Automatically tip: ‘We’re about to be bullied’

Tipping amounts that are offered automatically on payment terminals when the bill is paid by card in more and more companies are being denounced by many.

• Read also: Tipping in 2022: Whom to give it to? when? how many?

These percentages displayed on stations are often accompanied by messages, which feels like intimidation, according to an etiquette specialist, who noted the prevalence of the practice.

“Not only do we give the percentage, but they go above and beyond to rate and tell us, along with suggesting a percentage, like ‘correct’ 15%, ‘good’ 20% and if we go further than that ‘wow,'” Julie says. Blaise Cuomo in an interview with TVA Nouvelles: “So we’re not just suggesting, we’re on the verge of intimidating.”

The Quebec Restaurant Association explains that the practice has gained prominence during the pandemic.

Since many employees were seeing their hours reduced at the time, adding a tip percentage suggestion helped support them.

However, this practice is still in place, even though the hold has expired, and is spreading to other businesses where employees don’t get paid tips.

This last point bothers some consumers interviewed by TVA Nouvelles.

“It’s not always employees who get a tip and we still ask for tips. […] “Sometimes I find that a bit exaggerated,” says one.

An etiquette professional suggests leaving the tip in cash, rather than leaving a percentage on the machine, to avoid any inconvenience when paying.