Most Americans say they are being asked for tips more often than in the past, according to a survey by the Pew Hispanic Center. About seven in ten U.S. adults (72%) say they expect to be asked for tips in more places than they did five years ago, a statistic dubbed “Tipflation.”
The rise of “tipflation” comes alongside iPads, seemingly everywhere, asking us if we want to add a tip. And with the new tipping expectations comes a lot of confusion for consumers.
In a survey of 12,000 adults in the U.S., the Pew Hispanic Center found that:
• 40% oppose companies suggesting tip amounts to their customers.
• 72% oppose companies that include automatic service charges or tips on bills.
And Americans are divided on whether tipping is necessary: 21% say tipping is a choice, 29% say it is an obligation, and 49% say it depends on the situation.
This is causing a lot of confusion
Only 34% of Americans think it is extremely or very easy to know if they need to tip, and only 33% say the same about knowing how much to tip.
What most – 77% – seem to agree on is that the quality of service they receive is an important factor in their tipping decisions.
Respondents say they tip when:
• Dining in a restaurant (92%)
• Getting a haircut (78%)
• Ordering food through a delivery app (76%)
• Buying a drink at a bar (70%)
• Using a taxi or rideshare service (61%)
But there are many gray areas: only 25% tip when grabbing a coffee and just 12% report tipping at fast-casual restaurants.
And while most agree that tipping during a sit-down meal is the right thing to do, customers are divided on the amount.
The majority (57%) tip 15% or less at a restaurant, while only a quarter say they tip 20% or more. And surprisingly, 2% said they never leave a tip at restaurants when seated at the table.
Source: The Hustle and The Pew Hispanic Center