Americans at "tipping point" over persistant tip requests
MIAMI - Americans are getting tired of tipping. A new survey from Bankrate.com finds two-thirds of adult respondents have a negative view about tipping and are forking over those extra dollars less often and in smaller amounts.
According to the survey, tipping has steadily declined over the last several years.
"Only about two-thirds of sit-down restaurant goers always tip the wait staff. I feel like that should be universal, " said Bankrate.com Senior Industry Analyst Ted Rossman. "We found only about half of people are always tipping their hair stylist or barber. Only about half are always tipping for food delivery."
Rossman points to one looming factor as the reason.
"I think inflation is a big part of it. I think money is tight for a lot of people. They feel like they have less to spare," he said.
While Americans may have less to spare, tipping prompts are everywhere. Nearly one-third of people say they're annoyed by those pre-entered tip screens.
"Now it hits you right in the face when you're paying for the transaction, " said Rossman. "Last year, when we asked about this, we found that by about a 2:1 margin, people were more likely to tip extra when they were presented with one of these screens. This year, though, we found that it completely reversed. And now it's about a 2:1 margin in favor of people who tip less or not at all."
The survey also found differences between gender and age.
"Gen Z'ers, millennials, men - they tend to be the worst tippers. People who tip more frequently tend to be women and older adults," said Rossman.
He added that 41% of people feel businesses should pay their employees better rather than relying so heavily on tips.
If you're inclined to leave a tip for quality service, Rossman offers a good rule of thumb.
"I generally think 20% should be the norm for something like a sit-down restaurant meal or getting your haircut, or taking a taxi or ride share," he said.
For food deliveries, Rossman suggests a dollar amount, rather than a percentage.
"If you're ordering a pizza, maybe you should tip five bucks or something like that," offered Rossman.
Giving really can be receiving. More than one-third of people say they feel good leaving a tip for services rendered.
