. However, the total for the entire order is $2.04—thanks to an automatically added 18% tip. While one can select a 0% tip, the fact that the 18% tip is automatic angers the man in the video.
“Grandma doesn’t notice that there’s an 18% tip at the self-checkout,” the man says. “What kind of scam is this going on, man?”
“Has tipping gotten [so] out of hand that they’re scamming?” the man continues. “This is a scam!”
Where Do Self-Checkout Tips Actually Go?
Whether this is a “scam” is a matter of opinion. However, it’s important to note that it’s possible that tips left on a self-checkout machine will never go to a store worker.
As noted by the Wall Street Journal, the federal Fair Labor Standards Act provides protections for tipped employees. As a self-checkout machine is not an employee, these same protections are not extended.
According to Lehigh University associate professor Holona Ochs, this means that a tipping option on a self-checkout could simply be a company “exploit[ing] the high adherence to tipping norms as a way to generate more revenue for the company.”
Still, some stores insist that they give tips to workers, even if they are not legally required to do so. The machine in Rose’s video, for example, appears to be operated by a company called OTG. An OTG spokesperson told WSJ that all collected tips by their self-checkout machines are pooled and distributed among staff working during that shift.
Customers Hate It—But It’s Getting More Popular
Data shows that tip prompts are appearing in more types of checkout, including self-checkout kiosks. At the same time, survey data indicates that many consumers resent these prompts, especially when there’s little to no human interaction involved.
According to a 2023 study by PYMNTS, 75% of respondents felt it was inappropriate to ask for a tip at self-checkout. Still, the study notes that “a significant portion still comply with these requests.” Another 2023 study from the same group found that over a quarter of respondents were asked to tip at self-checkout at least once.
A further 2025 study from Bankrate said that around 4 in 10 Americans are annoyed by automatic tipping screens like the one shown in Rose’s video, and 27% of respondents “say they tip less or not at all when presented with a pre-entered tip screen.”
Commenters Are Fed Up
In the comments section, users expressed their frustration with, and distaste for, self-checkout machines that request tips.
“I literally don’t understand how this is legal,” wrote a user.
“For SELF CHECKOUT. WHY DO I NEED TO TIP MYSELF FOR DOING THE WORK,” exclaimed another.
“I went to a gas station service center the other day and bought chips at the self scanner and it has tip choices of $2 $4 and $5,” claimed a third. “LIKE WHAT.”
BroBible reached out to OTG and Rose via email.