Thanks for the comment, Max! It's certainly not the best comparison, but more one of those "symbols of how progressive you are," if that makes sense, in many of our circles. There are some political divisions when it comes to tipping, as a Pew Research Center poll about the changes in the practice since 2023 did find that more liberals than conservatives are not likely to see quality of service as a major determinant to tip.

From my perspective, my circles of largely younger, more progressive friends are simultaneously less supportive of Biden over the conflict and more likely to see tipping as a dogmatic obligation based on our political sensibilities. So it may just be seeing tipping as a practice more divided by political lines.

Hope that makes sense!

https://www.pewresearch.org/2023/11/09/factors-affecting-whether-and-how-much-americans-tip/