Work Life Tips
Tipping on the rise; enthusiasm for tipping at a low
By Jason Walsh
Has tipping reached a tipping point? That question is at the heart of a new survey looking at the changing tipping practices of Americans. Gone are the days when 15% was the de rigueur amount to leave a server after a job well done. According to a report released in March by financial consulting firm TradingPedia, the average tip is now 18.85%. The survey was conducted in February and polled more than 2,000 people about their tipping habits. According to the results, 71% of respondents believe tipping is expected too frequently—though only 7% said they never tip. The poll found some interesting gender differences in tipping, with men on average tip slightly more than women—19.07 vs. 18.6%. Women, however, tip more consistently—at more places and in more equal amounts. One reason the average tip has climbed in recent years may have to do
with automatic tipping prompts businesses often present during the credit card payment process, with the lowest prompt often beginning at 18% and climbing higher from there. This may also explain why older customers—those 61 and older—are the stingiest tippers at 16.4%, as they cling to past tipping norms closer to 15%. This would also explain why Gen X, Gen Z and millennials tip at rates of 18.21, 19.31 and 19.49%, respectively, as many tipping prompts frame those as starting points. It should perhaps come as no surprise that the survey found 66.18% dislike recommended tipping percentages and automatic tipping prompts altogether. Worse yet, only 9% believe tipping is a fair model for compensating service- industry workers; nearly 39% would prefer to eliminate tipping altogether and instead advocate for higher wages.
A few tips about tipping • California is the stingiest tipping state, at only 17.4%. Delaware is most generous, at 21.25% • 7% never tip under any circumstances • 58% say their tip amount is dependent on the quality of service • 13.9% say social pressure is a factor in whether/how much they tip • “Guilt-tipping” is the social pressure to leave higher gratuities, even in scenarios involving minimal service and minimal interaction between the customer and the staff. • More than 60% of people tip at fast food restaurants Source: TradingPedia survey
16 NorthBaybiz
April 2025
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