Starbucks Just Made a Change to Tipping and I Have Mixed Feelings

Starbucks recently rolled out a change to the way their baristas get tipped, and I know I should be happy about this, but unfortunately it’s bringing up my mixed feelings about American tipping culture, Starbucks’ never-ending workers rights controversies, and the price of the average coffee in 2026. So let’s talk about it.

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Starbucks is expanding opportunities for customers to tip and giving bonuses to employees in high-performing stores.

To be clear: Both of these things are good changes. While tipping was previously available for in-store and drive-through orders, mobile orders using debit or credit cards didn’t have a tipping option. This change addresses that—now you have the option to tip on every mobile order. This is important, because mobile orders have become a huge part of Starbucks ordering, accounting for 32% of all orders, according to GeekWire. 

Starbucks will also be giving out performance-based bonuses for locations that meet and exceed goals each quarter. Baristas and shift supervisors can earn $300 per quarter if their coffeehouse meets sales targets, operational standards, and customer service goals. Look, we love to see it. The national average wage for baristas is around $14.73 an hour, according to PayScale, and that data combines higher paying areas (like California) with lower paying areas. Any more money in employee pockets is a big win—as long as those quarterly goals are actually attainable. 

I will reiterate once more: These changes are good things. But…

Starbucks is still not supportive of their workers’ right to unionize. Meanwhile, their prices have naturally inflated with the rest of the economy. 

It’s hard not to read these new changes as an attempt at good PR at the expense of customers, not Starbucks the employer. Bonuses are great, but they don’t guarantee more income to the majority of Starbucks’ employees. The real headline here is that Starbucks is making sure customers can tip on more orders—but even that feels a little hollow, since a large portion of loyal Starbucks patrons scan their app to pay for orders at checkout. And there’s still no tipping feature for that. 

But should there be? The only thing separating the cost of a Starbucks drink from the cost of a drink at my local Los Angeles coffee shop is a tip. I think Starbucks knows the more they pressure customers to tip regularly, the more business they lose. Tipping culture is already reaching a breaking point in the U.S. We can’t subsidize the wages of billion dollar companies’ employees—even billion dollar companies with a declining net income. End of story. 

Am I being too harsh? If so, go ahead and yell at me in the comments. It’s my kink. Okay, bye!!