Got called cheap by my friend for not tipping at the Starbucks drive thru.

I was at the Starbucks drive-thru and on the phone with a friend, and I had him on speaker. When the payment screen came up and the barista said the screen is going to ask a question (aka for a tip), I pressed “No Tip.” Immediately, he loudly said, “Are you tipping? Cheap a**, you probably didn’t tip.”

I was so uncomfortable because the barista could literally hear the entire conversation. I was paying with Apple Pay, so my phone was right there and the call was on speaker, and everything was happening in front of the employee.

Then, even after I left, he kept saying over the phone that he couldn’t believe I didn’t tip, especially because I asked for a grande drink in a venti cup. I also asked for a cup of water, and he said I should tip for that too.

It’s one thing for someone to personally believe in tipping (personally I only tip when I get served). It’s another thing to loudly shame me over a tip while I’m sitting in my car with the barista listening.

The whole interaction was embarrassing and made me really uncomfortable.

At this point, I honestly don’t really want to pick up the phone again. It’s not even just about the tip. It’s the way he spoke to me and put me on the spot over something that had nothing to do with him.

My friend has not left the U.S. in 20 years whereas I travel internationally pretty often and I’m originally from a country that doesn’t tip (not that it matters as I moved here when I was 7).