"Tipping Trends: The Growing Debate Over Gratuity Practices"
The trend of increased tipping prompts, dubbed "tipflation," has surged during the pandemic, largely due to the rise of digital payment systems and the influence of POS companies like Square and Toast. While this trend benefits businesses and employees, it has also led to customer irritation and frustration, with many Americans feeling that tipping expectations have gone too far. Professor Ismail Karabas suggests that paying with cash may help customers avoid being prompted to tip, and predicts that tipping prompts may continue to expand unless there is government intervention or regulation.