Hand over the tip!

Paying by card is becoming increasingly popular and commonplace across Europe. Naturally, this is encouraged by the authorities, as cash payments often carry the stigma of suspected tax evasion. It is also less painful for the customer: a quick beep, and the money is gone. No need to rummage for your wallet, count out banknotes, or see just how little is left at the end. Tips are also increasingly being paid by card. Most restaurants, cafés, and bars suggest adding 5%–10% or more—you simply click, another beep, and the money is gone again.

“Consumer advocates criticize this practice, noting that guests are often nudged into leaving larger tips through various tricks when paying by card. Newsdesk Heute

August 25, 2026

Some businesses have also started explaining to guests just how little their staff earns and how much a tip would help them out. Personally, I find that quite brazen. If a business can't afford to pay its staff properly, it should be honest enough to raise wages—and likely prices, too—instead of begging guests for money to compensate for poor pay. I do believe that paying tips by card helps increase the total amount tipped. However, in many countries, tips are only tax-free up to a certain limit, so ultimately, the state benefits from cashless payments as well. The argument that anyone who can afford to eat out can also afford to tip is also an absolute disgusting way to talk to guests.

We need to get back to a point where working in the hospitality and hotel industries actually pays off for employees. This is where the state needs to step in; offloading the burden onto the few remaining customers is anything but helpful. They, too, will soon stop coming. Anyone who can afford to dine out can also afford to go somewhere else and spend their money without being lectured or berated.

But now the machines start asking for tips? A short text I found from Thomas Germain:I hit "margarita" on a screen and watched the robots jerk to life. They mixed tequila with lime and triple sec, spinning needlessly for extra flair and bowing to deliver the glass. It might have thrilled me 20 years ago. Today, it's almost a cliché.

The drink ran $17 (£12.55), but I found an additional charge: a 10% "service fee Tipsy wanted a tip.

It wasn't the first time I'd encountered this. A similar robot barista asked me for a tip at Artly Coffee in New York. At Newark Liberty International Airport, a self-checkout machine suggested a gratuity on a bottle of water at an unstaffed kiosk. Across the country in Portland, Oregon, a human took my order at the restaurant Top Burmese, but a robot server wheeled out the dinner.”

You can certainly give it a try, but I’d much rather give a little extra to a person who provides good, friendly service than to a machine.

The human element is what matters. I vividly remember a 5-star hotel where many regular guests would send Christmas cards to the waiters every year—a lovely gesture. These guests tipped generously throughout the year, but that little card was a special touch. One veteran waiter would always take the trouble to carefully open the envelope, slip in a 100-euro note, and seal it back up—only to open it again with great relish in front of his colleagues, who would then find themselves looking into empty envelopes. A little bit of effort provided some entertainment, at the very least.

Tipping plays an important role in the hospitality and hotel industries. We can be certain that many more people would like to dine out more often, spend more money doing so, and—indeed—leave generous tips. Only a strong economy and good income levels across all social strata will make this possible. In the hotel industry, it is gratifying for us when our staff receive substantial tips, and the guests themselves feel better the more they are able to give. However, we neither can nor should force guests to tip—whether through pre-printed prompts or other such tactics.

Stephan Busch has an invaluable and diverse experience in the hospitality industry ranging from senior management positions with the most renowned hotel and resort companies to the project development - launch of operations, business development- for hotel and cruise companies in Asia, Europe, Canada and Russia.

His expertise includes not only planning, opening and operating  of hotels, international golf clubs, airports, resorts and cruise ships, but also successful  restructuring and repositioning of businesses during the financial crisis in Asia.

Stephan Busch earned his Master Certificate in Hospitality Management from Cornell University, USA and served many years as Academic Director, Hospitality & Tourism MA Programs at the State University for Humanities Moscow