Shake Shack said a technology error caused a kiosk to increase a customer's total after they selected the option to not leave a tip.
The incident highlights growing consumer anxiety regarding "tip creep" and the transparency of automated payment systems in the U.S. food industry.
The situation gained attention through a viral video that has reached more than four million views [1]. The footage shows a self-checkout kiosk at a licensed airport location where the total price jumped immediately after the customer declined a gratuity.
Brian Powell, a 45-year-old customer from Utah [2], recorded the interaction. Powell said, "I didn’t believe her when she told me what had happened."
Shake Shack responded to the backlash by stating the incident was an isolated software issue. A spokesperson said, "It was a technology error at one of our licensed airport locations." The company said, "We do not charge customers more for skipping the tip."
The company did not specify the exact nature of the glitch or whether other locations were affected by the same software error. The event occurred in 2024, when the video first began circulating on social media platforms [3].
Despite the company's explanation, the video sparked a wider conversation about the ethics of digital tipping prompts. Many users expressed frustration with the prevalence of kiosks that request tips for counter service, regardless of whether the software functions correctly.
“"We do not charge customers more for skipping the tip."”
This incident reflects a broader tension between the hospitality industry's shift toward digital tipping and consumer resistance to automated prompts. While Shake Shack attributed the price increase to a glitch, the rapid viral spread of the video suggests a high level of public skepticism toward the pricing integrity of self-service kiosks.
