Attention servers: beware the wrath of the American diner, for nearly a third of them will not leave a tip after they receive shitty service. Or so says a survey conducted by CouponCabin.com, anyway. Also, 87% of diners feel obligated to tip in restaurants, one in five diners tip less in a bad economy, and 46 percent of adult US diners have tipped despite not being able to afford it. Man, going out to eat in the United States sure sounds like a bummer, what with all that obligation and not actually being able to afford it and everything. Those statistics and more in the press release below:
Nearly One-Third of U.S. Adults Have Not Left a Tip After Receiving Below Average Service, Finds New CouponCabin.com Survey–More Than One-in-Five Tippers Report They Tip Less When the Economy is Down–
–Nearly Half of Tippers Said They Have Felt Pressure to Tip Even When They Couldn’t Afford it–
WHITING, Ind., April 11, 2012 – Tipping: social custom or arbitrary decision? Tipping is a widely accepted part of our culture, but a new survey from CouponCabin.com reveals that the motivations behind gratuity are based on service quality and economic conditions. Nearly one-third (32 percent) of U.S. adults said they haven’t left a tip after receiving less than average service. In addition, more than one-in-five (21 percent) tippers report they tip less when the economy is down. This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin from March 29th – April 2nd, 2012, among 2,222 U.S. adults ages 18 and older.
Regardless of economic conditions, restaurant staff members are the most likely to receive tips. When asked which types of the following people or services they typically feel obligated to leave a tip, U.S. adults said the following:
Restaurant staff (including wait staff, take out coordinator, maitre d’)– 87 percent
Hairstylist – 68 percent
Bartender – 59 percent
Taxi, car or limo driver – 55 percent
Valet – 51 percent
Bellhop – 50 percent
Beauty treatment provider (manicures, pedicures, waxing, etc?) – 40 percent
Spa treatment provider (massages, facials, skin treatments, etc?) – 33 percent
Restroom attendant – 21 percent
Home delivery (new furniture, appliances, etc?) – 19 percentWhen it comes to how much people tip in restaurants, many report leaving gratuity above the old standby of 15 percent. More than half (51 percent) said they typically tip 16 percent or higher for average service in a restaurant. Seven percent said they tip 21 percent or higher. On the flip side, nearly one-third (32 percent) said they tip between 11 percent and 15 percent for average service. Thirteen percent said they tip 10 percent or less for average service.
“Whether you’re at a restaurant or receiving services from other professionals, factor the tip into the overall cost,” said Jackie Warrick, President and Chief Savings Officer at CouponCabin.com. “It’s easy to forget that the tip could push you over your budget, so plan accordingly. Take the time to add in the tip ahead of time and if it exceeds your budget, seek out less expensive services or make alternative plans.”
Many U.S. adults who tip admitted that tipping has been a burden to their finances. In fact, 46 percent report that they have tipped, even when they couldn’t afford it, because they felt pressure to do so.
While tipping is often expected for services rendered, U.S. adults shared reasons why they tip, including:
Want to give a reward for good work – 62 percent
Because I feel I have to – 20 percent
Want to receive good service in the future – 7 percent
Other – 9 percentSurvey Methodology:
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin from March 29th – April 2nd, 2012, among 2,222 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore, no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact: Allison Nawoj, anawoj@couponcabin.com.
· Nearly One-Third of U.S. Adults Have Not Left a Tip After Receiving Below Average Service [CouponCabin]
· All Tip Coverage on Eater [-E-]