What makes you tip more at restaurants?
Chances are, when you go out to eat, you’ve got it in your mind just what you’re going to tip and why you’re going to do it.
Most diners, especially if they’re old and crotchety, are thinking: this server could bring out the goddamn Mona Lisa on a plate but if I have to wait ten extra minutes, they’ll be lucky to get five per cent.
As it turns out, maybe that’s not it at all. According to a couple recent studies, we tip because of flirting, smiley faces printed on cheques and breasts, breasts, breasts. Uh, not necessarily in that order.
Yes, tipping may be no science. In spite of social norms suggesting 15 per cent is the baseline, there are no written rules for gratuities, unless we’re talking this new North American trend of restaurants including a mandatory tip on bills – which, for anyone outside the service industry, is a little insulting.
But perhaps why we tip, the behaviours and patterns behind the idea, can be broken down and measured to a degree. That’s what a few researchers have done, and the notion that tipping only rewards good, prompt service may be hogwash.
By the survey of Cornell research Michael Lynn, people claiming they tip because of punctual service doesn’t hold much water. According to his real restaurant findings, the best, most efficient service only leads to the slightest of tip increases – a one or two per cent jump above 15 per cent in most cases.
What does make tips, which account for some $40 billion annually in the U.S., rise? Boobs, according to a study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior. The journal found bigger tips directly correlated with larger self-reported breast size (wasn’t this the idea behind a Seinfeld episode?) and another survey, published in the International Journal of Hospitality Management, found a similar relationship between tips and makeup use.
Further, tips have been shown to rise up to the 20 per cent threshold when servers draw smiley faces on cheques, touch customers’ arms, stoop down to table level when taking orders, introduce themselves by name, compliment meal choices and give extra candies alongside the bill.
As SmartMoney.com puts it, “a little more flirting goes a lot further than a little faster refill on your coffee.”
When you really think about it, what makes you tip more? Be honest now: this is the Internet, it’s anonymous!
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
*Follow Jason on Twitter here.
Posted by: Pete | Apr 1, 2021 1:28:48 PM
@Huh?
Who the hell is Aston...anyways?
On top of that waiters are extremely well paid in good restaurants, due to the tips, and often make much more than the chefs in the kitchen which is a joke yet I hear of many waiters griping if they have to split tips with the kitchen staff. I give decent tips but I say do away with them and let the restaurant industry stand on it's own feet and see how it makes out without this silly subsidy which people are basically guilted into paying.
Ok MOST Food Service personel DO NOT WORK in high end restaurants. I am not too sure what planet you are on, but regardless, I doubt people making 6 digit or 7 digit incomes have a problem with tipping...So for the most part we are addressing the middleclass and working class type restaurants.
To be Honest I am at the point where I DO think tips should either be on the bill, as in Europe or as in many states in the US now, or just incorporated into the price you pay when ordering every item.
Hold your horses though... You'll end up paying way more than 15%.
I will explain to you why also.
If salaries were to be completely covered by the restaurants, food prices would likely jump about 25 to 30%,...BEFORE TAXES
Why again
Cover obviously wages, increasing operational costs (food cost+ ultilities+ rent+ increase labour cost)
Increase in employee employment costs, insurances, CSST, Unemployment Insurance etc
And in union benefits for chains, and or hotels
OR
Tips; directly on the bill, which would likely be set at 17% , since now ALL tips are COMPLETELY in the open and declared.Which again would slam the restaurant owner with higher employee premiums to dish out
Oh and dont kid yourself, the Governments (Federal and Provincial) would of course add the sales taxes AFTER the tip...as its a service.
So your SUBSIDY would cost you WAY MORE.
And as a side note, Tips are NOT a subsidy, but a GRATUITY.
Meaning appreciation of service, of a nice meal, and having been catered too.
Dont you think all us ....greedy tip junkies...wouldnt want our salaries increased, declared, so that we could show banks, and financial institutions we actually make a living???
Damn...its hard to get a loan for a car, much less a home, with the poor salaries now in this industry
(High End Restaurants, not necessarily included)
And by the way, just because servers working in High End Restaurants make more money then the other Tip junkies in less High end places, doesnt mean they have the same volume. Though it may seem a lot to give 20$ on a 120$ bill, when that server has only served 6 tables like that, as an example, and then factor in that he shares about 1/3 of that with support staff, and then after the government taxes the rest, most of us aint making that much money...At All
Posted by: Pete | Apr 1, 2021 1:45:43 PM
@ R Ditloff
What are we in the food service Industry to do, all quit to make you all happy?????
Or work at 8$ an hour? Then you will have ZERO people to serve you, or thos that do, as someone noted earlier, eww, do you really want them to serve you?
You dont really believe the food service industry is a walk in the park...do you?
Its actually one of the hardest jobs out there.
Your punishing the workers about a belief you have that Tipping shouldnt exist. You know what As I stated earlier...I DO NOT WANT to make a living on the wims of ignorant "patrons" that think tipping is bad. Honestly would rather make my whatever an hour and serve customers like a robot and not have to really smile or be nice. Just be efficient, cold and do the minimum I can to get through my day. Is that the kind of service you really want to recieve? Or have employees run around without any knowledge of the food industry? Cause who the hell wants to get overly involved in this hard life business????
Remember in grocery stores when we had all these nice older ladies working the cashes, cause wages there werent reduced to minimum wage yet. How you feel about service at your local Grocer? You liking them new age workers treating you like crap? ( no offense to our young workers, but been at your age and wasnt 100% into the job no matter what it was) And I dont blame them, long hours, shift work, and so forth, dealing with customers personalities(rude behaviour and disrespect) and quirks (attitudes) and complaints all for...10$ an hour, wow
Posted by: Debbie - Calgary | Apr 1, 2021 1:50:56 PM
I was in the service industry for years. I actually trained many waitresses for a big chain restaurant for over 6 years. My rule of thumb was no matter who you were serving, everyone always deserves to be treated like they are the best tipper in the world.
For those on here saying that it's not your job to pay the waitress, well I feel sorry for your miserable soul. I don't care how little you make, you are making more than the poor waitress serving you. If you can't afford to eat out, eat at home or get fast food. Unless service is truly heinous (and I mean really bad) I always leave a nice tip. When we plan to go out, we factor in a tip into the cost of the meal and plan accordingly.
Just remember this: there are a lot of restaurants out there that not only pay the minimum wage to their staff, a lot of girls end up working unpaid overtime.
Posted by: Pete | Apr 1, 2021 1:55:09 PM
Lastly to Jason Buckland
Crap subject you started, seriously. Why dont you investigate what us SERVERS go through in a given day in various classes of restaurants before making a game with tipping (our salaries).
Seriously I doubt I will read anymore of your articles, or MSN MONEY for that matter. This is a serious lack of info for a reporter... no back ground, no examples...NADA.
Lets start a new subject.
How do you rate a reporter?
1) by the amount of crap he can stir ..10 points
2) by the lack of inforamtion he doesnt share but uses the LACK of information to get readers riled up ..thats a good 20 points
3)By the amount of responses he gets after having riled up readers about a subject that is seemingly UNRESEARCHED ...15 points
VERY DISAPPOINTED
Posted by: Jane Brown | Apr 1, 2021 2:22:56 PM
It is hard work being a server. Then again it is hard work being a cashier. One gets tips the other doesn't. Both take abuse at times. Holland and other countries (Japan, New Zealand, etc.) do not believe in tips and consider it an insult. But don't be fooled - the prices are higher so in essence the tips are included in the prices and their staff are paid much better than in North America. But what about the grocery store cashiers, on their feet, providing service and no tipping allowed and they get minimum wage to start. They need higher wages and/or the ability to accept a tip if its offered. Personally I do not tip if the service is lousy. Even if the wait is long if the service is nice and friendly in some way I will still tip.
Posted by: Peter | Apr 1, 2021 2:45:30 PM
Wow, well guess I wont be going to work in the Food Service Industry any time soon.
Its too bad its come to this.
I dont think tipping 15% is such a hard thing to do. The only thing I see in responses here for the most part is how little informed people are on the Hospitality business.
I blame the government here for not incompasing and making rules for the Hospitality Workers, and dang they handle food. Why doesnt the Government mandate a minimum salary for personel in the food industry, which clearly is not very well paid for some sectors, and over paid in others. Always scares me people being under paid handling the food supply. LOL...just saying...
Posted by: Pete | Apr 1, 2021 3:12:46 PM
@ Jane Brown
Thank you Jane. You are basically supporting what I said about tips in the orient, or New Zealand and Australia. Salaries are incorporated in the prices, and salaries are pretty decent, as they recognize the hard work in that industry in those countries for the most part.
I FULLY agree about cashiers in grocery stores, as I stated earlier, way too many service personel in the food industry are way underpaid for the jobs they provide.
Most people wouldnt last an hour in a restaurant...
That all said, I do tip the young guy or gal that wraps my food. I dont tip the cashier, but fully agree salaries are not very competetive. And No I am not mean with the cashiers, lol. But yes I do see a lot of rudeness to those said cashiers.
Since Im so so loose with my purse strings I also tip
Bartenders (and 5$ to a barmaid for 3 drinks, in a busy establishment, and the next time you go if its a few weeks later, ya she wont remember you)
Newspaper boy/girl ( are YOU gonna get up 7 days a week rain, snow, shine to deliver newspapers, and never have a day off, for a few dollars you gonna give him at the end of the week, come on)
Gas station attendant (with service, if he gives any, if he dont, THERE you skip the tip)
Porters, and similar (why he carries your heavy bags, helps you with local places to go etc, and its also a courtesy)
Taxi Drivers (cause they work crazy crazy hours, for not that much money in the end)
I could list others, but my final comment is this...
mmm... Do on to others as you would want done onto you??? Or has that been deleted?
Has our humanity been deleted as well???
Posted by: Trixie | Apr 1, 2021 3:13:47 PM
To answer you "Norm"...our family has cut back in the past decade considerably. I'm in my 40's now and I remember a time when my immediate family could easily go out 3-4 times a week and everyone in the household didn't have to have a job just to make ends meet. Now, I'm lucky to get out to a nice restaurant (and I"m NOT talking 100 bucks a bill) once a month. It ticks me off actually because I was raised that when I got to my 40's life would be so much easier. Well Norm, life is now so much harder. Why??? Well, we voted liberals into this province (ont) one too many times and now we're paying way too much in taxes because they put us in a heck of alot of debt.
Everyone wants social services, but many are too stupid to realize that will mean more taxes...like we're not taxed enough already.
That being said, I still believe, despite being on my waitresses side last weekend, that it's up to the industry, NOT the consumer, to supply the wage for their employees. It is NOT my job!
Posted by: Pete | Apr 1, 2021 3:30:10 PM
@ Trixie
I understand what you are trying to say Trixie, but tipping has been a cultural standard for a very very long time.
If you bothered to read my other posts and comments, I explained already that pay a lil 15% here and there, or soon end up paying TAXES on service. As it seems taxes in Ontario are very concerning to you. LOL, Have you lived in Quebec??? Taxes you say... And again Liberals...in Quebec, so lol, poor Ignatief, maybe he should rattle his Provincial counterparts. The Federal Conservatives lower TPS by 1% only to have the Quebec Liberals raise it by 1%. Its like they laughing at us, and well off the topic a bit.
But if wages are to be paid for the restaurant owners, then there is NO WAY they can keep prices in their menus that low. And kid yourself NOT, surely as a Canadian you KNOW we will ALL be taxed on the service charge if it all ends up being on the bill, wether incorporated in the item food cost, or just a service fee at the end of the bill. No matter what, the Federal and provincial sales taxes will come AFTER!!!
So Trixie you WILL end up paying WAY more than 15%...QUESTIONS on that????
Posted by: Sven D | Apr 1, 2021 3:33:44 PM
Hey it's pretty simple, you'll get a good tip for good service. Crap service, you'll get what you deserve, nothing or pretty much nothing. As for the boobies, does it work on women too?
As servers earning minimum wage, do you include all of your tips at tax time? If not not, you're making as much if not more than the average Joe! It's been a while but, yes, I've been in the service industry at minimum wage with tips so I know what's up.
Posted by: don | Apr 1, 2021 3:51:43 PM
How did it bcome the customrs problem that the owner does not pay enough? If you get a tip accept it graciously. Maybe they are giving you all they can afford. The other option is to ban people without enough money from your resturaunt. I am prettty sure being rude to the customer
is going to drive your good tipper away. I for one, would not return to anywhere where I saw someone treated poorly because someone thought they did not tip enough. I hope all servers tip the lady at the grocery store, drug store,dry cleaner etc etc. There are lots of sectors that dont pay a high wage that havent demanded tips to compensate let alone threaten to contaminate food.
Posted by: Pete | Apr 1, 2021 3:58:34 PM
When Sven...in the 80s?????
Salaries for servers has dropped on average about 30 to 40% from the mid 80s to 90s?
Has Cost of living????? So you saying that your an average Joe now, making less than when you were a server??? really? Have you forgotten how easy of a job it is?
And if you are NOT in this industry anymore, I assume you did this job when you were a student huh? Thank god you worked back then, and didnt declare all your tips (actually none). But it helped you pay your way through school I bet ya, just like it helped those single mothers pay the bills.
Since the salaries are so great there Sven, why dont you make a triumphant return to the food service industry....hmmm..thats what I thought
And do all business owners declare every income that has come in??? Or how about ANYONE in the construction business?? Plumbers?...no? How about the electician? declares it all?
How about the landscappers...farmers? livestock growers? Food importers....people in fashion industry...the garment industry???? Or anyone in Arts?
maybe...possibly that WAITERS are not the only people to try and save a few here and there from the ever increasing greed of Governments, Crown corporations, Banks, Utilities...should I continue?
Are you serious....we are having this HUGE debate on wether or not students, single mothers etc declare all the nickles and dimes they make...or actually dont make?
If I have a bill of 198$, and the customer leaves me 2$, telling me great service....Is there any compensation there for actually what I lost???
or for 30$ on 500$ bill...
When I PAY OUT OF MY POCKET to serve a customer, is there some sort of government credit for that loss?
personally a gratuity, which is what a tip is. shouldnt be taxed at all. PERIOD
If you want the tax on my Tip salary then mandate it, make it official, make it legal.
Not some arbitrary percenatge of sales on supposed income I may or may not recieve. Do you know ANY other business that WORKS THAT WAY,....ANY?
Make it legal, make it official, make it mandatory...then I will shud up and pay Every damn cent in taxes. Until then, its exploitation at its finest
Posted by: Rick K | Apr 1, 2021 4:01:50 PM
It all comes down to if the service was worth it ,tip like it was. If you enjoyed the daily special, which management lowered the price on to get you to come in, you have already saved money. How about the cooks and kitchen staff behide the scenes? Don't they deserve a little of the tip action too? Come on people, the biggest tippers I have noticed on a regular basis is the service staff when they come off shift. Money is made round to go around. Each time you acknowledge someones' special behaviour towards you and others, it does not stop there. These people are the ones that really care. Lets join in the circle and keep the good will going.
PS I am not in or do I have any interests in the service industry. I operate a street sweeper and there are no tips here. Many times I have gone out of my way to help someone in trouble and I always turn down any form of payment. We all need help and encouragement in our daily lives. Show me one rich person who is so happy he does not need a liitle encouragement in life.
Posted by: Pete | Apr 1, 2021 4:10:12 PM
@ Don
Why is it a PROBLEM???? Getting served is a problem? Guess you miss those slavery days huh?
This is WHY Im p'eed off at Jason Buckley, for him, just a fun subject to get people riled up. No one has much facts, or has any idea of what the hell is going on in the Restaurant business
So you know what Don...leave NADA. Its gonna make you happy..WooHoo !!
Stiff that student...stick too him. That single mother, too bad, you choose the wrong partner. And for actual servers or personnel that was charmed by this business and is now wondering why they went there....stiff him too...WooHoo
Im sure you feel better. You can even write Mr Jason Buckley and have him start a new way to save a few dollars.
Next weeks topic... Should I leave a tip to the Taxi Driver?
Followed by ...Tipping your newspaper delivery person, why should I?
Jason, please credit me with finding the topic...thanks
Posted by: Pete | Apr 1, 2021 4:18:55 PM
@ Rick K.
Well said. Im actually humbled by your answer as it falls into ...the pay it forward way of thinking.
I think Rick you have nailed it in the head, and doesnt need any further thought. Which basically I was trying to say, its a gratuity...its a good will.
Yes I understand its all become part of the "salary". If I agree with the way we make a living, not particularly, but I didnt establish this rule. If salaries were fixed it would certainly help the personnel, but Im not so sure customers would be a winner. In Europe service can really be kinda
of non existant, with the service charges on the bill. And never mind the attitudes.
So I think a 15% tip to avoid the deterioration of the food service industry, and also to avoid increasing the cost of dining out for ALL, is a small price to pay for a meal out.
Posted by: Trixie | Apr 1, 2021 4:33:51 PM
To Pete: If the employers MUST make the prices much higher, then so be it. However, then a great percentage of the population won't be able to afford to go out at all, including my own family and now...waiters/waitresses/bus boys...shall I go on....have no job at all.
Isn't it better to have something for work than nothing at all???
That being said...why is it then, that I can go to the USA and get fantastic food, great service and NOT be asked to tip alot, but hey, down there, I'm not taxed to death so now I have the money to tip a bit more. In the USA it seems a win-win for everyone. OH, but wait...down there they don't have all the extra non-essential social services that our taxes have to pay for...do we see a cycle here???
Posted by: Sam | Apr 1, 2021 4:37:56 PM
A job is advertised as $9/hr + tips. To earn the $9/hr, the person has to show up and successfully complete the basic functions of the job. To earn the tip, the person has to do something above and beyond the basic functions of the job. Taking my order, putting a plate of food down in front of me and then again appearing at the end of the meal with my bill are the basic functions as far as I'm concerned. Filling my water when it is empty, asking if everything is ok, talking about the football game playing on the big screen in the background...etc. are all activities which could earn a tip. I mean, putting in a little extra effort makes the service tip-worthy. I was a waiter in college at an average family restaurant and it was never my attitude that it was my right to receive a 20% tip. Now that I'm working in an office, I don't hand in a report to my boss and wait around for him to give me a $5 bill. I get that at the end of the year in the form of my performance bonus (aka "tip").
Posted by: extortion | Apr 1, 2021 5:10:10 PM
when is the last time that you tipped your electrician or plumber. you call them at 6:00 pm, they come to your house and spend anywhere from one to three hours working for you, should you tip them 15 percent of the bill, i think that you should, they are skilled workers, unlike waiters or barmaids, they worked hard for their skills, unlike the service industry workers. i think that people are brainwashed and pressured to give tips to service workers. they don't make less than minimum wage, it is legislated as such, and therefore illegal to pay them less. if they want to make more money, they should go to school, not shake their assets, when they get old they will make less money with their saggy assets, where a skilled person will make more. we are pressured to tip 'entitled' people, the pretty people who take the easy way out and expect a free ride. stop going to restaurants that force tips out of your bill, let them go bankrupt, they are like the bully stealing lunch money at school. they charge more then enough for their food, they can afford to pay for their staff. they should be ashamed to steal a tip from you. it would be nice if someone said take me to court with this bill, i am not paying the tip, see where that would go. i wonder if the restaurant owner would tip his lawyer after the court case is over. just curious.
Posted by: Paula | Apr 1, 2021 5:31:31 PM
If I could choose again, I would for sure choose to being a server, even for minimum wage.
All complaining servers, walk in the shoes of a child care worker. If I care for 4 little ones under 4 years of age, the money paid is $ 12,-- per hour. Out of that I have to pay:
Heating, Insurance, Snacks, Electricity, a vehicle and maintenance thereof, toys, professional fees,
taxes and if I need to see a doctor, it cost me $ 12,- to 16,- per hour, etc.
My days are 10 hrs. long.
Want to know the tips people are willing to give to that person that basically brings up their child:
0
Posted by: whine whine whine | Apr 1, 2021 5:32:44 PM
i was a bartender is a small legion type bar, my wages were 5.25 per hour. i was subject to rude customers and poor tippers, i was lucky to get ten cents tip per drink, at the end of the day i usually had a tip of 5 dollars to 10 dollars for the whole day. (poker machine bar). one day i made 35 dollars in tips, i could'nt believe it. i am not a pretty girl, maybe a form of discrimination. this was in 1994. instead of whining i quit my job, and took a trade, i am now an electrician, i still don't get tips. so all you service industry workers that are whining about tips, GO FU(K YOURSELVES. quit your jobs and if nobody fills your slot, the restraunt or bar will go out of business, or pay your replacement a better salary. it is unskilled work, it has low pay, and you work hard. if you want to make good money, then go to school and work hard there, then get a good job.