How Much Does The Average Person Spend A Year Tipping?
New research claims that the average person spends $454 more on tipping than they’d like per year. And some people have reported that they’re “always” or “often” guilted into tipping more than they want to. A survey of 2,000 people conducted by Talker Research, a data-gathering website, examined how much “tipflation” may be impacting our wallets.
What is Tipflation?
According to Investopedia, tipflation refers to the increased rates that people are now expected to tip at restaurants for other goods and services. A survey by Bankrate found that roughly 66% of Americans have a negative view of tipping. Around 30% of respondents think that tipping culture is “out of control,” with more companies encouraging customers to tip at their counters than ever before. Patrons find the pre-entered tip screens aggravating (32%) and think businesses should pay their employees more rather than rely on gratuity (41%).
CNBC reported that in addition to the traditional venues, restaurants, barber shops, and cabs. Customers are being prompted to tip everywhere from convenience store counters to self-checkout kiosks at airports. Experts also shared with the outlet that there are many scenarios when it’s okay to not tip. Take a look at those here.
Tipping Culture Trends
The survey from Talker Research found that the average respondent “reluctantly” tips $37.80 a month due to the “pressure or awkwardness” of the options presented to them. “That figure equates to $453.60 a year in guilt-induced gratuity, with over a quarter (26%) feeling they are always or often forced to tip more than they would like,” they stated.
They also found that the average respondent tipped more than they’d like to on six occasions (6.3) in the last 30 days alone.
Some of those surveyed mentioned how the “watchful eyes of a barista” or the “waiter handing you the card machine” adds to the pressure of tipping. More than half (56%) of respondents note that pressure to tip higher is a regular occurrence. Just 24 percent said it’s a rare experience for them to feel put on the spot when tipping.
Nearly a third (31%) said they’d been asked to tip for a service they wouldn’t normally have considered tipping for in recent weeks.
Generational Tipping
When looking at the data generationally, they found that Gen Z (16%) and millennials (16%) were almost twice as likely to say they “always” feel pressure to tip than older generations. Just nine percent of Gen X and only five percent of boomers felt the same constant tipping obligation.
Interestingly, 23% of all those surveyed said they would likely leave a tip for service that required no human interaction, such as a vending machine or a self-checkout kiosk at the grocery store.
Check out more insights on tipping with the complete survey here.
