SALT LAKE CITY — Have Americans reached their tipping point?
A local Salt Lake City Reddit post has sparked a debate about whether tipping guarantees good service.
Business owners and customers around town had differing perspectives about what they think about the tipping culture in Utah.
“If we really boil it down to what it is, it’s gratuity, it’s people showing they have gratitude for what you did. So, maybe people aren’t grateful,” said barista Kaitlin Vasil who relies on tips for her income.
But Cheryl Mignone has a different take as the owner of Cheryl’s Bagels in Bountiful that operates with a no-tipping policy.
“A tip is for an extraordinary job for extra. It’s not for the baseline," she said. "So it's if you do something special, it’s an appreciation. It’s not an expectation and I think that’s where we’ve run into trouble.”
Alan Hebertson is conflicted. As the owner of Coffee Garden in Salt Lake City, he hates the tipping culture but understands that it helps pay his employees whose starting pay is $13-15 an hour.
“In order to pay $20-25 an hour, we would have to raise our prices by 2-3 dollars per drink in order to cover that,” he explained. “I hate that the business itself can’t make enough to really pay the living wage and live in Salt Lake City.”
And what about tipping shame? It's how a customer feels when they feel pressured to tip.
“I think we’ve gotten the idea that you know, just because they do the job required and then you flip it over then you have to tip. I think tipping comes with responsibility to the consumer," shared customer Clement Coombs.
So are Utahns tip exhausted?
“I think people tip for two reasons," Vasil explained. "If they think they truly got something from the service you offered them or because they want to feel good and feel like they’re a good person. I think that’s where the pressure comes in.”
