A TikTok video has stirred controversy after a man shared footage of himself and his wife using a self-checkout kiosk at Shake Shack to purchase milkshakes. The couple claimed the price of their shakes went up after choosing not to leave a tip.
In response to these allegations, Shake Shack, a prominent fast-food chain located in Utah, USA, has refuted the viral claims suggesting that their self-checkout kiosks penalize customers who opt not to tip.
The TikTok video showcases the couple at a Shake Shack, where they specifically use the self-service kiosk to order three milkshakes. This video quickly gained traction, raising questions about the tipping system.
As the video unfolds, the man explains to the audience, “My wife says that if you don’t tip at Shake Shack, they make it more expensive per item, so we’re about to find out.” This statement set the stage for the demonstration that followed.
The video then continues with the couple ordering milkshakes — in strawberry, vanilla, and cookies and cream flavors — priced at $5.99 each, or $6.48 if they added whipped cream. When they opted for “no tip” upon checkout, an unexpected error message appeared on the screen.
“Uh oh! There has been a pricing update on one or more of your cart items. Please review these changes in your cart,” it read.
The duo reviewed their order and saw the price of each milkshake went up by 50 cents.
Shake Shack responded to the video, which has more than 424,000 likes and the comments turned off, saying a technical issue with a licensee kiosk operator caused the issue.
“It is not Shake Shack policy, nor that of our licensees, to increase the price of menu items when no tip is added,” a spokesperson for the company told Fox News.
The company said the issue has been fixed.
The video was taken at a Shake Shack location in the Salt Lake City International Airport, according to Yahoo News.