I’m physically disabled and have issue shopping due to bone tumors all over my bones (poly ostotic fibrous dysplasia with mccune albright syndrome). It hurts to live, walk, lift, exist, etc.
I’m also on what is essentially a keto diet to help keep my diabetes in the “pre-diabetes” state.
I use Instacart to help me survive and eat. It helps me not burden others and helps my independence.
Groceries are becoming more and more expensive. This is particularly true if you’re on a special diet like me.
Delivering five or so bags of groceries or a few larger (but essential) items can be like $150-200 on Instacart per trip. Then, when I check out, Instacart recommends tipping $40+?
That seems insane to me. Like $20 for that amount seems about right? Maybe throw in an extra $10 if I have some heavy things or items that are large in volume.
Should I be tipping $40+ dollars?
Since when? I’m not even that old, and I’ve heard most of my life that 18% means “you did a stellar job” and 10% was “not great, not terrible.”
I’ve always tried to tip 20% minimum anyway to support my fellow humans, usually closer to 25-30% especially on smaller bills, but these days it’s frustrating because it almost takes away any of the joy of tipping extra well when it’s already on there as a suggestion.
These days I’m all about getting rid of it and just paying a living wage and making the prices match reality.
When I was a kid, a “normal” tip was 15%. I remember cause it’s equivalent to our sales tax lol. Somehow the expectation became 18-20% in the last couple years. I guess tipped jobs being often minimum wage doesn’t help - feeling the squeeze of the last handful of years’ inflation?
I’ve read at least one article suggesting that Square and et al are kind of exacerbating the problem by letting/encouraging business owners to make default tips higher. And I’m sure it’s pretty obvious that owners are not super inclined to increase base pay when they can bump suggested tips and pass that cost onto the customer without making things look more expensive.