Man forced to add service charge to coffee order slams ‘out of control’ ‘tipflation’
A man has slammed US tipping culture after he was forced to add a service charge to a cup of coffee he purchased in Miami.
While tipping is common across the globe, there is no questioning it has a bigger cultural presence in the US.
We've heard some pretty wild tipping stories across the US in the past year, including delivery driver who was fired for his response to an underwhelming tip.
Now, a Florida-based entrepreneur has criticized the 'out of control' tipping culture in the states, noticing it more since returning from a vacation in Italy.
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Christian Bonnier claims the US is in a 'tipflation', after he had no choice but to add a tip on a pumpkin spice latte order.
Taking to TikTok under the handle @cbwritescopy, Christian said: "Tipping in the United States is out of control. I'm in Miami right now and I just got this pumpkin spiced latte and there was a mandatory service charge on my bill.
“I didn’t even get the option to tip, I didn’t get asked if I wanted to tip, I had to tip as a part of my order."
He added: "The woman flipped the screen around to me and instead of clicking what percentage you want. It just said service charge."
Like most people, Christian admitted he would be happy to tip 'on a three-course meal with good service' - you are getting a service at the end of the day.
But for a quick coffee run, Christian feels a mandatory tip isn't right.
The entrepreneur then compared tipping in the US to that of Italy - a country he's recently returned from.
"When I was in Italy over the summer, I had a three-course meal — the best pizza, the best pasta, the best wine I have ever had — and when I went to pay the bill, the server went to pay the bill and I just signed it and there was no line to tip," he added in the TikTok video.
Christian went on to say that a waiter told him they 'don't do tips' in Italy.
"So you go from Italy, where you can have the best service of your life and there’s no tip, to Miami, where they pour you a cup of coffee and you are forced to tip or else you can’t get your coffee," Christian added.
"We are getting to a point now in America where people are going to ask for tips for grabbing you a water, for getting you a napkin, for holding the door for you."
Callum Jones