How to Tip at a Coffee Shop

Coffee shops have quickly become the happening places to be. The problem people seem to be running into however is how much, when, how and where you should tip. Coffee shop etiquette is a little different from normal restaurant etiquette and takes a little bit of getting used to.  

• Assess the situation. Your reason for visiting the coffee shop needs to be examined. If you are only there to pick up a quick cup of black coffee to go then you wouldn’t tip much. However, if you are going to set up shop in one of the booths to read for the day, you need to leave more of a tip. The harder your order is to fill the more you need to tip your barrister.


• Understand that tipping in a coffee shop is completely voluntary. You are not by any means required to leave a tip. In coffee shops, unlike restaurants, you do most of the work yourself. In many coffee shops there are tip jars set up and a guaranty is added to credit cards. You are not required to tip but tipping would be appreciated.


• Determine the tip by how much the bill is going to be. This is very important as bills in coffee shops are typically only a couple of bucks.


• Tip at a coffee shop if you know for sure that the barristers work solely on tips. Many coffee shops do not pay an hourly wage. There are normally signs posted for you to see at the counter stating if the employees work for tips only.


• Think about the service you received before you consider whether to leave a tip. If the barrister was backed up and had no help then that is a situation that cannot be helped and you would probably tip them anyway. On the other hand if the barrister was on his cell phone and just ignoring the customers in line, then a tip is not deserved and certainly need not be given.