USA: Gesetze, Klagen, Steuervorteil – so streitet Amerika über Trinkgeld

In New York, the Monkey Cup, a small café north of Central Park, does not offer free Wi-Fi. Instead, it provides books on branches that grow like a tree behind the counter. The café's sign reads, "Read a book, meet someone." The milky coffee is prepared by hand, with baristas shaping the froth into monkey faces, referencing the café's name.

Guests receive a break from screens at the counter, but this break ends at the cash register. A tablet appears, displaying three options: one dollar, three dollars, or five dollars. The Spanish Latte, the house specialty at $6.75, has suggestions ranging from 15 to 74 percent tip. "No tip" is an option as well. The decision to tip is made by the guest, not through small change, but by pointing directly at the screen.

In New York, the government has recently passed a law requiring delivery apps like Uber and Doordash to ask customers about tipping when paying. These apps, including Uber and Doordash, have challenged the requirement in court. President Donald Trump previously provided tax benefits for tipping. However, consumers feel pressured by these requests and believe they have become overwhelming.

According to Michael Lynn, a consumer researcher at Cornell University who has published numerous studies on tipping, these requests have not succeeded in changing tipping norms. Guests are testing their rebellion, subtly demanding payment through the screen, which is a question of power: who pays the wages – the employer or the customer?

The debate takes place at the cash register, in restaurants, in politics, and even in Germany, where card terminals now ask the same question.