As tipping prompts become increasingly common in establishments where gratuities were once unheard of—such as fast-food counters, coffee shops, bakeries, and even self-service kiosks—consumers are beginning to express growing dissatisfaction with the practice. In many of these cases, customers are being asked to tip before any service has been delivered, contributing to a phenomenon widely referred to as “tipping fatigue” or “tipflation.” The result, according to a new study, is a noticeable shift in public sentiment: many people are growing weary of being asked to reward service that hasn’t yet occurred.

“Businesses should seriously consider whether they want to offer that tipping request,” cautioned Ruiying Cai, an assistant professor at Washington State University’s Carson College of Business and a co-author of the newly published research in the International Journal of Hospitality Management. “We know that down the road it might hurt the business because customers generally don’t like it.” Her comments echo the broader concern that routine digital prompts for tips—particularly those that are automatic or poorly timed—may erode consumer satisfaction and loyalty over time.

The study, authored by Cai in collaboration with hospitality scholars Demi Shenrui Deng of Auburn University and Lu Lu of Temple University, offers new empirical insights into how consumers react to tipping requests in what the researchers term “emerging tipping contexts.” These include businesses where tipping was not previously customary but has become increasingly common due to the rise of digital point-of-sale systems and shifts in consumer behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many people were more inclined to support frontline workers.

To explore these reactions, the researchers conducted two scenario-based experiments involving over 700 participants recruited through Prolific, a widely used online crowdsourcing platform for behavioural studies. In the first experiment, 320 respondents were asked to consider a hypothetical tipping situation in a coffee shop, focusing on whether an employee was physically present during the tipping request. Interestingly, while the presence of staff had no significant impact on the tipping decision, participants consistently reported more negative emotions and lower satisfaction when prompted for a tip, suggesting that the request itself—especially when made too early—can provoke discomfort and buyer’s remorse.

The second experiment, which involved 414 participants, explored the effects of timing and visibility. Specifically, it compared customer reactions when tipping was requested either before or after service, and whether any service effort was visible. Results revealed that tipping requests made before service were generally perceived more negatively, triggering emotional resistance and reducing the likelihood that customers would feel the tip was justified. However, when service efforts were made visible—such as through active engagement, attentiveness, or tangible service gestures—customer satisfaction improved, even in the presence of a tipping prompt.

Cai summarised this key takeaway succinctly: “Showcase the effort you have provided. Ensure it’s visible to customers. That can alleviate the negative feelings about a tipping request.” This insight provides a practical pathway forward for businesses navigating the challenge of integrating tipping into their customer interactions without alienating patrons. By making their labour and attentiveness more apparent—rather than relying on passive or automated systems—service providers may be able to reframe the tipping experience as more justified and rewarding for the customer.

The genesis of the research was, fittingly, an informal conversation at a professional conference, where Cai and her co-authors—both of whom earned their PhDs at Washington State University—shared their mutual frustrations with the ubiquity of tip prompts. That casual chat evolved into a formal investigation, reflecting a shared curiosity about the behavioural and emotional ramifications of this growing trend in consumer service culture.

While the current findings offer compelling evidence that both the timing of tip requests and the visibility of service effort influence customer satisfaction, the authors also emphasise the need for further study. Additional experiments across different demographics, industries, and cultural settings could deepen our understanding of how to deploy gratuity prompts effectively or whether to use them at all in specific contexts. Nevertheless, the message from this early research is clear: if businesses wish to maintain goodwill and avoid turning customers away, they must tread carefully when deciding how and when to ask for tips—and above all, make their service impossible to ignore.

More information: Ruiying Cai et al, Rethinking tipping request: Examining consumer reactions in emerging tipping contexts, International Journal of Hospitality Management. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2025.104221

Journal information: International Journal of Hospitality Management Provided by Washington State University