A Utah man, Brian Powell, 45, became the center of attention when he shared a video of a pricing anomaly at a Shake Shack kiosk. The incident began when his wife noticed a price increase after she opted not to leave a tip while purchasing milkshakes at the Salt Lake City airport location. Initially doubtful, Powell recounted how his wife returned to him with the curious observation.
Powell explained during a Zoom interview from London that he decided to investigate further. He mentioned visiting the Shake Shack location multiple times previously without encountering such an issue. To verify, he and his wife recreated their order while recording it on his phone.
“We basically went up and duplicated our order, and the same thing happened,” Powell stated.
In the video, two milkshakes priced at $5.99 each increased to $6.49 each after selecting ‘no tip.’ Shake Shack responded to the controversy by clarifying that this was due to a technology error, not company policy. The airport location operates under the licensee HMSHost, which conducted an investigation and resolved the issue.
A spokesperson for Shake Shack assured, “It is not Shake Shack policy, nor that of our licensees, to increase the price of menu items when no tip is added.” The company affirmed ongoing collaboration with licensed partners to ensure customer satisfaction.
Powell, unaware of the significant attention his video would attract, edited and posted it during a delayed flight. Social media engagement surged unexpectedly, overwhelming Powell with comments. He reflected on the broader implications of tipping culture, noting personal frustration with the charges incurred by opting for ‘no tip.’
“The entire video was kind of generated by my frustration that, you know, here I was being charged for something I didn’t necessarily feel like I should have been charged for,” Powell expressed.
Powell might revisit the Salt Lake City kiosk upon his return to verify if the pricing issue has been addressed. His anecdote highlights the growing frustrations among Americans regarding tipping systems at self-service establishments.