{
  "id": 2930904,
  "title": "Gastronomie: Verbraucherschützer monieren Tricks bei Trinkgeld per Karte",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/gastronomie-verbraucherschutzer-monieren-tricks-bei-trinkgeld-per",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-24T03:00:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/gastronomie-verbraucherschuetzer-monieren-tricks-bei-trinkgeld-per-karte/100249181.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "Consumers' advocates and the trade union are warning of tricks in gratuities paid by card at restaurants. Often, diners are willing to leave a small or large tip, but when the bill is paid via card, electronic readers often display preset options: 7 percent, 10 percent, or even 20 percent. The quickness of choosing can cause some guests stress. Consumer advocates and the trade union also warn against subtle influence. Ramona Pop, the head of the Consumer Center Federal Association, told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur: \"The option to refuse or choose the amount of tip should be clearly visible at first glance.\" The association is therefore calling for a ban on \"manipulative design tricks\" at the European level, similar to those found on websites or apps. When should one choose \"no tip\"? \"On the card payment, they appear when the option to give no tip is hidden or less visible,\" Pop explained. This aims to place fields with preset percentage suggestions larger or more visually striking than other choices. There is a field for \"custom entry\" or \"other amount\" when rounding up to the nearest whole euro without percentages, and a field for \"no tip\" on digital payment devices. Three quarters (76 percent) of people support the visibility and ease of selecting no tip or a lower amount, according to a survey commissioned by the association. However, half of the respondents and 36 percent feel pressured or influenced. The chef of the Consumer Center, Ramona Pop, stated that it must be clearly visible at first glance how guests can refuse or choose the amount of tip. The industry points to a change in payment habits among many guests. \"More and more people are paying without cash and using card or mobile payment,\" said Jürgen Benad, a legal expert for the German Hotel and Restaurant Association. Integrating tip options in card terminals offers an additional way to express appreciation and makes it easier even without cash. \"Voluntary gratitude from the guest,\" said Benad. While service, atmosphere, and food quality also play a role, one can always choose not to give a tip. \"Whether and to what extent a guest tips is always a personal decision,\" said Benad. A survey presented in the spring by the Digital association Bitkom showed skepticism about preset options when paying with a card. According to the poll of 1,004 people aged 16 and up, 29 percent felt that preset amounts led to more tips than originally planned. The trade union Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten (NGG) also sees potential in digital tip functions for employees, but emphasizes the need for transparency and no subtle pressure. \"Digital tips must arrive just as fully, transparently, and traceable as cash,\" said the trade union's head, Guido Zeitler. The union stresses the importance of a voluntary decision from guests, free from any pressure.",
  "summary": "Beim Auswärts-Essen kommt am Ende die Rechnung, und viele geben netten Bedienungen dann auch etwas mehr. Das geht nicht nur bar. Verbraucherschützer kritisieren „Designtricks“ bei digitalen Optionen.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}