This is an All Ears English podcast episode 2056.
Don't have cash?
How to tip at a coffee shop.
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Tipping in a restaurant in the US is 100 mandatory, but there are other scenarios when you have a little more latitude.
Today, find out how to handle tipping in a coffee shop or in a salon, especially when you get caught without cash.
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Good morning, Michelle.
How's everything?
Hey, good morning, Lindsay.
Everything is good over here.
How are you?
Good. great today.
It is a gorgeous day.
It's going to be a hot one in Denver.
Same in New York City.
Yes.
Oh my gosh.
No, it's really bad.
It's really bad.
I don't really want to be outside.
It's really been very, very hot.
Oh, that's wild.
We'll just stay in and podcast this morning then.
Michelle, that sounds good to me.
So Lindsay, I have a question though.
Do you ever go to a coffee shop or like a hair salon or somewhere that they only take a cash tip and you don't have money for one?
Yes, sometimes that happens.
I never carry cash anymore.
Cash is...
Cash is no longer king for me.
It's just gone.
There was some transition at some point in the 2010s or 2015, mid 2010s, where I just stopped carrying cash entirely.
And so now, but honestly Michelle, most of the places I go to usually have that point of sale machine, like either a square machine or like the iPad, where you just type it in.
So the tip gets added.
You select how much you want to tip.
It gets added.
So usually I don't have to give a cash tip.
What about you?
You know, it's funny, but I know exactly those machines that you're talking about.
But the coffee shop that I go to most frequently right down it's like a block away.
They don't have that.
And the place where I get my hair done, they don't have that.
And those are places where I frequent, right?
I love that.
I love those kinds of places that don't have that.
Yeah.
Well, some of them have an opportunity for Venmo and I...
I'm, I'm a mess.
I like when I had my old phone, I, my, my phone was too full of stuff.
So I had to get rid of Venmo.
So I had to, you know, when you get into that panic mode of, you have to delete all your.
Yeah.
Right.
Exactly.
That was one that I had to say goodbye to.
And when I got my new phone, I just, I mean, it's been a year and I still never got Venmo again.
So like, I, I just don't have it.
And I always, I'm like, Oh, I have to get it.
And then I forget.
Yeah.
So but then I'm like in a, you know, in a situation.
I mean, this can happen.
So I mean, like, yeah, they don't this coffee shop.
They don't do tip on a card.
Sometimes like have you ever seen it?
Where like, individual people who work there will have their Venmo up or something like that?
Like my my hair salon, they'll do that, too.
Like you can Venmo a tip.
But sometimes, you know, like I get stuck.
It doesn't have to be for that reason, though.
I mean, sometimes you just don't have money if you don't carry cash.
So we're going to talk about this situation today and tipping in general and kind of the direction of tipping.
So lots to discuss.
Yeah, we'll talk today for our listeners about what tipping really, really, really matters.
And you absolutely have to do it.
And when can you get away with waiting till next time or doubling up next time or an IOU type deal?
Do we have a question from a listener, Michelle?
I think we do do uh for the uh for this one today, for this one.
This is just on my life.
Oh, i just saw a hi lindsay in the notes so i figured that was a list a listener.
But it's not.
It's you oh no, that's me.
I'm saying hi, hello.
Oh, that's so funny.
I love it.
So that is what we're getting into today, michelle.
But first would you mind if i call out a couple of our amazing uh listeners actually not going to do that because i closed the window.
We are disorganized today.
Well, I want to thank all of our listeners who left a review for All Ears English.
I saw some listeners in China, some people in Brazil.
Guys, if you have not left a review yet for All Ears English, make sure you leave a review.
And Michelle, I want to encourage our listeners to hit follow on the podcast now.
Yes, Perfect.
Good.
All right.
So guys, if you want to hear more about tipping, go to listen to way way way way way way way way way, way back.
Episode 288 is to tip or not to tip at an American restaurant.
That is the question.
What's funny is that you know that one would have been recorded in 2015 or so and things might have changed.
I mean, certainly the point of sale machines weren't as common.
As they are today.
So in that time when we recorded that, I don't think we had the point of sale machines or they were just getting started.
You probably would have had a register with cash more.
Are we that old?
I don't know.
Well, it's I mean, it's funny you say that because sometimes like. i think back to 2015 right it seems like yesterday but then you think about i mean even just since 2015 so much has changed and yeah when i mean when you think that it feels like the stone ages right like yeah like even when i first moved to new york i you know i had to find my directions and like i didn't really have a smartphone at that point and it's just so it's just it's so crazy how much can change and like in a few years we'll look back at this and be like we don't even have you know like i went on my first vacation ever with dan i mean i still had my digital camera i didn't have a smartphone and that doesn't seem like that long ago I love it.
I love it.
I love it.
Well, let's get into it.
We're going to have a good article recommendation from the New York Times that came out recently as well.
I'll mention that in just a minute, Michelle.
Let's break it down.
What do our listeners who might be living in the U.S.
This advice today is specifically for American culture.
I do want to say that because I don't I don't really know how tipping works in other.
It works differently.
It's kind of a little more voluntary, I think, in places like France.
Maybe the UK, I'm not sure.
But today is about American culture, okay?
Yeah, I think we are notorious for having the tips.
Yeah, tipping culture, exactly.
So, exactly.
So, well, let's talk about... I mean, I have a question.
So, like, I was talking to you about coffee shop and salon.
But what about restaurant?
What if you don't have money to tip in a restaurant?
Is that okay?
Can you...
Right.
No.
So I'd say the restaurant is pretty much the only place I could think of that it's mandatory.
Can you think of any other scenarios?
Most other scenarios are you really, really, really should.
Like when you go to the hairdresser, you really, really, really should.
But you would actually get chased after by the waitress or waiter if you don't leave a tip at a restaurant.
Okay.
That's Yeah.
I mean, that is like a blatant slap in the face, right?
That is like, oh, something went wrong.
So you can't just say, oh, I don't have money for a tip.
It just doesn't work that way.
I mean, you can certainly, but it's not great.
So you don't want to do that.
And now most restaurants, you can just leave it on the credit card and that's fine.
But there are some restaurants that take cash only.
So you would need to figure that out.
But if I were in a situation where I needed cash to tip at a restaurant, I would have to go to an ATM.
I couldn't just say, I didn't have money.
It's really important.
It's important.
I mean, the good news is is that most places that require a cash tip are going to be cash only for everything?
So you will already know that when you walk in the door, you'll think about it, you'll see a sign or you'll be running to the ATM while the rest of your party is sitting in and hanging out.
So I don't see that as a huge problem.
If they only take cash tips, usually most... I'd say like 95% of places take credit card.
It's just the mom and pop's, And usually actually the places that take cash only are kind of cooler and more authentic actually.
That's true.
That's true.
Yeah.
Um so, or some of them, some places that have a credit card, then you have to pay a credit card fee, like you know, like a certain percentage or whatever.
So, um, so I mean, but you know, in a restaurant you really have to tip in the moment.
Um, so, but what do you do if it's a place like a coffee shop?
So, um, there's this place.
Yeah.
Down the street.
Like I was telling you, I'm definitely a regular, we've talked about that before.
Um, and also the place where I get my hair done.
So the coffee shop, the hair salons, um, so like coffee shops, like they often have a tip jar.
Um Lindsay, do you usually put?
Do you usually like to put, like cash, directly into a chip jar, or do you like to tip the person like specifically, or do you just put in the jar?
Well, the thing is, it depends on the place.
I don't really carry cash anymore, like I said.
So I don't put... change in tip jars.
So now, like I said, everywhere I go usually has that point of sale, including my local coffee shops.
And so I'll just... It'll give me a choice.
And this is something that Actually, maybe now would be a good time to mention an article in the New York Times.
Michelle, we want to send you guys over to an article.
We'll leave the link in the blog post if we do a blog for this episode.
It's called...
It's called... Well, we'll leave the link for you guys.
It's To Tip or Not To Tip, written in 2022.
So it's talking about how now a lot of these coffee shops are using these point of sale systems.
But it's putting a whole new layer on the pressure to tip at a coffee shop.
It is nice to tip, but it's not... In my opinion, it's not required to tip at a coffee shop.
It's different from a restaurant.
And so what ends up happening when you have the point of sale system, there's always someone behind you.
And we're also in a moment where it is nice to tip.
We're more aware of different situations, economic situations, post-pandemic.
And so we feel a little bit more pressure, at least I do, to add a tip.
I still think you have the option to just.
What we do sometimes is maybe one day we won't tip and the other day we will tip.
We'll alternate sometimes.
You know what I mean because again, it's not required at a coffee shop.
So right right like, and I especially feel like, if I'm a regular somewhere yeah no, you know, then I have that human connection like the, the barista at the coffee shop that I go to.
He's so friendly, like he's always, and he and he knows your name probably right yeah, and he knows my son and like the two of us and he, you know, once he one day he called me bestie and, like you know yeah, that's very special, just like so nice, so friendly and so like when you have that human connection, I think it's.
You know what it is.
I think when you have a waiter or a waitress, you also kind of have this connection with them.
I mean, you're talking to them over a while.
If it's a coffee shop where you like, are just quickly going in and you're never going to go in there.
Yeah, you don't really, like, have that connection.
That doesn't mean that they don't deserve a tip or that I don't tip them.
But, like, especially...
Yeah, it feels different when you like really know the person.
So I always so this is a situation that I've run into with this guy where I feel bad that or awkward that I don't have the cash.
Okay.
So do we have recommendations for listeners here then in this scenario if you don't have the cash?
Yeah.
So, I mean, one thing you can do is just not say anything and give more another time.
Lindsay, like you said, like, you know, sometimes you might not give.
Sometimes you might give and, you know, you just figure, you know, it'll kind of even out.
One time I specifically handed him a tip and I like specifically it was a larger tip because I had so frequently gone and not had money for him.
And I actually brought it up to him and I was like I wanted him to get this tip, like I didn't want to put it in the jar where the you know.
I specifically wanted it to go to him.
So I said thank you so much for your great service.
Always sorry, I always forget cash to tip you.
I said something like that.
The hard thing is some restaurants... Sorry, cafes.
We're talking about cafes.
Right now guys, we're talking about counter service, where you walk up to the barista, you walk out with a coffee.
You're not talking about sitting down and ordering a coffee in a diner.
That would be tip mandatory.
This is a little different.
This is more of a gray line.
But I think most of the time I'm assuming most of those places just split the tips across all the baristas.
You know, if you put it in the jar.
And I don't know if they can like physically accept money when they're serving.
Coffee is the one thing.
Like put it in their hand.
You know what I mean?
Like if their hands are not clean.
But I don't know, Michelle.
Oh, I didn't even think about that.
Yeah, like if they're serving food and that kind of thing.
I don't know.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Interesting.
Interesting.
Yeah.
So but I wanted it to go directly to him.
So yeah, I said, you can say something like, you know, sorry, I always forget cash to tip you.
Here you go.
Just something or the other thing you can do is say something in the moment, right?
Like I've done this too.
I've said, I'm so sorry.
I don't have any cash on me.
I promise I'll make up for it next time.
Yeah, especially if the person kind of knows your face, you know, they'll, you know, it's fine.
Yeah, guys, write that down.
Okay, Michelle.
The next scenario where it's a little fuzzier it's not as clear cut as a restaurant is a salon.
Tell me about this.
Yeah, so I had this.
The moral of the story is I need to start carrying cash and I need to download Venmo, and my life would be a lot easier.
But yeah, I've been in that situation where I didn't have cash and I actually ended up saying to her oh, I can tip you on the credit card.
But then I know that I said, is it better for you if I tip you on the credit card?
Or do you want me to tip you directly through Venmo when I get home so I can use my husband's?
And she actually said she preferred Venmo because you know, I think with the credit card there are fees that come along.
Yeah, for sure.
She was like, I think that would be better for both of us.
And I was like, that's true.
So like I said, you know, I basically said, I'm so sorry.
I don't have any cash on me.
Is there any other way for me to tip?
That would be like a general thing if you just didn't know.
Or you could say, would I...
Would it be okay if I Venmo'd you a tip later?
I'm so sorry I forgot cash.
So that's what I ended up doing.
Okay.
I like it.
I like it.
It's good to communicate with the person.
Venmo is an option, cash or credit card at the moment.
Okay.
Anything else we should know about the salon before we go into the role play.
Michelle or the general topic.
Yeah.
The salon is a tricky one, right?
I think like we were talking about this before the episode.
Sometimes, you know, it can be hard to know what to do about a tip especially, especially if you're a regular and you know the person and you want them to like you and you like them and you, you like, you like their work.
I like the girl who does my hair.
She's really good.
And you know, and she, and she does a good job and she answers my questions over and over.
And, um, and then this guy, he's so nice to my son.
So, like um, i think it it's hard to know like, what is what tip will they be pleased with?
And you don't want to over tip right, and you don't want to under tip.
So i end up usually um, over tipping.
What about you?
I mean, you were talking about getting your eyebrows done, right.
I usually, When it comes to sitting in a restaurant, I just round the math very broadly.
So I tend to tip well at a restaurant, right?
Yeah.
25% to 30% usually at a restaurant.
In my, The place where I get my eyebrows done.
I was a little Because these restaurants, these places, they can actually change the default tip like where it starts.
Usually you have a choice like 15%, 20%, 25%, maybe 30%, which would be a typical spread.
Don't you think, Michelle?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Okay.
And...
I went into the place where I get threaded.
I love her.
She's fantastic.
She's great.
And she's awesome.
But I noticed like it started at like 30 or 40%.
I'm like, wow.
Whoa.
And then it went up from there.
And I'm thinking, oh my gosh, what do I do?
I'm panicking.
What was the highest percent?
I don't remember.
I think it was 50.
I think it went up to 50, 55.
But I'm thinking, whoa, okay, what's happening?
Yeah.
Yeah.
So that was so I tried like typing in my own tip and then it got all messed up and we got confused and it ended up being a mess.
But that does.
That's kind of what that article talks about.
Actually, in The New York Times guys about places might be taking into their own hands a little more than maybe makes sense.
So there is a fine line.
So don't forget that you always have a choice in a restaurant.
You don't have a choice to not tip, but you have a choice of how much you want to tip.
Right.
But you have choices here and it should be reflecting their service.
And it sounds like with your buddy in the cafe, great guy knows your name.
He's giving you a great service.
So he deserves a great tip.
If the service is lackluster, the tip should also be a little lackluster, I think.
I mean, I don't know if that's a hot take, but it connects to service.
That's the point.
It's gratuity.
Right.
And I think I know I think that's a good point.
But I think yeah, like lately, I think there's been more guilt because of things like the pandemic and these people.
So, like I, I tend to tip more, even like yeah, I feel I would feel worse about leave, way worse feel about like leaving a not so great tip, even if the service wasn't great.
Like I still feel worse bad, you know, like i wouldn't i, i don't know, i like can't do it.
So you leave a great tip, like a great great, like a 35 tip, even if the service is bad.
No, i wouldn't.
No no no, not that great.
So you leave like an average tip, maybe like 20, if the service is bad.
I mean, if it was horrible, I mean it was just terrible.
That's a different story, right?
Of course.
Yeah.
If someone does give particularly good, consistent service, I just want to make sure that they...
I want them to think I'm generous as well.
I mean, I want them to know that they're appreciated.
Yeah.
And it feels good to be generous too.
The other thing that's tricky in a restaurant is you can't always nail down.
If you had a bad experience, you can't always blame that on your server.
A lot of times it's the kitchen staff, it's the chef, it's the maitre d', it's the host, like all these other factors and the waiter waitress has been trying their very best.
So it is a loaded topic.
This is, i think, the.
I think the main thing is like, i don't know how you are um with like feeling this way about service.
If somebody is kind and like acknowledges that something went wrong maybe things are taking a long time or there was a mistake then then anything can go wrong and i still want to give them a good tip.
It's all about like being kind, like um dan, and i have this, this joke like if somebody is rude, um Dan will like We have this game where he'll be like oh, what would the manager say?
And then he'll do like, oh, like...
He'll pretend to be the manager.
I can't explain this game.
He'll say, like, I'm so sorry for that service.
You know, I don't know.
We say, like, what should they have said if somebody wasn't kind?
I can't explain this game, and I'm sorry I'm telling this story.
Okay.
All right, Michelle, let's go into the role play here for our listeners.
Let's keep moving in the episode.
Yes.
Here, I'm the customer, and I work at a coffee shop where you are a regular.
Is that right?
Okay.
Yes.
Hold on.
I'm a customer and I work at a coffee shop.
You are the customer.
Wait.
I'm I. I'm I. You are the customer and I work at the coffee shop where you are a regular.
All right.
Let's do it.
Here we go.
Let's do it.
All right.
Okay.
So here you go.
Oh, thanks so much.
Oh, no.
I'm so sorry.
I don't have any cash on me.
I promise I'll make up for it next time.
Oh, no worries at all.
I'm really sorry about that.
Thank you so much.
Thanks.
Have a good one.
You too.
All right.
So there in that case, we show you what you could say if you just don't have the cash to tip.
And if, of course, there's no option to credit card tip which again, I think nowadays more and more you're going to see that point of sale system where you can just tip on your credit card.
No problem.
And what did I say exactly, Michelle?
You said, oh, no, I'm so sorry.
I don't have any cash on me.
I promise I'll make up for it next time.
So it sounds like you're a regular.
All right.
I love it.
All right, Michelle, we got to wrap up the episode.
Let's wrap it up.
What's the takeaway for today for our listeners?
Guys, recognize people for their work.
The US has a huge culture of tipping, which can be frustrating at times because it can cost a lot of money.
But it's important to make sure people get appropriate tips and be kind.
Yeah, you know we could dive into.
On another episode Michelle, we could talk about tipping on tours, which is also super important.
We always try to tip our tour guides.
Like, if you do a food tour in the US, if you do like a historical tour, we really try to give really good tips in that case.
So there are other places where we could talk about where tipping gets a lot more nuanced, right?
More, yeah, different scenarios.
So we'll come back to that another day, Michelle.
You have a good day.
I'll talk to you soon.
Bye bye.
Bye.
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