At an airport self-checkout, a TikTok user says he was asked to add an 18% tip while paying for a single bottle of water, despite seeing no staff nearby.
Here's what to know
According to The Daily Dot, a video posted on October 17 showed TikTok creator Clay Moss (@drclaymoss) stopping for water before a flight and encountering a tip prompt at the kiosk. As of publication, the clip had reached 208,800 views.
@drclaymoss If you don't tip nobody you're cheap!
♬ original sound - Clay Moss, MD
He tapped 0% after scanning the bottle, then, to prove the point, he swept the camera across the self-service area, where no workers were visible, and asked, "Who am I tipping here?"
The video highlighted a form of digital "tip creep"—a gratuity prompt during a self-checkout purchase where the customer does all the work — that can make an ordinary transaction feel less like a service exchange and more like an automatic pressure point.
While annoyed about this particular tip request, he made sure to point out in the caption, "If you don't tip nobody you're cheap!"
More background
After rejecting the tip prompt, he smiled and asked, "Is this what we have come to?"
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Reaction in the comments leaned in his favor. One commenter joked that using self-checkout should have earned him a 20% discount, since he was doing the work himself.
Another wrote, "I think six and a half bucks for a bottle of water is ridiculous, let alone the tip and tax."
Airport purchases are often rushed, unavoidable, and time-sensitive. An unexpected tip screen on a bottle of water can leave travelers feeling nickel-and-dimed when they've already overpaid for a flight due to rising fuel prices.
What can be done?
Customers don't have to accept a suggested 18% gratuity just because a screen prompts it at checkout.
The video also served as pushback. By filming the unattended self-service area immediately after the prompt appeared, the creator turned a private annoyance into a public question about who benefits when tipping requests become automatic.
At self-checkout, the final screen may require a closer look before payment, especially in places such as airports where purchases happen quickly.
For businesses using self-service kiosks, clearer, more transparent checkout design would be helpful. An 18% tip prompt at an unattended station may bring in extra money in some cases, but it can also break down trust in places that should feel simple and straightforward.
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