Over the last few years, we have been observing a paradox. On one hand, people have become more grateful and involved: they want to thank other people not only with words, but with actions. Tipping is not just a tradition; it is a form of gratitude first and foremost.
On the other hand, cash is disappearing from everyday life as it’s being replaced by digital money, a process further boosted by the Covid pandemic. As a result, more and more people want to say thank you by giving a tip, but simply can’t because they have no cash on them — and find themselves red-faced because a tip is expected somewhere along the way.

At the same time, 2021 has been a big year for tipping in the restaurant industry. When most of the countries were under lockdown in 2020-2021, essential workers were celebrated as national heroes. They were applauded for risking their lives to take care of others and to keep the economy running—and tipped big. Also, cashless. And mostly anonymously. The customers, servers, and business-owners have never before needed that personal touch as much as they did in this period of isolation, and not only to make ends meet. The iTips digital tip system creates a new culture: the culture of gratuity. We remind people that gratefulness can be multifaceted, and it works both ways. Guests feel like better persons, generous and included in human relations; the receiver of the tip feels appreciated both as a person and a professional. That is, aside from the obvious advantages of higher service quality and higher income, respectively. At the same time, business owners see their business not only work better, but also becoming meaningful for everyone involved.