In my latest column for The Globe and Mail, I unpack how tipping has shifted from a thank-you for good service to a system of wage subsidization driven by algorithmic guilt. Prompted to tip before a meal even arrives, diners feel manipulated and new research shows it dampens satisfaction and drives negative word of mouth. The rise of pre-service prompts, especially from machines, signals a deeper trend: the monetization of manners. I explore how we got here, what it’s costing us, and why some Canadians are quietly opting out.
When did tipping diverge from a reward for good service to a wage-subsidization tactic?
Tipping has become manipulative, engineered to drain us financially and emotionally
Preet Banerjee
Discussion