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Comment by surrealvortex | Hacker News Reader

I also don't understand tipping at food carts. Customers stand in a line to pay and get their food, and are also expected to tip (either via Square or through tip jars).

Edit: the expectation is generally implicit, and while standing in line, I can't help but notice that most customers hit the minimum tip percentage on Square, which is usually 15%

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Unless you get seated and have the food delivered by the server to your table, there is no expectation of tip - no matter what Square says.

I never hit that minimum thing. I'll give $1 every once in a while because they're friendly and the town is so expensive, but the food prices already definitely reflect that, and there is no service, so /shrug

IIRC with a few extra clicks on Square you can find a menu that will give you a "no tip" option. It's definitely hidden on purpose.

ive never seen a square display without a no tip option, and I'm pretty sure the restaurant is who decides what options are there

You're right that the restaurant probably decides. The option has always been there when I looked. When it doesn't, I'll refuse to pay.

For what it's worth, I sometimes hit the minimum tip percentage solely because a colleague at work is with me. The "impulse" to hit that button is greater if that colleague is my boss. But, even when I'm surrounded by strangers, I still feel this need to hit the tip button.

Ultimately, I think right now the social expectation of tipping in this situation is in limbo- whether you do or don't, it's ok.

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