On Nov. 12, I went across Warwick Boulevard to get myself lunch from Panera. As I stood waiting for my food, I noticed that not a single person, including myself, ordered from the main registers. Everyone either placed a mobile order from their phone or the self-serve kiosk off to the side of the door. I made my purchase from my phone and at the end of the order it asked me if I would place a tip. Typically, I’m a pretty big tipper. When I pay for my nails, I’ll tip $20 on a $45 set. When I go out to sit down at restaurants, I’ll tip roughly 20-35%, even if the service wasn’t all that great. I even tip at coffee shops, roughly 20%.
At Panera, if you order a fountain drink, you’re expected to fill the drink up yourself. Now this practice is fairly common at other places, however it got me thinking. I’m placing the order on my own, I’m filling up my own beverage and I’m cleaning up my own table, why am I tipping for service?
Now as someone who worked in the service industry and heavily relied on tips, I completely understand on behalf of the worker. They don’t set their wages and if anything they often deal with the most frustrating customers known to mankind. Anything to make their jobs just the slightest bit easier, I will happily do so. The problem mainly comes down to the state of our economy and corporations not paying their employees a living wage. However, in my opinion, there should not be a heavy expectation on the consumer to leave a tip for self-service. If you have the desire to leave a tip, please do so! What we must stop doing is expecting individuals to tip for every minor transaction, especially when it’s self served.
