As we all know, tipping culture is something that the general public usually associates with American culture and people don’t actually tip anywhere else out of the country. With the servers being paid as little as they are now, tipping is the only thing that they could rely on to make a living wage. So in a coffee shop setting wise, why should customers tip baristas for the coffee drinks made?
People in the service industry are always tipped for their services and many coffee shops have a tip jar of which the tips will be split among who served during the shift that day.
However, there are many countries that are being influenced by this tipping phenomenon and it is not necessarily a bad thing. Tipping has become something that is mandatory in this modern-day society and workers have learned to accept tips when tips are offered.
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Why tipping is a thing?
Tipping is not mandatory, but you can deny that it’s not a nice thing to do for your barista. How often do we go to a coffee shop for a cup of iced coffee and the coffee shop workers went the extra mile to help you out with your day.
If you go into a coffee shop and tell them that you have a bad day or if they can write a nice message for you, there is a high chance that you will definitely get that message that will make up for the rough day ahead.
Good service should be rewarded and tipping makes your baristas feel appreciated. Some baristas even go the extra steps that include more than a good latte to make up your day. Your barista behind that cash register might end up being your best confidence one day and you’ll never know.
If you’re someone who likes having your drinks customized with a paragraph of instructions and all the toppings on the menu, a tip would make sure that your barista will make it absolutely sure that your order is perfect right down to the T! And it’s also your duty as a good caffeine-addicted citizen to tip your baristas well because they ensure that you have good coffee to start off your day with.
Why do baristas ask for tips?
Although baristas do get paid the minimum wage, their wages are still considered to be a living wage. That’s why baristas, servers, and bartenders have a tipping system for their services because the owner expects that their employees will be tipped.
Small businesses especially cannot afford to pay their workers well because they don’t have the resources of big coffee chains for cutting costs. Their coffee price cannot be too high as people feel like they shouldn’t be paying more than an average Starbucks price for a coffee.
Aside from that, there are also other reasons that you should tip your baristas. And if you are a regular at the shop, then that’s the more reason for you to start tipping. When you’re having a bad day, who could cheer you up better in the morning than the coffee barista making a pleasant talk with you while taking your orders on the counter.
In addition, if you look after your baristas, they will hook you up with the best drinks and the best service in the shop. You might even be privy to a few secret recipes that are not on the menu and you will eternally be grateful for the extra dollar that you put into the tip jar. Tipping isn’t a one-way road!
What is the average tip for a barista?
Baristas heavily rely on tip money to pay the bills but that doesn’t mean that tip jar would
How often and how much should you tip your barista?
With all that being said, how much should you tip a barista and how often? The answer varies but the most common one and the one that is considered to be the best answer is to tip every time you are provided service.
If you are going out to restaurants, then you should tip the waiter for your good food and good service. If you are using a car valet, then you should tip the valet for their care for your car. If you are going to a bar and ordering a drink, you should tip the bartender for the extra strong drink they made for you. And if you are grabbing a coffee, there are no reasons why you should skip tipping the barista.
It is true that you are already paying for the drink and therefore the service provided with the drink, but we have already established at the top of the article why tipping the people working in the service industry is essential to their livelihood.
Generally, customers feel that tipping 1$ for a cup of coffee is enough but some people tip more if they don’t usually grab a coffee outside. For some people, they tip the same amount every time if they are a regular at certain coffee shops but occasionally, they would also tip a big amount as thanks to their usual baristas.
Whatever the amount, a tip should never be less than a dollar and every single buck adding up can make a difference.
Do baristas expect tips for their services?
The answer is that, they do expect tips for their services and we have told you why tip is essential to them. A barista admitted that some customers tip more or less depending on their order. Customers that order iced coffee or drip coffee usually tip less because they think that those are not hard to make.
No matter the amount, the customer is expected to tip the barista for the service they provide in the coffee shops.
According to a regular customer in the Little Roy Coffee Co. when one of the lead baristas is being interviewed, they themself stated strongly that tipping should be a minimum of 20% in the least.
After interviewing many baristas, the general consensus is that yes, tipis expected regardless of the quality of the service (on a scale of average to fantastic, of course, no one is expecting the customer to tip for bad service).
Should you tip your barista at a coffee shop?
People in the service industry generally do not get paid much because again, the employers are expecting that the tips will be able to cover enough for the employees to make a living wage. If you are someone who regularly drinks and enjoys coffee or is a regular at a particular coffee shop, you can do your part in helping out your favorite barista by leaving the regular tips just to brighten up their day as they did yours.
In addition, it’s not just about tipping when you’re going into a shop, the same courtesy should also apply to your drive-thru barista, the effort that they put into taking and making your order is something that would be rewarded as well, especially if they are working with small businesses. They would always use the extra tips in the tip jar before having the tip being split equally between the employees on shift that day.
Most people generally leave a tip in the tip box after receiving the change from paying and some customers also tip pretty leaving more cash than the norm. Just know that the money the business is paying your barista isn’t cutting it and they are relying on your tip for that.
Conclusion
Customers should tip baristas as a norm, no matter how cheap or expensive your coffee is. If you happened to grab your coffee from coffee shops, a few changes here and there or a few bills inside the tip jar could brighten up someone’s day.
This stands true especially in America where your barista has come to expect tips for your order. It’s not a privilege but rather a necessity for them. If you are grabbing a drink, a latte, and especially when you’re ordering in bulk, never forget to tip your barista.
Reference
- How Much & Why Do You Tip Your Baristas | Perfect Daily Grind | Hazel Boydell
- Tipping a barista: When, who and how much you should tip | eTip | Nabil
- Should You Tip Your Barista? | Food Network | Amy Reiter
- How Much Should You Tip Your Barista? | Tasting Table | Keith Flanagan
Check out: Why You Should Tip Your Barista By Know Your Grinder Coffee