‘Adding a tip is crazy’: Irish people united on their view of tipping terminals

A small takeaway Americano and an insubstantial pastry at a relatively new and Instagram-friendly coffee shop south of the Liffey in Dublin cost an eye-watering €9 this week. On top of that, the heavily pierced staff member manning the till pointedly turned a small screen in the direction of customers. It outlined suggested tips of 10, 15 and 20 per cent, with a “no tip” option included in the bottom corner, almost as an afterthought. It’s a sign of our times and people don’t like it. In response to a social media query from The Irish Times last Wednesday, Instagram users were united in their loathing of the tipping terminals that are popping up all over the place. “With the price of a coffee being painful I can’t tip financially,” Ruth Walsh posts. “My Americano in Killarney is €4.20 so adding a tip is crazy.” Jacinta Shinnock visits a Dublin coffee shop which presents a suggested tip for every transaction starting at 15 per cent. “Like, they are lovely people and the products are nice (without being amazing) but I find this kind of galling. Every time I press Skip Tip, I feel the guilt but also the annoyance,” she says. Darragh Bailey responds, “I know a number of bars where you have to navigate the tip page each time you pay for drinks by card and a few coffee shops too.” He adds, “And I have even come across it when buying a takeaway ice cream. It is presented as expected and the question isn’t will you tip but what percentage tip will you pay? A refusal risks offence so the pressure’s on to at least hit the 10 per cent tab. It’s extortion.” The proliferation of tipping terminals has seen gratuities pop up on the radar of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) for the first time. Earlier this year, it issued a report suggesting 90 per cent of consumers tip at least some of the time, with many believing they’re being strong-armed into doing so. Two-thirds of Irish consumers reckon tipping is less voluntary than it used to be, with technology at least partially to blame. Paynt is a Latvian tech company driving digital tipping. In a report published earlier this year, it said Irish businesses that deploy such technology “have reported tip volumes increasing by more than three times.” The company’s country director for Ireland, Kia Morice, says its tips “are clearly presented, fully voluntary and distributed directly to staff in line with agreed business practices.” She suggests that “making tipping easy and transparent for customers helps businesses ensure staff can benefit while maintaining clarity and compliance.” Compliance when it comes to tipping has become increasingly important since 2022 when the Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Act became law over fears that some restaurants were using staff tips as a means of meeting payroll obligations and other overheads. Eoin Cluskey is the owner of Bread 41 in Dublin and his coffee shops offer customers ordering food the chance to tip at the tills. “It is the employees who want it,” he says. “Not many people tip and it wouldn’t be a big part of our business but the staff like it. We had it as an option in one store and not in others, and the staff said they wanted it. You can’t really fight that battle.” As the owner he has no involvement in handling the tips and sees none of the money with all of it going directly to staff. “It might amount to €15 a week for them but if you are working 20 hours a week and going to college and renting in Dublin, then that €15 is a lot of money. It can be a night out or cover a Leap card for the week.” He stresses that people always have the option to hit “no tip” and he is adamant that staff will never hold it against their customers. “If you don’t want to tip, don’t tip - that really is okay,” he says. Adrian Cummins, chief executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, welcomes the introduction of tipping terminals as a way to streamline payments and ensure fair compensation for workers. However, he acknowledges the concerns raised by customers and emphasizes the importance of transparency and choice. “We believe that clear communication and respect for customer preferences are essential,” he states. “Our members are committed to providing a fair and respectful service environment.”