Drive-Thru Customer Realizes A $5 Tip Was Added To Her $12 Starbucks Order — ‘How Many People Are They Doing This To?’
To tip or not to tip.
antoniodiaz | Shutterstock With the U.S. economy in upheaval, the war on tipping seems to have grown exponentially. The problem is that as the cost of living increases and salaries stagnate, everyone is suffering, including those dependent on tips in the service industry. However, how far is too far when it comes to getting a tip?
A woman recently turned to Reddit to share her experience at Starbucks, which raised serious questions about tipping practices in the service industry today. Worried she would be labeled a "Karen" for complaining, the woman confessed that she was shocked when she saw a tip added to her order without her consent.
A woman at the Starbucks drive-thru noticed a $5 tip was added to her order without her consent.
Having forgotten to add money to her app, the customer explained that she paid using her credit card and was surprised when she got a notification for a $17.20 charge from the credit card company. The issue was her order only cost $12.20.
When she realized the mistake, she returned and asked a different barista for a receipt. That's when she saw that a $5 tip had been added without her consent. The barista apologized, voided the extra charge, and assured her she wouldn't be charged again.
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Even though the issue was resolved, she couldn’t help but wonder how many others were unknowingly overcharged in the same way. Her experience sparked a discussion regarding transparency and the high expectations in tipping practices.
The war on tipping may have contributed to the desperation felt by service industry professionals.
Tipping in the U.S. has become more than just a way to reward good service — it’s a standard expectation, even for services that never used to involve gratuity. And trust us that our wallets are hating us all for it. From coffee shops to fast food, it’s not uncommon for employees to suggest or even automatically add tips on customer bills.
This can leave customers confused, pressured, or even frustrated by unexpected charges for service — for example, that mandatory 20% gratuity tip you received on your bill even though the service was subpar.
While tipping is intended to reward good service, it has slowly transformed into a mandatory addition to nearly every bill, even when service doesn't necessarily warrant it. Unfortunately, this hurts everyone — service professionals and customers.
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It makes it difficult for customers to know when, where, and how much to tip. The pressure to leave a tip is not only uncomfortable for customers but also raises questions about fairness in the process. With tip amounts often added automatically or suggested by digital screens, tipping has become less about rewarding service and more about fulfilling an unspoken expectation.
The solution would be for tipping to be completely abolished and for servers and restaurant staff to be paid a fair wage, similar to the European model. The problem with this, as the NY Post noted, is that the cost of the meal will go up, and that always seems to turn off customers.
Regardless of how you feel about tipping, everyone agrees that no charges should be added to a bill without the customer's knowledge.
Employees shouldn’t add tips themselves for a simple reason — it happens to be illegal. Another reason, if the first wasn’t good enough, is that it's immoral. Adding a tip to a customer’s bill without their explicit consent crosses an ethical line and undermines the trust between the business and its patrons. Tipping is a voluntary gesture — a way to show appreciation for outstanding service.
Employees adding tips themselves is an abuse of power. While the action may boost their earnings, it is dishonest and can hurt not only the business's reputation but also the relationship between it and its customers. And hey, who would want their company to be known for stealing tips from their visitors?
Businesses also need to be transparent when it comes to tipping policies and ensure that employees understand the importance of integrity in every transaction. Customers should never be placed in a position where they have to question the validity of their bill or the actions of the employees behind the counter.
Erika Ryan is a writer working on her bachelor's degree in Journalism. She is based in Florida and covers relationships, psychology, self-help, and human interest topics.