Americans are growing weary of tipping expectations and admit they don’t tip as much as they used to, according to a new study.
The research by CouponBirds surveyed 1,199 Americans about their own tipping habits before asking another 628 Americans about their views on tipping and wages for servers.
Over three-quarters of Americans surveyed believe tipping expectations have “gone too far,” citing the increasing presence of gratuity requests at self-service kiosks, convenience stores and the like.
“Despite nearly eight in ten Americans (79.3 percent) agreeing that self-service machines asking for tips is going too far, it’s also something 47.3 percent have experienced,” the survey said.
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“Shockingly, 39.7 percent have been told upfront that they would receive a worse service if they didn’t tip – and 20 percent have experienced a situation where tipping was compulsory,” it continued.
The results reflect rising frustrations Americans have with tipflation, or being pressured to tip at places that didn’t ask for tips in the past.
More Americans said they tip out of guilt now rather than tipping for good service. Two in three Americans admitted they often tip to avoid “awkwardness” or “confrontation” with employees, and nearly 60 percent of respondents said that servers have acted aggressively toward them for not leaving a high enough tip or a tip at all.
Seven out of 10 Americans reporting tipping less than they used to and tipped below etiquette expectations at just 12.9 percent. Poor service and concerns about saving money were the top reasons for the decline in tipping.
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Long wait times, poor quality food, and if no service was required were also major reasons why Americans skipped tipping. Just over half of those surveyed said they either “often” or “always” tip.
The report also showed how income correlated to tipping. Unsurprisingly, a higher percentage of the top income earners reporting giving above average tips between 15-20 percent.
The survey also found that six in ten service workers say they rely on tips for more than 30 percent of their income.
But service workers were divided on whether they felt an increase in wages and eliminating tips would benefit them over keeping tips and their current wages.
A little over half, 51 percent, of employees who receive tips said they’d prefer to have their wages increased to $25 an hour without tips, while 39.3% said they’d prefer more optional tipping and 9.7 percent approved of the current minimum wage and tipping culture.
A Pew Research Center Survey last year found similar concerns about tipflation among consumers, with 72 percent of Americans saying they were expected to tip in more places than they were five years ago.
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