As I stood staring at the screen, the tip buttons—20%, 25%, even 50%—blinked back at me like a test I hadn’t studied for. Not knowing the answer, I felt a jolt of panic.

A line had formed behind me, and I could practically feel the eyes on my back. In my mind, they were all silently judging, waiting to see which button I’d hit. I quickly looked for the button for "no tip," but, under pressure, guilt made the decision for me. I tapped 20%.

Here’s the thing, though: I wasn’t at a restaurant. I also wasn’t picking up takeout. I was at a gas station, where I had pumped my own gas, grabbed my own water and candy, and walked myself to the counter—yet somehow, I was being asked for a tip.

It feels like, sometime over the past few years, tipping has quietly expanded into every corner of daily life. Restaurants and coffee shops? Of course, but this is nothing new. Drive-thru windows? This is new. But I can see why. But self-checkout kiosks? This is where things get confusing.

Screens spin around before you've had a chance to process, and social pressure joins in. And........

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