The last couple of months I had to eat out frequently, so I experienced all sorts of dark patterns in tipping. There are two which I found almost everywhere -
1. The server shoves the handheld tiny device in your face presenting with 3 options: 20%, 22%, and 25%. There is a small button at the bottom to select "Other" amount. You click that because you want to pay maybe 15%. But then it brings up an input box for the precise amount of the tip you want to pay. Unless you already know this amount, your options are awkwardly calculate the tip while the server is impatiently watching you or suck it up and go back to the default tipping menu. In many of these restaurants the server brought the bill and asked for the payment at the same time so I had no time to pre-calculate the tip.
2. In almost all the restaurants, the device tacked on the tip on post sales tax amount. In Texas the sales tax is 8.25%. So a 20% tip ends up being roughly 22%.
Sure, the few extra dollars don't make a dent in my finances. It is not the spending that hurts, it is the feeling of getting manipulated in real time that kills me.
1. The server shoves the handheld tiny device in your face presenting with 3 options: 20%, 22%, and 25%. There is a small button at the bottom to select "Other" amount. You click that because you want to pay maybe 15%. But then it brings up an input box for the precise amount of the tip you want to pay. Unless you already know this amount, your options are awkwardly calculate the tip while the server is impatiently watching you or suck it up and go back to the default tipping menu. In many of these restaurants the server brought the bill and asked for the payment at the same time so I had no time to pre-calculate the tip.
2. In almost all the restaurants, the device tacked on the tip on post sales tax amount. In Texas the sales tax is 8.25%. So a 20% tip ends up being roughly 22%.
Sure, the few extra dollars don't make a dent in my finances. It is not the spending that hurts, it is the feeling of getting manipulated in real time that kills me.