It’s never lost on me how lucky we are to have an abundance of high-quality coffee shops in our area. As an extrovert who works from home, I love starting my day or breaking up my afternoon with a stop at a café — not just for the caffeine, but for the human connection.
On a recent visit to U3 Coffee in Forest Park, I found something refreshing beyond the excellent latte: a big, clear sign that said “No Tipping. We believe that exceptional service isn’t something extra — it’s something you deserve, every single time.”
Growing up in the 1900s — yes, that makes me sound ancient — tipping worked differently. Many service jobs paid a base wage below minimum, with the assumption that tips would make up the difference. I had college friends who made a small fortune bartending or waiting tables in Philadelphia, and the etiquette was clear: you tipped when you received direct, personal service.
That clarity is gone. Today, it feels like any business with an iPad has a tipping prompt. Sometimes, you’re even asked to tip when you never interact with a human being — ordering entirely through a screen.
The problem isn’t tipping itself. It’s the awkward social pressure of having the payment screen flipped toward you while someone watches. If we’re going to keep this system, it needs to be less uncomfortable. Why not start with an opt-in screen that asks if you’d like to leave a tip before showing the tipping amounts? And can we stop hiding the “no tip” button in microscopic print or behind three menus?
Another frustration is the mystery of where your money goes. Is the tip going directly to the person who took my order, or is it pooled with everyone on shift? Transparency would go a long way toward making customers feel good about giving extra.
I recently had an experience at a market that summed up the inconsistency. One week, I bought a drink from the regular checkout line — no tip prompt. The next week, the line was long, so I paid at the deli counter instead. Same drink, different register — and suddenly, there it was: the tipping screen.
It’s all part of a modern capitalist loop. Companies like Square and Stripe make the tip prompt the default. That drives up the total cost of each transaction, which increases the percentage they collect in processing fees. Businesses win because higher tips can help them raise pay without raising listed prices. But in the end, the consumer loses — paying more than the posted price without necessarily receiving better service.
Tipping should be a genuine gesture of appreciation, not just another form of participation trophy.
Vince Gay has over 20 years of experience in education, ranging from classroom teacher to building administrator. The proud parent of two school-aged children, he has been an active member of the Oak Park community for more than a decade.