A coffee and a croissant can make for a pleasant little treat, but one customer is questioning how much extra they should pay at checkout. After spending about $15 on their order, they were asked to choose a tip of 20%, 22%, or 25%, all for ordering at the counter and picking up their own food.
They don’t mind paying more for good coffee or supporting the people who work at the shop. Their hesitation is about whether a tip that large makes sense when there’s very little interaction beyond placing an order and collecting it.
In a recent online discussion, they asked how much other people tip at bakeries and coffee shops. They also brought up a fee some businesses add to cover employee health benefits.
A $15 coffee-and-croissant order has them questioning the tip screen
The customer said they were new to San Francisco and had noticed that a coffee and croissant could cost around $15. On the East Coast, they were used to paying closer to $10 for a similar order.
They also noticed that some shops added a 3% to 4% employee health benefits fee. They didn’t object to paying more for specialty coffee or contributing to the fee, but the extra tip request made them pause.
Their question was whether leaving a tip was still expected when the order already cost more and included an added fee. They also wanted to know what other customers considered fair for employees working behind the counter.
Related: 13 Times You Should Never Feel Obligated to Leave a Tip
Some customers said they skip the tip for counter service
Several people responding to the post said they don’t tip when they order at the counter and pick up their own food. For these customers, the amount of service they receive matters more than the percentages suggested on the payment screen.
One person shared their personal tipping rules: no tip for a fully self-service order, 10% when an employee brings food to the table, and at least 18% for full table service. Another said they leave nothing when using a kiosk, give a dollar when ordering with an employee, and tip more when someone brings the food to their table.
Others told the customer not to feel bad about selecting zero. One person even said they had started carrying cash to avoid the awkward moment of being handed a payment screen with several suggested tip amounts.
For these customers, a tip prompt is just an option, particularly when payment happens before the order is ready.
Related: 12 Customer Tipping Habits That Create More Frustration Than Appreciation
Food-service workers offered another perspective
Some people felt the discussion shouldn’t focus only on how much time it takes to place an order. One person who had worked in coffee shops, restaurants, and bakeries said they tip at all three because they know how demanding food-service jobs can be.
They said they choose the lowest suggested amount for self-service or partial-service orders and leave at least 20% at full-service restaurants.
Another commenter admitted that a 20% tip for counter service felt high but still chose to leave one. They said they could afford it and understood how expensive it was to live and run a small business in San Francisco.
These comments brought up another side of the discussion. Some customers base their tips on the service they personally receive, while others also think about the employees preparing their drinks and food behind the counter.
Related: When Did Buying Coffee Start Coming With a Tip Request?
Customers have different ideas about what counts as fair
The discussion didn’t produce one agreed-upon tipping rule. Some people skip tips for counter pickup, others leave a dollar or two for a regular coffee order, and some prefer to tip a percentage regardless of the type of service.
For the customer who raised the question, deciding on a comfortable amount before reaching the register may help take some of the pressure out of the moment. They could also ask the shop how its employee benefits fee and tips are handled if they want more information before deciding.
A payment screen may suggest 25%, but customers aren’t all working from the same set of rules. For many, the decision comes down to the service they received, what they can afford, and how they feel about the business they’re supporting.
