Does tipping culture make interactions like this awkward for anyone else?

I recently stayed at a hotel where overnight valet parking was $60. When I checked out, the valet brought my car around and was genuinely friendly. He offered to load my luggage into the trunk, opened my door, and we had a pleasant interaction.

The only thing that made it awkward was that after everything was done, he just stood next to my car for several seconds without saying anything. It felt like he was waiting for a tip. I ended up driving off, and when I looked in my rearview mirror, he looked disappointed

Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but it took what had been a genuinely pleasant interaction and made it feel uncomfortable.

What makes it even stranger to me is that I had already paid $60 just for the overnight valet service. At that point, I couldn't help but wonder: if I'm already paying a premium for the service, why am I still expected to pay extra directly to the employee?

I have nothing against tipping when I genuinely want to show appreciation. What I don't like is the uncertainty of not knowing when it's expected or feeling like declining makes me seem rude or ungrateful.

Does anyone else feel like tipping culture has made interactions like this less genuine? Or am I just overthinking it?