🚀 Project Ideas
Generating project ideas…
Summary
- Automatically detects and dismisses tip prompts on POS terminals (Square, Toast, Clover, etc.) via a browser extension/userscript, setting tip to $0 or closing the screen.
- Eliminates the guilt and friction of having to manually hit "no tip" in counter‑service or retail settings where tipping is inappropriate.
Details
| Key |
Value |
| Target Audience |
Consumers who frequently encounter tip prompts at self‑checkout, retail, counter‑service venues |
| Core Feature |
Auto‑select $0 tip or auto‑close tip prompt on known POS UIs |
| Tech Stack |
JavaScript, userscript (Tampermonkey/Greasemonkey), optional ML for OCR |
| Difficulty |
Medium |
| Monetization |
Hobby |
Notes
- HN users lamented "It's insane how it takes advantage of good people who feel like they're doing something wrong for hitting 'no tip'..." and wished for easier zero tip.
- Could spark discussion on norm‑setting and inspire POS vendors to adopt opt‑out defaults.
Summary
- Crowdsourced web map where users tag establishments with their tipping policy (expected, optional, none, service‑charge‑included, charity round‑up, etc.).
- Lets diners see at a glance whether a tip is expected or hidden, reducing surprise and frustration.
Details
| Key |
Value |
| Target Audience |
Travelers, tip‑averse consumers, and anyone who wants to avoid unexpected tip prompts |
| Core Feature |
Searchable map with filters (tip % expected, service charge, no tip, etc.) and user‑submitted tags |
| Tech Stack |
React + Mapbox GL, Node.js/Express backend, PostgreSQL |
| Difficulty |
Medium |
| Monetization |
Revenue-ready: freemium API access for businesses and premium analytics |
Notes
- Commenters asked "Why would you tip at a retail store?" and wanted to know if tip is expected before ordering.
- Provides practical utility for travelers and could drive market pressure on venues to adopt clear policies.
Summary
- Browser extension that scans online menus (restaurant sites, delivery platforms) and injects the total price including local tax and a suggested tip (or service charge) so users see the full cost before ordering.
- Addresses the pain of hidden service charges and tip expectations that make the advertised price misleading.
Details
| Key |
Value |
| Target Audience |
Online diners who order via websites or apps and want to avoid surprise charges |
| Core Feature |
Automatically adds tax + tip estimate to each menu item and displays a “total” badge |
| Tech Stack |
JavaScript, content scripts, optional regex/menu‑parsing library |
| Difficulty |
Low |
| Monetization |
Hobby |
Notes
- Users complained about hidden service charges ("If I see 'service charge' I'm going to assume that it covers the tip...") and wanted prices on the label.
- Could be extended to warn users when a venue adds an undeclared service charge, prompting discussion on fair pricing.
Summary
- Simple web tool that converts a worker’s current tipped income (base wage + average tips) into an equivalent base wage needed to maintain
- Monetization: Hobby
