Current:Home > ScamsAre Americans tipping enough? New poll shows that many are short-changing servers. -Streamline Finance
Are Americans tipping enough? New poll shows that many are short-changing servers.
View
Date:2025-04-11 19:03:53
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! (8)
Related
- Southern California rocked by series of earthquakes: Is a bigger one brewing?
- Families whose loved ones were left rotting in funeral home owed $950 million, judge rules
- 3rd set of remains with bullet wounds found with possible ties to 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
- Michael Phelps calls for lifetime ban for athletes caught doping: 'One and done'
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- Who is Tim Walz? Things to know about Kamala Harris’ choice for vice president
- Elon Musk sues OpenAI, renewing claims ChatGPT-maker put profits before ‘the benefit of humanity’
- Cause of death for Christina Sandera, Clint Eastwood's girlfriend, is released
- Family of explorer who died in the Titan sub implosion seeks $50M-plus in wrongful death lawsuit
- Chappell Roan may have made history at Lollapalooza with 'biggest set of all time'
Ranking
- Beware of giant spiders: Thousands of tarantulas to emerge in 3 states for mating season
- HBO's 'Hard Knocks' with Chicago Bears debuts: Full schedule, how to watch episodes
- Details on Zac Efron's Pool Incident Revealed
- CrowdStrike and Delta fight over who’s to blame for the airline canceling thousands of flights
- FBI: California woman brought sword, whip and other weapons into Capitol during Jan. 6 riot
- Democratic primary in Arizona’s 3rd District is too close to call, AP determines
- South Carolina school apologizes for employees' Border Patrol shirts at 'cantina' event
- Army offering $10K reward for information on missing 19-year-old pregnant woman
Recommendation
John Galliano out at Maison Margiela, capping year of fashion designer musical chairs
The Small Business Administration expands clean energy loan program
Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke ‘in the name of Jesus’ indicated intent to kill him
Why Katie Ledecky Initially Kept Her POTS Diagnosis Private
Taylor Swift Cancels Austria Concerts After Confirmation of Planned Terrorist Attack
The final image of Simone Biles at the Olympics was a symbol of joy — and where the sport is going
Video shows plane crash on busy California golf course, slide across green into pro shop
Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke ‘in the name of Jesus’ indicated intent to kill him