'It's a symptom of a wider problem but it's still theft': Barista secretly adds tip on card reader after customer declines receipt, customer conflicted

Isabella Penn

Apr 2, 2024 6:00 PM EDT

Tipping culture has become a topic of discussion lately, as a lot of companies now offer tipping options on their card readers, even if they did not previously participate in tipping. Tipping used to be reserved for workers such as servers, but now it seems like any corporation can request a tip. Some customers find it ridiculous, while others participate in tipping because they sympathize with the low wages many people in the service industry face. However, what if an employee added a tip to your tab without your knowledge?

This scenario happened to a customer at a coffee shop. After purchasing her coffee, she declined a receipt. But then she noticed the barista tap a middle option on the tip screen, so she quickly asked for a receipt. When she analyzed it, she noticed that the barista had added a 10% tip to her tab. Upset about the bold act, she reported the barista to customer service. However, the customer is now feeling conflicted as her bill was under $10, and the employee was probably underpaid as it is, so she took to the internet to seek feedback.