Pull out your wallet at the counter, spin the little screen around, and there it is: a tip prompt staring back at you before you have even picked up your coffee. A new national survey says a lot of Americans have had enough of that moment. Nearly eight in ten now describe tipping as ridiculous, and almost half say they are tipping less than they did a year ago.
The numbers come from tipping research by restaurant technology company Popmenu, which serves more than 10,000 restaurants. It surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults in a nationwide anonymous study on March 15 and 16, 2026, and the results were reported on Hotel Online on April 8, 2026. Here is what people told the researchers.
The Big Numbers
Seventy-eight percent of respondents said tipping practices at various establishments have become ridiculous. Forty-four percent said they tip less this year than last year. And 42 percent said they are becoming more comfortable skipping a tip for certain services altogether.
Money is part of the story. Respondents estimated they spent about $130 over the past 12 months on tips they did not think were necessary. That is actually down from the $150 people estimated when the same question was asked in September 2025, which suggests folks are getting pickier about where their tip dollars go.
The survey also found that 39 percent of people say that at least once a week they tip someone when it is not necessary or customary. That figure fell from 44 percent in September 2025.
The Screen Problem
Those glowing checkout screens are a big piece of the frustration. When a digital screen asks for a tip, 59 percent of respondents said they feel compelled to leave one. That is down from 66 percent in September 2025, so the pressure is still strong, but it appears to be easing.
Three in four respondents, 74 percent, said they have noticed restaurants raising the minimum suggested tip on those screens, for example from 10 percent to 15 percent. When the options pop up, here is how people said they respond:
- 36 percent usually type in a custom tip
- 32 percent choose the middle option
- 17 percent choose the lowest suggestion
- 7 percent choose the highest
- 9 percent usually do not tip
Popmenu also tracked online orders placed through its own platform. The share of pickup orders that included a digital tip slipped from 78 percent in 2022 to 62 percent in 2026.
Where People Are Cutting Back
Restaurants topped the list. Thirty-five percent of respondents said they are cutting back on tips there. Next came grocery delivery at 24 percent, then hotel housekeeping and bellhops, taxi and ride services, and auto repair, each at 19 percent. Hair salons and barbers came in at 18 percent.
Even at full-service tables, where tipping is most expected, the generosity is slipping. Forty-one percent of respondents said they tip servers 20 percent or more, down from 45 percent in September 2025. For delivery drivers, the share tipping 20 percent or more fell from 23 percent to 15 percent over the same stretch.
The quick-stop places are seeing it too. At coffee shops, 39 percent of people said they tip, down from 46 percent. At food trucks it is 27 percent, down from 32 percent. At fast food restaurants it is 22 percent, down from 27 percent.
Would You Rather Just Pay More?
Here is the twist. Fifty-six percent of respondents said that, given the choice, they would be willing to pay more for meals and drinks if it meant higher wages for workers and no more tipping. In other words, plenty of people are not mad at the workers. They are tired of the guessing game and the pressure.
Popmenu CEO and co-founder Brendan Sweeney pointed to the human side of this. He said tip-reliant professions are feeling the financial impact of tipping fatigue more than anyone, made worse because customers have less spending room after higher costs for food, energy and other necessities.
How to Tip Without the Guilt
If the screen makes your stomach tighten, you are far from alone. A few ideas to keep your budget and your conscience both in good shape:
- Decide before you reach the counter. Know in advance what you tip for quick-service orders, and stick to it. A plan beats a panic tap.
- Look for the custom button. The survey found more than a third of people use it. You are allowed to choose your own number.
- Reward real service. A server who went out of the way for your table is a different situation from a tap on a screen for a pre-wrapped muffin.
- Remember the people behind it. Many workers count on tips to make a living, so if you are cutting back, cut where service did not earn it rather than across the board.
- Say something kind. If you do skip a tip, a friendly thank you costs nothing and still means something.
What It Adds Up To
This is one survey of 1,000 people, so it is a snapshot rather than the final word. But the direction is clear across nearly every number: the pressure to tip is still real, and so is the pushback. Restaurants and other businesses will have to decide how to respond, whether by changing the screens, changing the prices or changing how they pay workers.
Until then, the next time that screen swings your way, you are in very large company if you pause, think, and tip on your own terms.
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