People are a little bit stingier in barber chairs and Ubers than they were just a few years ago.
The shares of adults who say they always tip their hair stylists, servers at sit-down restaurants and food delivery people have each fallen 8 percentage points since 2021, according to a Bankrate survey released Wednesday. That rate slipped 7 percentage points for taxi and ride-hail drivers over the same period.
Three years ago, the economy was reopening from the pandemic and inflation was higher than it is now, but so was concern for front-line workers.
At the time, three-quarters of consumers reported always tipping restaurant servers, but today just two-thirds do. Despite modest upticks since last year, barely more than half of people now count themselves reliable tippers of hairdressers (55%) and food delivery drivers (51%), while only 41% say the same when it comes to ordering a ride.
The survey reflects Americans’ growing ease bypassing ubiquitous tipping prompts, from coffeeshops to airport terminals in the post-Covid economy, especially as sticker prices have risen. While consumer spending has held remarkably steady, many households are feeling the squeeze from persistent inflation and tightening their belts accordingly. Some of that newfound caution may be factoring into when, where and how much people tip.
I over tip on purpose. A dozen years in the service industry making $3.35 hr + tips, more for bartending. These people are making far below minimum wage in most states. If you want to stop tipping, then be ready to campaign for the workers, be ready to pay more for your meals, and get ready for some shitty shitty service.
Why shitty service? Because most of your good (and beyond) servers and bartenders are there in part because how much they make depends on how good they are. They have more control over what they make than anyone else on the property. Don’t underestimate that part of the equation. Once you make these positions hourly, you’ll attract hourly workers and you’ll get the same level of service you do on the phone.
So if you want tipping to go away, support your fellow wage slaves and make sure they get paid an actual living wage. $10/hr ain’t gonna make it.
Ah so that explains why I never tip here in Australia and get shitty service!
Oh wait, the service here is far better than every time I’ve visited North America 🤔
I’m really glad you get that at home, it must be enjoyable.
Nah, fuck the tipping policies in the USA. You really need something like a sensible minimum wage to prevent this bullshit. You’re just supporting this bullshit system where capitalists exploit their laborers.
Did you actually read my post?
They read the beginning but stopped partway through.
I understand your perspective, but you were a victim of a fucked up system and continue to be. I agree that giving up tipping would require us to also support the workers getting a fair wage. But the whole rest of the world has proven your “shitty service” theory entirely wrong - they are able to pay food service workers properly AND give great service, and I suspect the whole world would chime in with a wealth of experience. And not paying slave labor wages doesn’t drive the cost of goods up as much as the capitalists would lead you to believe. Again, proven by the entirety of Europe.