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A cashier's comment about my $52 tap made me rethink everything
Last week at a coffee shop in Portland, I tapped my card for a $52 grocery pickup and the cashier said, 'nice, no coins to lose, right?' It hit me that I've been so focused on convenience I forgot about the tips I give my drivers or the little cash I keep for the neighborhood kid who shovels my walk... he only takes paper. I used to think cashless was just progress, but hearing her say it like that made me realize how many small local exchanges rely on bills to work. Has anyone else had a moment where a stranger's offhand line flipped your stance on this whole debate?
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davidkim1mo ago
The 18% tip I left in the app last month for my regular delivery driver went straight to the company's pool, not to her. She told me she only gets about half of what people think they're tipping, and that's when I started carrying a $20 bill again. So yeah, the apps work fine for the act of tipping, but the money doesn't always land where you think it will. That shovel kid is part of it, but so is every cash-only taco truck and the older guy who fixes my bike for cash.
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logan6581mo ago
Hold up though, the driver tips and the shovel kid are kind of different things. Most delivery apps let you tip cash, sure, but tons of people tip right in the app and that works fine. The real issue is just the kid with the shovel, he's the one getting left out.
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