It's not just your imagination: Tanklike, straight-out-of-"Dune" electric Cybertrucks have grown more visible on San Antonio streets.

The big picture: Tesla's electric truck is considered the fastest pickup by Car and Driver.

• It was the third best-selling electric vehicle in the U.S. in the third quarter this year with nearly 17,000 sales, per Forbes.

Catch up quick: Tesla debuted the Cybertruck in late November 2023.

By the numbers: After its first month, there were five Cybertrucks registered in Texas, per Texas Department of Motor Vehicles data Axios obtained through an open records request. That jumped to 3,711 registered Cybertrucks in the state by early October this year.

• In San Antonio, there were 199 registered Cybertrucks as of early October.
• That's compared to 388 in Austin, 330 in Houston and 175 in Dallas.
• San Antonio didn't have any registered Cybertrucks in the EV's first month.

How it works: CPS Energy programs let EV owners earn bill credits for allowing the utility to adjust their charging when energy demand is high, or agreeing to charge outside peak demand hours.

Context: Federal safety regulators have fined Tesla nearly $7,000 for violations at an Austin factory that produces Cybertrucks, the Express-News reported.

Reality check: Tesla recalled about 27,000 Cybertrucks in October for delayed rear-view camera images.

• The EV has had six recalls this year.

State of play: Fewer people are ordering the Cybertruck than Tesla predicted partly because of the recalls, Consumer Guide Automotive publisher Tom Appel tells Axios.

• One issue for anyone actually using it as a pickup truck is that towing cuts the mileage in half, Appel says.
• The Cybertruck starts at $79,990. Tesla predicts $6,000 in gas savings over five years.

What they're saying: "It could perform as a regular truck, [it's] not doing that, though. There's profound anecdotal evidence to suggest that people are just buying these as showpieces," Appel says.

Sales and Musk

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to say the Cybertruck starts at $79,990 (not $99,900).

Texas restaurant workers make nearly 21% of their overall income from tips, according to a new estimate.

Why it matters: The rise of tipping culture means that servers and bartenders are getting tipped more — and more frequently — for services like takeout orders that used to go without gratuities.

The big picture: Tips make up an increasingly large share of restaurant workers' pay nationally, per data out last month from payment company Square.

• In October, tips made up almost 23% of restaurant worker pay nationally. That's up from 14% in 2019, according to Square's report, which examines payroll data.

By the numbers: In Texas, the average tip clocked in right around 15.3% of the bill.

Zoom out: The restaurant business fell off a cliff during the pandemic, but it bounced back fast. Americans went back to dining out, and restaurants scrambled to hire, driving up wages and prices.

• Overall, restaurants have seen an increase in sales volume over the post-pandemic years, says Ara Kharazian, research lead at Square.

Reality check: Increasing reliance on tips leaves workers in a more precarious position.

• "If you're a restaurant worker who's already in an industry subject to a lot of ups and downs, a large component of your income coming from tips isn't going to simplify that," says Kharazian.

What we're watching: One of President-elect Trump's more popular campaign proposals was to eliminate taxes on tips.

• Looking at this data, that would mean exempting nearly a quarter of restaurant workers' income from taxes — a meaningful chunk.

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Former Mayor Howard Peak has died at age 75. He is known for launching the city's greenway trail network, which is named after him, among other work. (Express-News 🔒)

🛣️ The Interstate 35 southbound exit ramp onto Brooklyn Avenue downtown has reopened more than a year after it was damaged in a fire. (KSAT)

💬 The Smithsonian is kicking off the National Conversation on Race in San Antonio tomorrow. (TPR)

🪶 Now through February is peak viewing time for American kestrels across the state. (Texas Monthly) 

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👋 Madalyn here to share some holiday cheer. I'm a big fan of seasonal pop-up bars, so I was super excited to see Chicken N Pickle bring back their annual ski lodge-themed event. 

The vibe: Holiday Hideaway has all the cozy vibes — it almost feels like you're tucked away at a Colorado mountain retreat.

• Christmas movies and holiday jingles play while you relax on comfy, vintage-looking couches underneath string lights.
• Chicken N Pickle added snow globe outdoor seating this year that's perfect for a cute holiday photo.

What to try: The holly daze ($13) is an orange and cinnamon Bacardi mixture with cranberry juice served in an ornament that you pour over ice.

• There's also s'more the merrier ($14), which tastes like a dessert drink with Grey Goose, toasted marshmallow syrup and a marshmallow garnish.
• Can't decide among the martinis? Try the martini flight ($19.99) which comes served in adorable shot glass-sized teddy bear cups.
• The drinks may have looked cute, but they packed a serious punch.

The bottom line: It's really hard to resist festive drinks.

Tell your holiday crowd