Imagine grabbing a simple bottle of water, heading to a self-checkout, and suddenly—boom!—the machine asks if you’d like to leave a tip. Sounds like a joke, right? Well, not for Alexa Merico, who recently shared her baffling experience on TikTok.
Tipping culture in the U.S. has always been a hot topic. Some see it as a necessary way to support underpaid workers, while others believe businesses should pay their employees better wages instead of relying on customers to cover the difference. But one thing’s for sure—people usually tip for service. So, why is a self-checkout machine asking for gratuity?
Alexa was just trying to buy a $1.99 bottle of water when she noticed the screen prompting her to leave a tip. The options? 15%, 18%, or 20%—with 18% already preselected! Of course, there was a “no tip” option too, but why was it even there in the first place?
@lexmerico I need a 20% discount for my service #tipculture #onlyinamerica ♬ original sound – Lex
Sharing her disbelief, Alexa wrote in the video overlay: “Only in America will you be prompted to leave a tip at a self-service snack kiosk.” In the caption, she added a sarcastic remark: “I need a 20% discount for my service.”
Her post quickly went viral, racking up over 12.6 million views and sparking a heated debate in the comments.
One person summed up the confusion perfectly: “For what? And for who?” Another wrote: “Tipping culture has gotten way out of control. The only places I tip are restaurants.”
Some weren’t just annoyed—they were done with the whole thing. “It’s not tipping culture anymore; it’s begging culture,” one commenter said. Another joked: “Is the tip just a discount for scanning my own purchase?”
Many agreed that tipping makes sense in places like restaurants or for pizza delivery drivers, but a self-checkout? Not so much. “These super-rich companies are just abusing it now,” one user pointed out.
However, one person defended the idea, arguing: “How about a tip for the person stocking the shelves? That water didn’t climb up there on its own!”
So, what do you think? Is tipping at a self-service machine the future, or is this crossing the line? Let us know in the comments!
