Via iStockphoto / @b.d.powell TikTok
A man shocked viewers after capturing a Utah Shake Shack kiosk allegedly hiking its prices after he refused to tip.
A man shocked viewers after capturing a Utah Shake Shack kiosk hiking up its prices after he didn’t leave a tip. Shake Shack has since responded, saying the Salt Lake City airport location was experiencing an “error within their kiosk technology.”
On Aug. 8, B.D. Powell (@b.d.powell) captured this incident at a Shake Shack in the Salt Lake City Airport in a TikTok, which has amassed 4.3 million views. “My wife says that if you don’t tip at Shake Shack, they make it more expensive per item,” he says.
Did The Shake Shack Prices Increase After The Customer Did Not Tip?
The couple proceeds to demonstrate ordering three milkshakes, initially priced at $5.99 each. After not tipping, a message pops up on the screen that says: “Uh Oh! There has been a pricing update on one or more of your items. Please review these changes in your cart.”
Each shake is then recalculated from $5.99 each to $6.49 each. “Every item went up by 50 cents,” he says.
Is This A Shake Shack Policy?
The video does not appear to show a common Shake Shack policy. Shake Shack responded differently after the clip went viral. The company told the U.S. Sun that it does not change prices based on whether customers tip. Instead, it blamed a kiosk technology issue at the Salt Lake City airport location. The company said it investigated the issue and resolved it.
Businesses can use different prices at different times or under different conditions. However, customers understandably expect a displayed price to mean something. A sudden change during checkout can feel deceptive, especially when it follows a consumer choice. The Federal Trade Commission has emphasized that businesses should clearly disclose mandatory fees. However, its current fee rules specifically address transparency around pricing and fees, although the rule primarily covers live-event tickets and short-term lodging.
How Do Customers Feel About This?
The incident also taps into a much larger frustration with American tipping culture. Tipping has expanded well beyond traditional full-service restaurants. Pew Research Center found that 72% of Americans believe tipping is expected in more places than five years prior. Digital payment screens and kiosks have helped normalize those prompts.
Americans have increasingly expressed similar concerns about tipping expectations. Bankrate found in 2025 that 63% of Americans held at least one negative view about tipping. Those views included believing businesses should pay employees better and feeling that tipping culture has become excessive. Bankrate also found that 14% of Americans felt confused about whom to tip and how much.
BroBible reached out for comment to Powell via TikTok direct message and the TikTok comment section and to Shake Shack via email.