I identify with this article. I’ve tipped at least 20% by default my entire life at bars and restaurants. Always keep cash in the car and my wallet to tip valet

I identify with this article. I’ve tipped at least 20% by default my entire life at bars and restaurants. Always keep cash in the car and my wallet to tip valets and other hospitality workers generously. It all felt predictable. I could estimate how much things were going to cost because I knew where tips were expected and the typical rate. Then it all changed, with tipping appearing all over. My barber added Square checkout and added a tip screen with 10%/15%/20% options. Then later it became 15%/20%/25%. Now at my most recent haircut it was 25%/30%/35%. This is an addition to their price increases every 6 months that have doubled the price of a haircut (pre-tip) in the last 3 years. On my last visit the barber made a comment that everyone seems to be going longer between haircuts these days for some reason, but he didn’t seem to put it all together. I ordered takeout from a local restaurant via an app, leaving a tip within the app. When I arrived the person at the counter made some comment about how tips are appreciated and how they still work for tips. I casually mentioned I did it in the app, but they tried to start a conversation about how the app takes a percentage and how they’re getting fewer customers these days for some reason. I just wanted my food, not to get pulled into a guilt trip about double tipping. I haven’t been back because I just don’t want to deal with that after a long day of work. Its starting to feel analogous to TicketMaster or AirBnB, where you’re presented with one price up front but then when you get to the checkout you’re hit with a substantially higher price that you didn’t expect. The unpredictability is getting tiresome.