Marriott is rolling out a new feature in its mobile app, which is sure to be controversial. I can’t decide whether to be annoyed at the implications, or just accept that if I’m going to have to tip, making it easy is good.

Marriott tries to make digital tipping easier… yay?

As reported on Reddit, the latest update to the Marriott app includes the following new feature:

Had a great stay? Show your appreciation by tipping hotel associates directly in the app with the new Digital Tipping feature.

From the Tray Table reports that a spokesperson has confirmed this is correct, and that this is already live at around 1,500 service in the United States and Canada (though I haven’t experienced it yet — has anyone else?).

This is being facilitated through an undisclosed third party, so the tip doesn’t appear on your folio, you don’t earn Bonvoy bonus points, etc.

What’s not entirely clear to me is the logistics. This is an opportunity to tip one specific employee, rather than the staff overall? How will you be able to identify Marriott employees? Are you leaving a generic tip for your housekeeper, or can you ask a friendly employee for their “code” so that you can tip them, or something?

I’m conflicted about making digital tipping easier

Of course the concern is that the easier you make it to tip, the more employers essentially pass on the cost of labor to customers, in order to pad their bottom lines. Will we eventually be pressured into tipping for interactions that previously wouldn’t have typically come with a tip expectation?

At the same time, I think that in-app tipping is almost just a way to catch up with the times, and a logical development:

• Many hotels already have QR codes or envelopes in rooms so that you can tip housekeeping, so this would just be another way to facilitate that
• There are hotel employees in the United States who do generally expect tips, so making it easier to tip those people seems like a positive (again, for those who intend to tip)
• I’m also really frustrated nowadays when trying to tip in cash, by the lack of change at hotels; often the hotel front desk doesn’t have change for a $20, and the shuttle bus driver can’t break a $20 either

So yeah, my real feelings on this depend on the execution, so that’s why I’d love to hear any firsthand experiences.

Bottom line

Marriott is rolling out digital tipping in its app, and it’s apparently already live at around 1,500 properties. With this, Marriott works with a third party for tipping, so that it’s otherwise separate from the hotel group.

I certainly don’t love the precedent this sets, and the potential increase in the number of employees who will solicit tips. At the same time, it does seem there should be better options in place for facilitating tipping, in situations where guests want to.

But yeah, we’re talking about Marriott here, so… I’m skeptical. I just picture a world where name tags are replaced by tipping QR codes.

What do you make of Marriott’s new in-app digital tipping?