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Where do you stand?

The cultural shift toward guilt tipping on takeout orders reflects broader changes in the service industry, where workers increasingly rely on tips to supplement their income.

The FLSA requires employers to pay tipped employees a base wage of $2.13 an hour if they earn over $30 in tips per week. If their total wages and tips don’t reach the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, employers must make up the difference.

The federal minimum wage hasn’t gone up since July 2009, but the cost of living has soared.

Bloomberg reports that since 2020, grocery and electricity prices have risen by 25%, and rent by 20%. These increases hit minimum wage earners hardest, regardless of how much they make in tips.

So, where do you stand on the issue? Do you think it’s right for service industry workers to expect tips for takeout orders?

Share your two cents in the comments below, and we'll spotlight the most valuable insights in an upcoming article.

To join the discussion, just sign in using your email address or the social media account you used to register for our newsletter. When commenting, remember to follow our community guidelines.

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Bronwyn Petry Email Specialist

Bronwyn is currently part of the email content team for Moneywise. Before starting here, they freelanced for several years, focusing on B2B content and technical copy. Pre-pandemic, you could find them planning their next trip, but lately, if they're not at work, you can find them hanging out with their cat and dog.

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