Americans are fed up and want these 8 things banned immediately

We have officially hit our collective breaking point. Between the shrinking candy bars and the rising cost of simply existing, the vibe shift in America is palpable. According to a 2025 YouGov tracker, national frustration climbed 15 percentage points in just eight months, with “economic anxiety” leading the charge. Even the Harris Poll confirms our patience is over, revealing that 77% of us believe companies now sell lower-quality products at higher prices. I feel it every time I look at a grocery receipt, and I know you do too.

We aren’t just complaining anymore; we want action. From the blinding lights on the highway to the digital guilt trips at the coffee shop, here are the eight things Americans want banned yesterday.

The guilt-trip tipping screen

Ever stared into the soul of a cashier while an iPad demands you tip 25% for a bottle of water? You aren’t alone in hating that “iPad spin.” Bankrate’s 2025 survey reveals that 63% of Americans hold a negative view of tipping, with 41% saying the culture is totally out of control. It’s no longer about gratitude; it’s about emotional blackmail.

I recently bought a bagel at a self-checkout kiosk, yes, a machine, and it asked for a 20% tip. Who am I tipping? The robot? Popmenu found that 66% of us feel genuine pressure to tip when these digital screens pop up, regardless of service quality. We want a ban on the “guilt tax” and a return to employers actually paying their staff.

Sneaky junk fees

Nothing ruins a vacation vibe faster than booking a $200 hotel room that magically becomes $350 at checkout. CNBC report shows that 85% of Americans have been slapped with these hidden fees, and 83% of us have bailed on a purchase because of them. We are tired of being tricked by “drip pricing.”

New York City recently banned hidden fees, requiring businesses to show the total price upfront, and the rest of the country is jealous. FTC Chair Lina Khan calls these fees a drag on the economy because they suppress honest competition. We just call them theft.

Impossible-to-cancel subscriptions

You can sign up for a streaming service in three seconds, but cancelling it requires a PhD and a certified letter to a PO Box in Nebraska. This “roach motel” strategy is draining our wallets; CNET reports that the average adult wastes $200 a year on subscriptions they don’t even use.

I once spent 45 minutes on hold just to cancel a gym membership I hadn’t used in six months. It’s infuriating. While the courts stalled the FTC’s “Click-to-Cancel” rule in mid-2025, public demand is clear: if I can click to buy, I should be able to click to cancel.

The useless penny

Why are we still carrying around copper-plated zinc discs that nobody wants? Economist Robert Whaples at Wake Forest University points out the absurdity: it costs the U.S. Mint 3.7 cents to make a single penny. We are literally losing money to make money that isn’t worth money.

I can’t remember the last time I actually used a penny for anything other than a scratch-off ticket. With 40% of Americans now supporting their elimination, a number that jumps when people learn the production cost, it’s time to retire Lincoln. We should round to the nickel and move on.

Changing the clocks

Twice a year, we voluntarily give ourselves jet lag, and for what? To save candles? The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has explicitly warned that the “Spring Forward” shift causes a spike in heart attacks, strokes, and fatal car accidents.

Stanford Medicine researchers confirmed in 2025 that this “temporal whiplash” messes with our biology, yet we keep doing it. Over 60% of Americans want to stop changing the clocks. We don’t even care if it’s permanent daylight or permanent standard time anymore; we just want to pick a time and stick to it.

QR code menus

Remember when we went to dinner to look at our friends, not our phones? The pandemic normalized QR code menus, but we hate them. Ipsos data shows 58% of diners want to return to physical menus, and 65% of us have been forced to use them despite the annoyance.

Trying to scroll through a PDF of appetizers on a tiny screen while the waiter hovers is not hospitality; it’s data entry. Critics call it “anti-hospitality,” and I agree. Give us the leather-bound book back.

Blinding LED headlights

Driving at night shouldn’t feel like staring into a supernova. The “lumen arms race” on our roads has gotten dangerous, with 85% of drivers telling the RAC that headlight glare is getting worse. The NHTSA has fielded over 70,000 complaints about this eye-searing “discomfort glare.”

It’s usually those giant SUVs with blue-white LEDs mounted at eye level that are the culprits. Safety experts note that while these lights help the driver see, they effectively blind everyone else. We need a ban on these retina-burners before night driving becomes impossible.

Relentless robocalls

If you don’t answer your phone anymore, you’re part of the club. In 2025, Americans received an average of 2.56 billion robocalls per month, according to U.S. PIRG. Scammers are even using AI to clone voices, making the fraud harder to spot.

I get about five “Scam Likely” calls a day, and it makes my phone feel like a nuisance rather than a tool. We want the telecom companies to block this trash at the source, not just pass the buck to us.

Key Takeaway

We aren’t asking for much, just a little less friction. Whether it’s the $200 we waste on zombie subscriptions or the 3.7 cents we waste on pennies, Americans are tired of systems that waste our time and money. The data proves we are stressed, over-solicited, and ready for a change. It’s time to ban the noise and get back to sanity.

Read the Original Article on Crafting Your Home.