Upon being presented with the dreaded iPad tip screen after ordering a regular cup of black coffee, Art Lewis, 44, broke barriers by selecting “No Tip” at a local coffee shop. Lewis apparently found the alternatives of tipping $1, $2, or $3 for a three dollar coffee too high, and thus decided to utilize the “dick move.”
“Did he really refuse to tip the barista who rung up his coffee, walked two steps to pick it up, and then walked two steps back to hand it to him?” asked witness Kristina Falls. “I didn’t know we were allowed to do that. He just shattered the glass screen for all of us!”
The infamous tip screen of shame, or “intipidation”, has been known to cause anxiety for patrons of local shops and cafes. As the retail and hospitality industries have become more high-tech, the paper-free check out and electronic signature have become the defacto ways to process payments, often leading to agonizing decisions under pressure.
“I have no problem writing a big fat zero for a tip when I have to handwrite it on a physical receipt,” stated Falls. “But there’s something about a bright screen, the guy behind me in line looking over my shoulder, and the cashier looking directly into my soul that forces me to always leave generous tips for counter service. It’s pure hell.”
Lewis is the founder of “No Tip for Drip,” an awareness campaign for the irreparable damage caused by the agony of on-the-spot tipping for counter service items. He would like to see cities ban the tip screen if no table service is provided.
“If a barista wants a tip, they should do it the old fashioned way,” stated Lewis. “That means cutely decorating a glass tip jar and allowing me the freedom of choosing to either ostentatiously pretend I didn’t see it, or loudly toss in some change to let everyone around me know what a good person I am.”
When asked about her feelings on the matter, the subminimum wage barista rolled her eyes. “It’s not a huge deal to me if a customer tips or not. It’s not like an extra dollar or two is going to pay off my massive student loans anytime soon,” explained Petal Blossom Phillips. “Although I must admit…I love knowing that customers fear what I’ll do to their coffee if they don’t.”
(If you enjoyed our work writing this article, please feel free to leave a tip by purchasing any one of our fine items in our online store.)
Discover more from The Takoma Torch
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
