Shopper notices $1 charge on $1.50 soda purchase — then realizes cashier 'tipped herself' after she refused to tip
The woman didn't sit quietly when she was wrongfully charged an extra dollar and ensured justice was served.
There are endless number of things that need to change, but there won’t be any difference until we start calling them out and actively work for justice. A shopper who goes by u/modernthang on Reddit shared a post on March 4, revealing how she experienced an instance of the bizarre tipping culture.
She mentioned that she went to a grocery store only to purchase a $1.50 can of Coke. To her surprise, even after politely refusing to tip, her bill still showed an extra dollar. She was baffled when she learned they charged her the tip without her knowledge, and is cautioning shoppers to be wary. She took up the issue and ensured they responded.
The woman mentioned that the checkout was over a digital machine. It asked her whether she wanted to leave a tip. “I selected no or $0.00 or whatever it said, as what kind of tip would I even leave on a $1.50 can of pop?” she remarked. The money was deducted, and the woman received her can without a bag. She received her receipt via email.
“I noticed that the cashier appeared to have tipped herself a dollar!” The idea of a $1 tip over a $1.50 purchase was bizarre, but what was even more ridiculous was that a tip was still deducted despite choosing no tip.
The shopper refused to sit quietly. She contacted the store and mentioned her situation, only to be met with an even more obnoxious explanation. “They add a $1.00 tip to all orders, and the only way to have it removed is to contact the store. So frustrating. Is this illegal?” she asked. It completely ruined her shopping experience and her trust in the store. Furthermore, she was curious why there was an option to “not tip” if $1 was going to be deducted anyway.
In a comment, she added, “I will not be back. Although they have really well-prepared food! If I ever get over my outrage, I may go back and use cash only!”
In yet another comment, she revealed that she got justice served. Upon contacting the store, they agreed to refund her dollar. “They obviously know it was wrong to charge it in the first place,” she mentioned. But she shared a caveat for shoppers to be on the lookout and check their bills. “It was very obvious to me because I only bought one item, but I am sure that most people who are spending $100 or whatever aren't noticing that extra dollar. So shady,” she remarked.
Data from a survey of around 2,000 Americans shared by The New York Post revealed that tipping habits have changed across generations. Millennials between the ages of 29 and 44 reportedly tipped the most across nearly all categories. However, all generations had an unfavorable outlook on tipping at grocery stores or while picking up takeout.
Under 21% tipped for these categories across all age groups. 66% of the respondents noted that they dislike automatic tipping prompts. Another 16% said they were forced to tip due to these automatic setups. According to Bank Rate’s tipping survey, 25% of U.S. adults tend to tip less when there are prompts or automated tipping systems. While different tipping amounts were advised for deliveries, services, movers, and so on, nothing specific was cited for grocery stores and immediate shopping. Customers were equally frustrated as the shopper.
u/AustinCourier wrote, “That's just ridiculous. I would not be shopping at that store anymore.” u/CueMoo added, “I hate how tipping has leaked into every corner of retail! Pay your employees!”
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