lede_post_card_default

lede_post_card_stacked

lede_post_card_featured_post

lede_post_card_featured_post_3:2

lede_post_card_featured_post_1:1

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero_3:2

lede_post_card_featured_posts_hero_1:1

lede_post_card_featured_posts_sidebar

lede_post_card_highlighted_post

lede_post_card_horizontal_a

lede_post_card_horizontal_c

lede_post_card_related_post

lede_post_card_square

lede_article_featured_16x9

lede_article_featured_16x9_full_width

lede_article_featured_3x2

lede_article_featured_3x2_full_width

lede_article_featured_1x1

lede_article_featured_1x1_full_width

lede_article_featured_flexible

lede_article_featured_flexible_full_width

lede_article_content

lede_article_content_wide_width

lede_article_content_full_width

lede_byline_avatar_post_card

lede_byline_avatar_highlight

lede_profile_coral_avatar

lede_logo

lede_logo_banner

lede_logo_footer_banner

lede_logo_simple_header

lede_sponsorship_logo

lede_sponsorship_logo_river_card

lede_sponsorship_homepage_card_logo

lede_sponsorship_homepage_card

lede_leaderboard

Main Header Menu

The Daily Dot

Susan is a freelance writer following humanity one UGC at a time.

Susan LaMarca

Left: Text from Reddit reading "What the f is this" on a background of Italian inspired dishes featuring fresh cantaloupe melon, savory prosciutto, creamy feta cheese, and fragrant basil, seen from bird's eye view perspective. Right: Restaurant receipt from Burdell in Oakland, California.

“Tipping in the US has an ugly past”: Diner upset over a 20% no-tipping fee

Lindsey is a Seattle area writer interested in all things society, including internet culture, politics, and mental health. Outside of the Daily Dot, her work can be found in publications such as The Mary Sue, Truthout, and YES! Magazine.

Lindsey Weedston

pay portal with tip requested next to sonogram print-outs

Culture

“Unconscious? Automatic 20%”: Future dad questions why he was asked to tip for a prenatal sonogram

papa johns forced tip on carryout mobile order

Papa John’s customer was forced to tip in order to complete their pick-up order: “It’s one thing to tip a delivery driver, but the people making the pizza?”

Left: Air travelers check a departures board at a busy Heathrow Airport terminal. Right: Receipt from a bill at at an airport, red underlined text below surcharge reads, "A 3% employee benefits and retention surcharge has been added to all guest checks."

“Whatever that means”: Customer slams unexpected 3% “benefits and retention” charge on airport bill

Rebekah is a freelance reporter for the Daily Dot.

Rebekah Harding

“Absolutely appalling”: Travel site Trivago criticized for asking for a tip at checkout

“There is no way they give the tips to employees”: Customers are scratching their heads at Wendy’s self-order kiosk tip prompt

“The audacity”: Couple surprised to see their Honeyfund registry asks wedding guests for a tip

panda express employee benefit surcharge on reciept

“The audacity to ask for a tip on top of this”: Panda Express customer shocked to find the location added a 5% employee benefits surcharge to his bill

People are freaking out now that Lyft drivers can see how often they tip before picking them up: “Sounds like a good reason to not use Lyft”

Anna is a freelance writer with far too much time on her hands. When she&#8217;s not writing about memes and internet slang, she can be found running TTRPGs online.

Anna Good

“I would refuse to pay the bill”: Customer says they were charged a “quiet time” fee at a restaurant

“It’s wildly inappropriate to stalk a customer online”: Server comments on influencer’s Instagram about the bad tip she left at the restaurant, sparking debate

Ljeonida is a reporter and writer with a degree in journalism and communications from the University of Tirana in her native Albania. She has a particular interest in all things digital marketing; she considers herself a copywriter, content producer, SEO specialist, and passionate marketer. Ljeonida is based in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Ljeonida Mulabazi

“I have seen it all now”: People are calling out the tipping feature on GoFundMe for being unnecessary

Server showing her server book with a baby picture of herself

“If you’re a good server, you don’t have to lie”: Waitress shares controversial hack for bigger tips

Natasha Dubash is a freelance writer and editor based in Los Angeles. She loves reporting on entertainment, television, and pop culture.

Natasha Dubash

“I would have walked out”: Woman says she left no tip after the server didn’t put in her food order. Was she in the right?

Braden Bjella is a culture writer. His work can be found in Mixmag, Electronic Beats, Schon! magazine, and more.

Braden Bjella

Woman with braids looks at the camera with wide eyes. DoorDash logo open on an iPhone.

Woman tips DoorDash driver $7—then she sees what they wrote on her bag

Tipping Culture