Tipping is already a hot button issue when it comes to human servers performing the labor of working in a restaurant.
Adding robots to the mix might make the matter more cut and dry for some, and pose a moral question to others.
One diner at a restaurant using robot servers to interface with customers has taken to social media to pose the question to her viewers: how much would you tip a robot server?
In the TikTok posted by user @mothernateur that has drawn over 215,000 views, the poster says she performed many of the duties that would normally be undertaken by a server, such as putting in her own order, but was still given a suggested tip amount on her receipt.
@mothernateur How much of a tip would you leave? #TipFlation #Robot #DateNight #Halloween ♬ original sound – Mother NATEur
“How much of a tip would you leave for this?” she asks viewers. “I took my own order and I ordered a water instead of a cocktail. A robot brought me my food before it scurried away. Now I admit, the food was quite tasty, but the suggested tip is anywhere from $13 to $18.69. What would you tip?”
The Daily Dot has reached out to @mothernateur via TikTok direct message regarding the video.
How common are robot servers?
While most restaurants are still employing human beings to interface with customers and expedite orders, the number of robot waiters and servers being employed across not just the U.S., but the world at large, is growing.
In 2023, CBS reported that over 10,000 robots from a California-based company are employed throughout the U.S., while another China-based company has more than 66,000 robots worldwide.
Are robot servers displacing their human counterparts?
While there may be some fear around the onset of robotic servers displacing human ones, folks in the industry say that is either a long way away, or unlikely to happen at all.
For now, the technology is very simple and can help make things easier, as reported by The Takeout. One restaurant owner said she was employing the robots to take simple tasks off the shoulders of her servers, to allow them to focus on taking care of guests.
Viewers react
Several commenters were quick to say that they would not tip a robot server if they were in the poster’s position.
“Zero if they want to replace workers with robots to save money then we should be able to save money and not tip,” one commenter wrote. “Plus they usually up the menu prices assuming no tips are going to be left.”
“tipping is supposed to go to the server who’s making less than min wage, if there’s no server then chances are those tips go to the owners,” another said. “I’m not tipping owners for automating jobs.”
“Absolutely nothing,” a third added. “What am I tipping, the electric bill?”
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