The System

This podcast explores Chicago’s tipping culture, showing how it extends beyond generosity into a system shaped by capitalism and reinforced by consumerism. Through personal stories and global comparisons, it questions who should be accountable for fair wages — employers, workers, or customers.

Welcome to the ELI’s Finding Chicago Global Perspectives Podcast Series for AEPP 2025. I’m your host, Jian-Kai, and I’m currently enrolled in the University of Chicago’s Physical Science Division Department of Chemistry.

Today’s topic is the overflowing tipping culture in Chicago.

As we know, tipping has long been considered a unique American custom. The original idea behind it was fairly simple: service workers, especially restaurant servers, typically earn very low wages, and tips were meant to fill that gap so they could have a livable income. But in Chicago today, tipping culture has gone far beyond that purpose. It feels like it’s everywhere, and sometimes it doesn’t even make sense.

For example, I once went to a Hong Kong–style restaurant in Chinatown. From handing me the menu, pouring water into our glasses, and even cleaning the table — almost everything was done by the owner himself. Of course, the menu prices were also set by him. The food was great, but when the bill came, I was still asked to leave a tip. And I couldn’t help but wonder: if the person serving me is the owner, why not just include a fixed service fee in the food prices? Why does he still need a tip? That already feels like it has drifted away from the original purpose.

And then there are even more puzzling cases. Some places don’t provide any real service at all, but still expect a tip. Once, again in Chinatown, I ordered Korean fried chicken for takeout. I used a self-service kiosk to place my order. When I finished, the machine asked me to add a tip. The worst part was that there wasn’t even a “No Tip” option. To avoid paying, I had to manually select “Custom,” type in zero, and then confirm it. That design felt manipulative — almost like I was being pressured into tipping for literally no service at all.

Tipping culture also changes how workers behave. When I first moved to Chicago, I ordered some furniture from IKEA and scheduled delivery. There were only two movers, and I had a lot of furniture. They were clearly frustrated and started complaining loudly in the elevator. Their language was so harsh that I actually felt unsafe. I worried the situation might escalate, so I decided to give them a tip. The moment I handed it over, everything changed — suddenly they were polite, efficient, and even friendly. That experience left me with a bad impression: tips weren’t a reward for good service, but more like a ransom payment to avoid bad service.

So tipping isn’t really about generosity anymore. Then what is it? Under capitalism, employers avoid paying fair wages and instead push that responsibility onto us, the customers. And here’s the twist: when we don’t tip enough, workers don’t direct their anger at the employer who set the low wages — they direct it at us. That’s how the system protects profit at the top while leaving both workers and customers frustrated.

On the other hand, consumerism adds another layer. Consumerism tells us that spending isn’t just about buying things — it’s about morality and identity. It convinces us that leaving a bigger tip makes us generous, responsible, even a better person.

And when we step back, it becomes clear: tipping culture isn’t just about a few extra dollars at the end of a meal. It’s a reflection of larger systems — capitalism shifting responsibility downward, and consumerism persuading us to accept it as normal, even moral. In other words, capitalism creates the unfair system, and consumerism keeps it alive by making tipping feel like a personal duty. This makes me wonder: if workers were simply paid fair wages, would service actually improve? Under those conditions, would tipping culture still exist? And would the tension between customers and workers finally ease?

The truth is, good service doesn’t need to be bribed. In places like Japan, where tipping doesn’t exist, service is still excellent because wages are fair and respect is built into the culture. That comparison forces us to think: is tipping really about rewarding service, or is it about protecting profit?

Either way, the overflowing tipping culture in Chicago shows us how deeply money shapes not only our economy, but also our relationships, our expectations, and even our sense of morality. And maybe the real question we should be asking is not how much to tip, but why the system is built this way in the first place.