‘We are being held hostage by service workers’: Woman issues PSA on why she doesn’t tip at Chick-fil-A. Is she right?
Everywhere we go, it appears businesses ask for a tip: coffee shops, fast food joints, bars, and rideshares, to name a few. When the employee turns the tablet, guilt sets in. While some cave in to leaving a tip, others refuse. This Tennessee-based woman falls under the latter, venting her frustration about this practice at a Chick-fil-A.
The 14-second clip features Chick-fil-A customer Becca (@rdub229) walking around. “Can someone please tell me why Chick-fil-A is asking me to tip them?” she questions more than 154,000 viewers. “You gave me a bag and I need to tip you? And it’s 20% or 18%.”
After a pause, she continues, “Absolutely not.” The text overlay reinforces the same feelings, “I’m not tipping you.”
In the caption, the content creator sought answers from the chicken chain themselves, “What do you want me to tip for?! @Chick-fil-A.”
Viewers Echoed The Same Sentiment
Remnants of the COVID-19 pandemic practices, such as alleviating the pressure of business to increase minimum wage and expectations of tips, have made it so these effects remain in place, according to the University of Houston. Of course, Becca wasn’t the only one who felt fed up. A Popmenu study reported by the New York Post found that 65% of Americans are experiencing tipping fatigue. Consequently, people are tipping less for these services. Needless to say, many in Becca’s comments section felt burnt out.
“Tipping culture is absolutely insane now!!” one viewer stated.
“We need to stop tipping unless it’s a restaurant. No tips for fastfood or coffee,” a second commented.
“Sick of the aggressive coffee tipping too. I get the complex orders- but I’m not tipping you for pouring black coffee into a cup,” a third remarked.
“I agree 1 billion percent. I’m not tipping at fast food. Plus those tips DO GO TO the company. They are not part of the [employees’] payout. So why am I tipping fast food when I also paid for fast food,” a fourth concurred.
A fifth added, “Because we are being held hostage by service workers. They’re being paid more, tipped more and the level of service is worse than ever and quality has gone down the drain. Before anyone says anything Im a 3rd generation restaurant owner and the last 10 years have been the worst attitude and entitlement I’ve ever seen. check your tickets they add their own tips. My favorite is when the restaurant starts the tipping at 20% and adds their own 4% ‘service’ fee you can ask to take off and then another 4% credit card fee.”
@rdub229 What do you want me to tip for?! @Chick-fil-A ♬ original sound – leapyearbecca
Does Chick-fil-A Expect Tips?
Typically, Chick-fil-A prohibits employees from accepting tips. However, Mashed reported the results to vary, finding one store could be more lenient and allow tips if a customer ‘insists’ whereas another never permits it under any circumstances.
Ultimately, it depends on the location. On the other hand, airports may include it in their payment terminal or, as one Redditor in an r/ChickFilA subreddit experienced at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, automatically slide it into a bill.
The Mary Sue reached out to Becca via email and TikTok comment as well as Chick-fil-A via press email.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
