I consider myself a pretty generous tipper, and I 100% understand several industries out there that heavily rely on tips, but over the past few years, we seem to have completely lost our minds when it comes to gratuity.
The other day, I was given the option to leave a tip after a store clerk handed me a pack of cigarettes.
Yes.
A single pack of smokes.
What exactly am I tipping for?
The bending of their elbow?
Of course, I left one. I always panic and leave one in situations like this.
But putting that kind of pressure on someone who just visited your store to spend 5 bucks and return to their car in 2 minutes flat is totally bizarre.
It’s especially hard for me to leave without tipping when I know just how little money people out there on minimum wage are making.
Hell, even if you’re making $15 or $20 an hour, you’re not getting very far. The price of everything has gone up astronomically.
I know people are hurting.
It sure seems like a lot of businesses are making ends meet by guilt-tripping the customer into spending even more than they already are, instead of forking over raises, bonuses, incentives, etc., to their employees that don’t rely on customers like me who panic-tip because we are nice.
Making a customer feel obligated to leave a tip in an industry that doesn’t typically ask for tips is really icky. It’s not a good look. And it’s happening all over town now.
What’s up with everyone asking for tips all over town?
Where do you guys draw the line? Because I’m leaving tips to everyone and anyone, and I can’t keep this up anymore.
My nice-o-meter is running on empty.
Email me at Chrissy.Covington@townsquaremedia.com and tell me what you think. I may feature your thoughts in a follow-up article next week.
Lubbock Restaurants That Closed in 2026 (So Far)
From fast food to mom-and-pops, and from upscale to a breakfast burrito favorite, here is a look at Lubbock restaurants that have closed so far this year.
Gallery Credit: Renee Raven