Cheesecake Factory’s “refreshing” fine print on tipping sparks viral debate
Unsplash: Tina GuinaCheesecake Factory’s fine print on tipping has sparked a viral debate after being posted to Reddit.
Tipping in America has long been the cause of much debate, with many disgruntled customers and employees taking their quarrels to social media after feeling unfairly treated.
While the practice is optional, it is often considered an unspoken rule to leave a gratuity of between 20 to 25 percent. However, not all feel that tipping culture is fair.
Most recently, the viral debate was reignited after Cheesecake Factory’s fine print on tipping was posted to Reddit, resulting in an array of responses to the restaurant’s policy.
“Pleasantly surprised to see this on the menu! I’m willing to tip in some circumstances, but glad the 18% auto gratuity is marked as optional!” the original poster, ‘Vivid_Papaya2422‘ wrote in a thread titled ‘Cheesecake Factory Tip Optional!’
Providing a photo of the fine print, it read as follows; “Tipping is entirely voluntary. For the convenience of our guests, we add an 18% suggested tip to parties of 8 or more, but payment of that amount is not required. Our guests always have the right to determine how much they’d like to tip.”
“Kind of refreshing,” one person responded, evidently agreeing with Vivid_Papaya’s take. Another person shared a similar sentiment, writing, “Good. It should be voluntary. It’s always been an option, not a rule.”
However, some felt the fine print was a “slap in the face” and was “deliberately” putting customers in an “awkward position” where they’d feel obligated to tip a certain amount.
“I’d like to think this is a step in the right direction, but in some ways, it is worse than a forced 18% tip because this lets them ‘look good’ but also know that almost no one is going to want to look like ‘that person’ in a large party who refuses to tip,” a user pointed out.
Others were clearly in agreeance; “The problem with this approach is that it creates confrontation and anyone looking to avoid it will not ask for the optional tip to be updated or removed.”
However, some still felt that the fine print was a sign of tipping culture improving.
One person writing, “I like that they are clear that it can be removed even though it puts the customer in an awkward position (deliberately), because it at least acknowledges that it’s the customers’ decision.
More language like this would quickly educate the [consumer base] on their rights, and make it clear that they have no obligation to tip any specific rate [or] amount. Step in the right direction.”
