In the US, tipping is often the norm rather than a reward for going the extra mile. Due to inflation, consumers have become increasingly reluctant to accept this supplement, even though it makes up an important part of the income of restaurant service staff.

One approach to encourage them to put their hand in their pocket involves rewarding them in return.

Last fall, the American food delivery platform DoorDash came up with a clever way to encourage reluctant tippers to reward delivery drivers. When placing an order, customers were asked to specify whether they planned to add a few extra dollars for their driver.

If they didn't, they were faced with an alert message, warning them that without a tip, their burger or noodles would take longer to arrive. In other words, if you're prepared to be generous, you'll get your delivery more quickly.

This drastic measure was intended to convince Americans to reach into their pockets at a time when finances are being stretched due to inflation. By 2023, a neologism had even been coined to describe the situation: “tipflation”.

This concept denounces the ever-increasing tips for services of diminishing quality, while demonstrating the extent to which consumers were now being expected to compensate for the shortfall in wages earned by restaurant service staff.

In recent days, the pizza-delivery giant Domino's has promised to hand out US$3 coupons to anyone who agrees to tip their delivery drivers at least as much. To justify its approach, the Michigan-based company recognises that consumers are now under real pressure to tip. That's why it feels it's necessary to reward them in turn for their generosity.

Tipping culture in the United States is different from that in Europe. While Europeans see tipping more as a way of rewarding good service, across the Atlantic, tips make up a significant part of hospitality staff's income. In general, prices on American restaurant menus do not include such surcharges, so customers should expect to pay a total that includes about an additional 15%.

 - AFP Relaxnews