Current:Home > InvestAre Americans tipping enough? New poll shows that many are short-changing servers. -SummitInvest
Are Americans tipping enough? New poll shows that many are short-changing servers.
View
Date:2025-04-18 08:48:48
A new poll shows that when it comes to tipping, many Americans are shortchanging their servers.
The Pew Research Center poll of 12,000 people, which came out on Thursday, shows that 57 percent of American diners tip 15% or less for a typical sit-down meal, "including 2% who say they wouldn’t leave any tip," Pew researchers wrote.
Only about 22 percent of people said they would leave a tip of 20% or more," Pew found.
Are we at a 'tipping' point?You're not imagining it. How and why businesses get you to tip more
What factors into how Americans are tipping?
The amount that people tip varies depending on their age, income, and other factors, the poll found.
Younger adults are slightly more likely to be more generous with their tips than their older counterparts, who tend to be more conservative with their wallets, the poll found.
For some, the location makes a big difference. At fast-casual restaurants like Chipotle and Sweetgreen, or quick stops at coffee shops, only about 25% of Americans say they will usually or frequently tip, according to Pew.
Time is money:Customers who don't tip DoorDash drivers will wait longer for deliveries, company warns
Americans are upset growing expectations to leave tips
Among concerns of those surveyed was frustration over expectations to leave tips in increasingly more situations outside of restaurants.
According to Pew, 72% of people said that tipping is now expected in more places than five years ago. Only about a third of respondents said they find it easy to determine when and how much to tip for different types of services, like food deliveries and pet sitters.
In hopes of taking out some of the guesswork and ensuring their staff get adequate tips, many bars and nightclubs now include gratuity in the bill, typically ranging from 18 to 25%.
"I'll look at the bill and see a 20 percent gratuity charge," Lawrence Edgerton of New York City told USA TODAY about some of his experiences getting drinks with co-workers.
"Like, how they even know I like the service?" said Edgerton, a membership coordinator at a private club. "In cases like this I don't add an extra tip."
Kaia Grey, a 24-year-old flight attendant in Washington, D.C., says it seems like service fees are the norm at bars, restaurants and lounges in the country's capital.
"I literally can't go anywhere in D.C., and it will be a service fee," she said. "I have to be mindful when ordering because the more I order, the higher the surprise fee is."
Feds investigating:Elections officials in multiple states get fentanyl-laced letters
When to tip?
It's a common practice for most Americans to leave a gratuity when dining at a restaurant, but there seems to be some uncertainty around tipping in other situations. Many people are unclear about when and how much to tip in situations such as hotel stays, haircuts, or rideshares.
“Even as Americans say they’re being asked to tip more often, relatively few have a great deal of confidence about when and how to do so,” Pew researchers said.
veryGood! (37)
Related
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- 'Halloween' star Charles Cyphers dies at 85
- Gabby Thomas wins gold in 200, leading American track stars in final at Paris Olympics
- Dozens of earthquakes in SoCal: Aftershocks hit following magnitude 5.2 quake
- Scoot flight from Singapore to Wuhan turns back after 'technical issue' detected
- The Challenge’s CT and Derrick Reflect on Diem Brown’s Legacy Nearly 10 Years After Her Death
- Jennifer Lopez's Latest Career Move Combines the Bridgerton and Emily Henry Universes
- Marathon swimmer who crossed Lake Michigan in 1998 is trying it again
- Megan Fox's ex Brian Austin Green tells Machine Gun Kelly to 'grow up'
- Lauryn Hill and the Fugees abruptly cancel anniversary tour just days before kickoff
Ranking
- Charges tied to China weigh on GM in Q4, but profit and revenue top expectations
- Texas inmate Arthur Lee Burton to be 3rd inmate executed in state in 2024. What to know
- A judge has branded Google a monopolist, but AI may bring about quicker change in internet search
- Hard Knocks with Bears: Caleb Williams in spotlight, Jonathan Owens supports Simone Biles
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Maryland’s Moore joins former US Sen. Elizabeth Dole to help veterans
- Gabby Thomas wins gold in 200, leading American track stars in final at Paris Olympics
- How M. Night Shyamalan's 'Trap' became his daughter Saleka's 'Purple Rain'
Recommendation
'As foretold in the prophecy': Elon Musk and internet react as Tesla stock hits $420 all
The Challenge’s CT and Derrick Reflect on Diem Brown’s Legacy Nearly 10 Years After Her Death
Software upgrades for Hyundai, Kia help cut theft rates, new HLDI research finds
Lauryn Hill and the Fugees abruptly cancel anniversary tour just days before kickoff
Jamie Foxx reps say actor was hit in face by a glass at birthday dinner, needed stitches
The Challenge’s CT and Derrick Reflect on Diem Brown’s Legacy Nearly 10 Years After Her Death
Where JoJo Siwa Stands With Candace Cameron Bure After Public Feud
All the 2024 Olympic Controversies Shadowing the Competition in Paris