The tip screen proliferation
Point-of-sale systems with tip prompts appeared at counter-service and quick-service businesses across New York (and the US generally) in the early 2020s. A screen suggesting 18%, 20%, or 25% at a coffee counter or a takeout window is now ubiquitous. This is not the same social obligation as restaurant tipping — counter-service workers are paid standard minimum wage in New York (unlike tipped restaurant workers who receive a lower base), and the screen is a prompt, not a requirement.
What's genuinely expected where
Sit-down restaurants: 18–22%, unchanged and non-negotiable in practice. See our full dining customs guide.
Coffee shops and counter service: genuinely optional. A dollar or rounding up is appreciated; leaving nothing is not socially stigmatised the way not tipping at a restaurant is.
Delivery apps: 10–15% minimum; the default suggested amounts on most apps (often 20%+) are set by the platforms, not by the workers.
Taxi and rideshare: 15–20% is standard; the app prompts this automatically on most platforms.
The broader context
New York has among the highest minimum wages in the US (the state minimum is significantly above the federal floor), which affects the baseline situation for all tipped workers. The restaurant industry lobbies consistently to maintain the lower tipped minimum wage structure; there are periodic legislative efforts to change it. The tip screen proliferation is partly a response to businesses trying to increase worker compensation without raising menu prices.