A Redditor claimed in an anti-tipping sub that the office where he got a prenatal sonogram asked for a tip upon payment. Many feel that tipping in the U.S. has gotten out of hand, but when it reaches the medical field, something has definitely gone wrong.
However, this sonogram provider might not have been medical at all—but an entertainment venue.
Tip your sonographer?
Last week, u/FireDad_01 posted a photo to the Reddit forum r/EndTipping showing one of the dreaded tipping screens on a payment card reader. The OP claimed this was for a prenatal sonogram.
"Excited to get a peek at our little bundle of joy. Couldn't believe afterwards when she ran the card and showed me the tip screen," he wrote. "What are we even doing here, people?"
The total for the ultrasound was $85.30, which means that even a measly 10 percent tip would have been $8.53.
Some Redditors found it hard to believe that any medical office would ask for a tip. The sweatshirt bearing the title "sonographer" increased suspicions until others started talking about entertainment sonograms.
That is, apparently, a real thing that exists in the universe.
"This is definitely an 'entertainment' ultrasound place," said u/Minnie_Van_Tassle. "Nothing diagnostic happening, it’s basically fancy photography. So not a medical visit, not an OB/GYN. Still idk if tipping is warranted here, but it’s not like a Dr office is asking for a tip."
It's true. Entertainment ultrasounds—also called "elective" or "keepsake" ultrasounds—are non-medical imaging procedures that can generate 3D or 4D representations of a fetus. Customers can then buy photos or videos to bring home and determine the presumed sex of the baby.
The practice is controversial due to the fact that these entertainment sonographers are not trained medical professionals and cannot identify if something is wrong with the fetus or reassure parents if something looks off. There may even be long-term health effects from too much ultrasound exposure.
According to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, organizations like the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) "strongly discourage the non-medical use of ultrasound for psychosocial or entertainment purposes."
"I refuse to tip for this nonsense"
In that context, the tip screen at the sonogram place gets a little more believable. Even if it wasn't a medical office, Redditors were eager to air their grievances over the tipping issue.
"Another business trying to offload their employees’ income on to us," u/Amandamargret complained. "I refuse to tip for this nonsense."
"Tipping doesn’t mean anything nowadays, it’s literally just panhandling," wrote u/Sad-Rooster2474. "It has lost its meaning of appreciation it’s just used to inflate the net income of companies. It’s going to pop everywhere."
"Gonna start doing this in the ER," u/Extreme_Design6936 predicted. "Unconscious? Automatic 20%."
Even cashiers seem to be getting tired of the tipping screen and are skipping it for customers.
"I think whatever transaction merchant they use has a default tip screen and the clinic either doesn’t know how to remove it, doesn’t care, or the staff don’t skip it for you before they give you the device to finish," said u/Famous-Barracuda-972.
"I went to a shop a few times, and every time that I asked for a tip, the cashier would skip it and then have me sign it, whatever."
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