238. Tipping Points: Notes on a Service Industry Gone Mad

Dan is joined in-studio by WWD's Official Brooklyn Correspondent Scott Alexander for a lively, in-depth discussion about a service industry and tipping culture gone mad. The fellas take on “tipflation”— the proliferation of bars, restaurants and other establishments implementing digital payment checkout systems that prompt customers to select the gratuity rate before any service has even been rendered (if at all). They also discuss the rise in pricey dining experiences in which customers are expected to order from menus on their phones rather than from, y'know, actual human beings (with the added BS of having their data mined), yet incredibly are still expected to leave 20-plus percent gratuities.... FOR WHO? FOR WHAT? Oh, and let's not forget about the all-powerful delivery app companies, which over the past few years have fleeced us, their drivers and the restaurants to the tune of billions of dollars in profit. Get ready, cuz things get feisty on this episode! Our Sponsors:* Check out Diet Smoke and use my code WWDPOD20 for a great deal: https://www.dietsmoke.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.