03/28/2026
One Year of No-Tipping ☕️
About a year ago, we decided to take the tipping option off the card reader at Doe.
Now that some time has passed, we wanted to be honest about what that choice has looked like for us, for our team, and for the people who come in every day.
For our customers 🫶
The biggest thing has probably been just making checkout feel simpler. No awkward pause at the machine. No extra math at the end. A lot of people have told us they really appreciate that.
What’s also been really touching is how supportive some of you have been. There have been plenty of moments where people still tried to hand us a tip even after we said no. That kind of generosity doesn’t go unnoticed, and it means a lot to us.
For our staff 👀
This is the part people ask us about most.
Are our staff well paid? Honestly, that depends on what you’re comparing it to. Our entry-level baristas are paid 20% above minimum wage.
That said, this model is not easy for the business to carry. But what it does give our team is something tips usually can’t, which is stability. Their pay doesn’t swing around depending on how busy or slow the week is. And if you work in coffee, you know there are a lot of slow weeks in a year.
Why we’ve stuck with it 🧡
At the end of the day, we want the price to be the price. We want what you pay to reflect the quality and experience we’re trying to give, instead of leaving part of that to an awkward moment at checkout.
We also believe that taking care of our staff should be on us as a business. Not something that quietly gets passed on to the customer. That way, our team can focus on the people in front of them.
Just to be clear ✍️
We’re not saying this is the right model for every business. It’s just the one that feels right for Doe, and the one we’ve chosen to keep growing with.
