23 April 2024 , 09:23
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A customer has shared their disgust after a self-checkout machine demanded a 22 per cent tip following a two-item transaction. The sports fan was attending a ball game and nipped into its convenience store to buy two drinks - one bottled Bud Select and one Smartwater.
When sharing a picture of the self-checkout machine on Reddit, they said: "Asking me for a tip on a self-checkout at a ball game that's already expensive." According to their picture, the two drinks came to $18.48 (£14.97) with an additional $1.92 (£1.56) in tax, making the overall bill $20.40 (£16.53).
On top of this, the self-checkout machine asked him to leave either an 18%, 20% or 22% tip - and when he cancelled this request, he claims it popped up again demanding the same amounts. The customer, from Missouri, added: "It says 'tip the human helpers?'. Talking about an employee just standing there."
While most users slammed the store for its self-checkout's programming, others shared their disgust over its expensive prices. One user said: "Are you paying $9 for water? Was there no alternative?" Another user added: "They probably just use the same program or whatever as restaurants."
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A third user said: "I know you didn’t pay $9 for water." One more user added: "Give that machine so me credit maybe it's got a family at home that it needs to feed." Unlike in England, where tipping is more of a personal decision than an expectation, customer service workers in America usually expect an additional 15 to 20 per cent on top of the overall bill to compensate for their service.
Offering guidance for tourists on how tipping varies across the world, a statement from the UK Post Office reads "In most of Europe, tipping is very common. "In many cases, it's just built into part of the bill – very similar to the UK. Tip sizes vary from country to country, but if you get stuck or you're strapped for cash – just add on 10 per cent, or round the bill up to the nearest €5 or €10.
"As in all countries, it's polite to tip porters, taxi drivers and the people cleaning your hotel room – the expected tip is much smaller than the standard in bars and restaurants. If the service has been poor, don't hesitate to hold back on the tip. As in the UK, it's meant to be a reward for good service." But for those visiting America, the UK Post Office's advice is to "tip in almost every transactional situation".