Woman shares who she won't be tipping in 2024, and not everyone agrees
One thing we can all agree on: Tipping culture has gotten way out of hand.

Not everyone agrees with her list.
If you’ve found yourself frustrated after seeing pesky tipping options pop-up literally everywhere you spend money (even at self checkout, seriously?), know you are not alone. Tipflation is leaving many people drawing up newer, stricter spending boundaries for 2024.
Take Justice, for example.
In a video posted to her TikTok, the Chicago-based content creator recently shared her list of services she will absolutely, with zero guilt, “NOT be tipping” for this year, stating that “tipping culture is OUT of control.”
While her sentiments resonated with viewers, not everyone agreed with who she’d be cutting off.
Justice started with food and dining spots that would not be receiving an extra sum.
"I’m not tipping at the drive-thru. I’m not tipping for fro-yo. I’m not tipping for Auntie Anne’s. Yes, they ask for tips there now, and I’m not tipping on to-go orders,” she said in the clip.
This is probably the one that had the least amount of controversy, as a lot of these require more effort from the customer than the worker. As one commenter put it, “ Tipping for fro-yo I made myself is CRAZY.”
However, one person argued that “a lot of full service restaurants have a ‘to-go specialists’ to pack up orders and they make the same tipped employee wage as servers (so like $5/hr) so plz consider leaving them at least 10%.”
Next up on Justice’s list: “Anyone who sets their own prices.”
“I will absolutely not be tipping you. The whole point of tipping a service professional is that you’re paying the business like double or triple what the employee is actually making during that service. So if you’re both the business and the servicing employee, why would I pay more on top of that, if you’re going to obtain the full 100% of what I pay? Doesn’t make any sense,” she said.
This mainly included beauty service professionals, which many folks came in to defend.
One person countered, “Yes they are getting 100% but if they are they're most likely paying for color, booth rent, foils, etc.”
Another echoed “I think tipping when it comes to services, like nails, lashes, etc is a good thing to do bc it’s complimenting their service and helps keep them in business to buy all the extra things to make it, wow✨.”
Still, one hairstylist came in to say, “Tips are appreciated but never expected. A lot of people save up for a hair appointment and it’s OK not to tip.”
Lastly, Justice said she would not be tipping medical professionals, explaining that “If you need a medical qualification or license in order to administer the service to me, I’m not giving you a tip because it’s against the code of ethics to accept tips for these types of procedures.”
One person seems to have a similar souring experience, saying, “My Botox DOCTOR, yes she has a PhD, asked for a tip. For medical Botox. At a doctor’s office.”
@antidietpilot I said what i said
♬ original sound - Justice
All in all, while not everyone could get fully onboard with Justice's personal approach to tipping, everyone could agree that something needed to be done. Many even contributed their own opinions on who should and shouldn’t be tipped.
“Waitstaff, nail techs, and tattoo artists always get a good tip. Anyone else is totally optional to me,” one person wrote.
The changes to tipping culture, while obviously triggering, are only a symptom of larger issues with inflation, unlivable wages and technology moving faster than society can keep up. In some ways, fixating on this smaller, albeit annoying problem pits individuals against one another when the situation calls for more nuance. We miss getting the chance to discuss how our world is beginning to feel like a minefield of scams constantly trying to drain our bank accounts…all because we don’t feel that we should have to tip our barista that extra $1.
In reality, they probably should get it for a job well done. But it’s also true that they should be paid more. It’s probably also true that you should be paid more as well. It’s the system—and the kinds of people it turns us into—that we should be criticizing.
- Is tipping culture out of control? A former server explains why she won't tip at Starbucks. ›
- Customers hate tipping before they're served and it's bad for business, study shows ›
- The uncomfortable truth about tipping, explained with stick figures. ›
- PhD students shares her plan for a 'no-buy' year in 2024 - Upworthy ›
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.