John Oliver discusses tipping Culture on Last Week Tonight
In a recent episode John Oliver discussed tipping culture.
LendingTree Finds that Americans Spent Nearly $78 Billion on Tips in 2023
In LendingTree’s new report they found that Americans are spending billions on tips yearly.
The Today Show Covers Tipping Culture
In BankRate.com’s new survey 41% say tipping culture is out of control.
Full story on new tipping culture survey
Americans Push Back Against Tipping Culture
72% Say Tipping Is Expected in More Places Than Before A Pew Research Center survey found that nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults believe tipping is now expected in more places than five years ago. Only about one-third feel confident about when and how much to tip. Read more →
35% Believe Tipping Culture Has Gotten Out of Control According to a Bankrate survey, over one-third of Americans feel that tipping culture has spiraled out of control, with 59% holding at least one negative view toward tipping. Read more →
Legislative Developments
‘No Tax on Tips’ Act Passed by U.S. Senate In May 2025, the Senate unanimously approved the “No Tax on Tips Act,” allowing tipped workers earning under $160,000 annually to deduct up to $25,000 in tips from federal income taxes. Critics argue it may encourage employers to keep base wages low. Read more →
Tipping Trends and Consumer Behavior
Average Tip Percentages Decline Data from Toast indicates that average tips at full-service restaurants dropped from 19.9% in 2021 to 19.3% in 2024, reflecting growing consumer fatigue. Read more → Confusion Over Tipping Norms A Pew Research Center survey revealed that only about one-third of Americans feel it’s extremely or very easy to know whether or how much to tip, highlighting widespread uncertainty. Read more →
The Rise of ‘Tipflation’
Digital Payment Systems Fuel ‘Tipflation’ The proliferation of digital payment systems with preset tip prompts has led to increased tipping expectations, even in non-traditional settings like self-checkouts, contributing to consumer frustration. Read more →
EndTippingCulture.org 