Marriott just launched digital tipping, and I’m conflicted

Zach Griff

7 hours ago

ZACH GRIFF

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The next time you check out of a Marriott hotel, you might be prompted to leave a tip.

That’s thanks to a new in-app tipping feature that the chain quietly launched earlier this week.

Marriott Bonvoy digital tipping

Whether you want to thank housekeeping or show appreciation to the concierge, the Marriott Bonvoy app now includes a Digital Tipping option that lets you send a tip without pulling out your wallet.

I haven’t personally been able to use the feature yet, but it’s already live at about 1,500 select U.S. and Canadian properties, a Marriott spokesperson told me.

Note that sending a digital tip is (mostly) an altruistic move. You won’t earn any bonus Bonvoy points, and the charge won’t appear on your hotel folio. That means business travelers can’t easily expense the tip as part of a single bill.

A third-party vendor is running the back-end processing of this new feature. (The chain didn’t confirm which vendor it’s using, but my hunch is Canary Technologies.)

It also remains to be seen how the charge codes on your credit card will be coded, though I’d expect it to post as general, unbonused spend.

Either way, it’s an interesting move from Marriott.

Over the past few years, I’ve seen many more hotels solicit tips via QR codes, handwritten notes, and even cold asks at checkout.

In some ways, this tipping feature is helpful. If you’re planning to tip but don’t have small bills — or don’t love the idea of leaving cash in your room and wondering who will ultimately collect it — being able to send money digitally could be convenient.

Thoughts on digital tipping

But personally, I’m torn.

And no, that’s not because I don’t think housekeepers or concierges who go above and beyond deserve a few extra dollars. (In fact, if you tuned into my Instagram this week, you saw that I have a pretty extensive list of people whom I’m tipping this holiday season.)

My hesitation boils down to transparency. I’d love to know that the tip goes directly to the specific employee (or team) I’m trying to recognize. While I haven’t tried Marriott’s new solution yet, I have encountered a similar QR code-based feature at other hotels, and the experience hasn’t been great.

The interfaces were clunky, and more importantly, there was no clear way to earmark funds for a specific employee or workgroup.

So call me old school, but in my mind, cash (tips) is still king.

Zach Griff Author

Zach Griff is a travel expert who’s covered airlines, loyalty programs, credit cards, and travel tech for nearly a decade. He’s visited 60+ countries and regularly shares his insights across Instagram, TikTok and X — and at From the Tray Table.