Millionaire pop star Harry Styles has faced backlash for calling out the "out of control" prices of coffee and the tipping culture in America. Styles, 32, made the comments during a performance at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
During his Halloween-themed concert, Styles joked that the "scariest thing" about the holiday was the cost of coffee. He stated he paid $10 for a cappuccino, calling the price "astronomical" and "out of control." He also expressed dismay at being asked to tip on top of the high price, noting the expectation of 20, 22, or 24 percent. "It's out of control," he said on stage.
A video clip of his speech was shared on TikTok, where it gained traction and divided viewers. Some users supported Styles, agreeing with his sentiments about the cost of goods and services. However, many others criticized him, deeming his remarks "tone deaf" given the prices of his own concert tickets.
Previously, tickets for Styles' 30-night New York City residency were priced as high as $1,667 for VIP packages, with regular tickets ranging from $50 to $1,182.40. This pricing had previously drawn criticism, with some fans calling him "greedy" and out of touch.
Critics pointed out the apparent hypocrisy of Styles complaining about high prices while charging thousands for concert admission. "Mind you his ticket prices are $1,000," one user commented on the TikTok video. Another added, "His dumba*s complaining about that when he charges people thousands lol just hypocritical."
Conversely, some fans defended Styles, with one commenter noting that his ticket prices were more reasonable compared to other artists. Another user argued that Styles was "tone deaf for admitting that the US has gone too far with the tipping culture since NO OTHER country does it? Y'all just be saying anything."
Styles' residency at Madison Square Garden concluded on Halloween night. His current global residency tour is scheduled to continue through December 2026.