> But today, who's getting tips in cash?

Every server who waits on me.

I make it a point to carry cash and tip the waitstaff in cash even if I pay the bill on my credit card.

1) Tips on credit cards are a "dark pattern" meant to increase the house rake of the credit card handling companies.

2) Tips on credit cards are controlled by the owner and often never make it to the waitstaff.

I can short circuit this by giving my servers tips in cash.

> who's getting tips in cash?

About half of the large tips at high end restaurants in my town are cash. Sounds like it is about a third in New York. Especially if it is folks who work at a restaurant.

Exactly. My girlfriend who works in sales (sells food) in LA barely gets tips in cash. Most people use their cards. And thus, her tips are tax deductible.

tbf it's one of the few times i try to carry cash.

I just don't trust management of places not to take a cut if it's done digitally.

I should have specified that I live in the east-coast United States. Tap-to-pay is almost as common as someone writing you a paper check or an IOU, out here.