Shake Shack said a viral TikTok video that stirred up controversy over alleged surcharges for customers who did not tip was due to a technology glitch.
The clarification by the fast-food restaurant chain comes after a TikTok video sparked online backlash over what appeared to be a penalty for customers who did not tip, USA Today reported.
B.D. Powell said he wondered if his wife’s theory about Shake Shack adding a surcharge to each individual item when the “no-tip option” was chosen was true, according to the newspaper.
A customer's claim that non-tippers are being charged more at Shake Shack has recently gone viral and the chain has something to say about it. https://t.co/okw5ZwNxxj
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) August 11, 2026
They tested the theory at a self-serve kiosk at Salt Lake City International Airport.
“My wife says that if you don’t tip at Shake Shack, they make it more expensive per item,” Powell said in an Aug. 8 post on TikTok. “So, we’re about to find out.”
The couple ordered two shakes at $5.99 and one with whipped cream added for $6.49, but when they tapped the “no tip” option, they noticed that the price had gone up to $6.49 for two of the shakes and $6.98 for the shake with whipped cream.
“Uh-oh! There has been a pricing update on one or more of your cart items,” a pop-up message stated.
“Every item went up by 50 cents,” Powell says in the video.
In a statement, Shake Shack said it was aware of the video, adding that the kiosk in Salt Lake City was operated by HMSHost.
“It is not Shake Shack policy, nor that of our licensees, to increase the price of menu items when no tip is added,” Shake Shack said. “HMSHost investigated the matter and determined it was an error within their kiosk technology unrelated to tipping. They have informed us that the issue has been resolved.
“We’ll continue working with all our licensed partners to make sure every guest is taken care of at Shake Shack.”
According to its website, HMSHost operates more than 1,000 dining locations across nearly 80 airports in North America.
Shake Shack, in its annual filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission in December 2025, had 420 U.S. locations at the end of 2025, nearly 90% of which were operated by the company.
© 2026 Cox Media Group
