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With the help of a tip, we can thank, for example, the waiter for a good job. Does this mean that their size depends only on the quality of service? Or is the purpose of this ritual to give the client the illusion of control over the situation?
Years of research in the field of consumer psychology suggests that tips do little to improve the quality of service. Cornell University professor Michael Lynn is one of the leading experts on the psychology of tipping. In 2001, he reviewed the literature, analyzing 14 studies that looked at a total of 2645 checks at 21 restaurants, and found only minimal correlation between tip size and service quality ratings.1.
Another study from 2001 showed that many people would tip the amount they planned anyway, no matter how much they liked the service. It turned out that about a quarter of Americans always give the same tip (as a percentage of the total amount of the check). At the same time, it was previously believed that the waiter could get more tips by writing “thank you” at the bottom of the check or by drawing a smiling face. Old studies seem to confirm the effectiveness of this technique. However, new data shows that this is counterproductive – the waiters who do this are given even less tips.
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It seems that the speed of service also does not affect the amount of additional reward. But factors such as ethnicity or physical attractiveness can play a significant role. For example, in the northwest of the United States, black waiters on average leave less tips. Another study by Michael Lynn found that big-breasted blondes tend to be tipped more, while overweight waitresses are tipped less.
On the other hand, the tipping system gives customers at least the illusion of control. Economist Steven Holland (Steven J. Holland) called the tip a way to “split the risk” between the client and the waiter. There is some uncertainty in the very visit to the restaurant – the visitor agrees to pay a certain price, not yet knowing either the quality of the food or the level of service. Tipping helps to reduce the risk: if the quality of the service does not suit the buyer, he can tip less or not leave at all – without overpaying for low-quality services. Clients have some power over the situation, and people generally do not like to lose power.
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A sociological study conducted in 30 countries revealed that the client’s feeling of power over the waiter also plays an important role. As it turned out, people who tend to tip are not embarrassed by inequality and hierarchy. Tipping allows them to feel their power over the waiters. They like to give this money because they like to feel superior.2.
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1 M. Lynn «Tip levels and service: An update, extension, and reconciliation», The Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 2003, vol. 44, № 5–6.
2 M. Lynn et al. «Consumer Tipping: A Cross-Country Study», Journal of Consumer Research, 1993, vol. 20, № 3.