Marriott App Now Prompts You to Tip Staff – So Hotels Can Cut Wage Costs
14 hours ago
- #tipping-culture
- #labor-wages
- #hospitality-industry
- Marriott introduces a new app feature for tipping hotel employees, processed by a third-party service.
- The feature aims to shift wage costs from hotels to guests, potentially allowing hotels to pay lower wages.
- QR code tipping has expanded in hospitality, including front desk staff and shuttle drivers, often with high service fees.
- Hotels use tipping to reduce labor costs, as tips are seen as incremental revenue rather than an expense.
- Concerns exist about whether tips fully reach employees due to third-party fees and potential deductions.
- Some guests prefer cash tips to ensure employees receive the full amount and to avoid supporting the tipping structure.
- Criticism includes the awkwardness for guests and the shift of wage responsibility from employers to customers.
- The practice reflects broader issues in tipping culture, with some viewing it as incentivizing service while others see it as exploitative.
- Marriott's move is seen as catering to hotel owners' interests, potentially at the expense of guest experience and employee wages.