America needs to stop turning every purchase into an uncomfortable tip request

Digital payment terminals at retail and service businesses increasingly display tip suggestions ranging from 20% to 30% of the purchase amount. The trend has expanded beyond traditional tipped industries such as restaurants and hospitality to include coffee shops, bakeries, and checkout counters. No government data tracks the exact prevalence of high tip suggestions across all retail sectors, though payment processors and business surveys indicate the practice has grown since 2020.

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