Why does it feel like everyone is asking for a tip now? From coffee shops and takeout counters to self-checkout screens, tipping culture in America has changed fast, and many of us feel confused, pressured, or even guilty about it.
In this episode of Top of Mind, we explore the hidden psychology of tipping, the history behind it, and what our tipping habits reveal about power, status, fairness, and human connection. Hear from customers who feel overwhelmed by “tip creep,” workers who rely on gratuities to survive, restaurant owners struggling to pay staff fairly, and one of the nation’s leading Experts on tipping behavior.
GUESTS
Matt Johnson, Top of Mind listener from Texas
Jaime Wilson, behind-the-counter worker, food blogger and self-employed baker (https://www.jaime-wilson.com/about).
Mike Fadem, owner and founder of Ops and Leo, pizzerias in Brooklyn, New York and drummer for The Jealous Girlfriends (https://www.opsbk.com/).
Michael Lynn, professor of consumer behavior and services marketing at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration (http://www.tippingresearch.com/).
CHAPTERS
(0:00) Introduction
(1:04) Why Tipping Feels Weird
(6:24) Workers’ Side of the Counter
(10:44) Tipping’s Dark History
(17:04) Going Tip Free
(19:44) Why Tip Free Failed
(22:22) Pandemic Tip Shifts
(25:51) Pooling Tips
(28:03) Tip Creep Meets Tipflation
(34:26) Digital Screens Pressure Us
(39:36) Discrimination/Inequity
(43:35) Why Ending Tipping Fails
(46:44) A Better System
(48:00) What Tipping Says About Us
(52:17) Conclusion
