As someone from the UK, tipping culture in the US feels like a whole other world...
On this thread posted in the "Am I The Asshole" subreddit, the OP (original poster) explained why they requested their tip to be removed after ordering from Subway. Here's what went down:
BTW: Am I The Asshole is a discussion page on Reddit where users ask for advice on whether or not they are the asshole in the situation.
"We went to Subway where my husband and I each ordered a pretzel and my two nieces each ordered a footlong sub sandwich."
"I am the only one who got a drink, which they promptly handed me an empty cup and a straw to fill myself."
"When we checked out they added an automatic 20% tip which equalled $8.51. I was indignant and made them remove the tip."
"I said I do not tip where I have to stand to order my food, get my own drink, and clean up after myself."
"I should add that I live in Washington State, minimum wage is $16.28 an hour. The tipping pressure is real here, and there is more than one place that has the automatic tip set to 20% unless you see to change it."
"This may have been the case, but I did not see where I could have changed it before they charged me. Tell me, am I the asshole?"
Well... People had a lot to say...
A lot of users think OP is not the A-hole:
"NTA. Tipping is way out of hand nowadays."
"NTA. The fact that they added the tip on without your permission is out of line and should be illegal."
"NTA. I've worked in the food service industry for over 20 years, 16 years of that as a barista, so half my life I've worked tip based jobs. Tips should not be automatic, they should be earned. You should be given the option to pay extra for better service, not forced to pay for great service and then receive mediocre service."
"I doubt the workers ever even see that money. Personally, I'd have the 'tip' removed too. They can't be allowed to get away with that."
"NTA. I tip restaurant servers, delivery drivers, my barber, my tattoo artist, etc. However I am not tipping someone that simply hands me my fast food."
While others believe that OP is the A-hole:
"I'll bet you $8.51 OP just didn't pay attention and hit the green button as soon as the screen came up. The Subways near me have the same CC machine which has a tip pop up — you have to select no tip as the last option."
"'I was indignant and made them remove the tip. I said I do not tip where I have to stand to order my food.' YTA for this part specifically. Yes, tipping culture is wildly out of control, so it's valid to not tip in situations where you aren't being served, but making a scene to some minimum wage employees about something they have no actual control over and waxing poetic at them about your enlightened tipping habits does nothing to improve any part of this situation for you or them.
It gets added automatically; just ask them to remove it and move on. They weren't the ones who put it there, and clutching your pearls about them having the audacity to hand you an empty fountain drink cup isn't going to start an anti-tipping revolution. Tipping culture sucks. Tip or don't tip, but don't yell at service workers about why they don't deserve a tip. I feel sorry for your nieces having to listen to it."
"Not a huge A-hole, just a little one. Tipping should not be a thing. Workers should earn enough doing their job without relying on the charity of strangers. However, your whole attitude stinks. You don't tip for self-service, that makes sense, but it isn't what happened in this case. Your nieces ordered sandwiches that someone had to make, to order no less. So, not completely self-serviced."
My take? I understand being frustrated about a 20% tip being added for what is mostly considered to be self-service, but I do think OP could've been nicer to the workers about the whole ordeal. After all, it's not their fault, it's the system.
What are your thoughts? Take the poll below and let us know what you think in the comments!
Note: All submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Additional thumbnail credits: NBC
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