A few months back, RVtravel.com writer Gail Marsh asked readers, “Have you ever tipped a campground worker?” The survey results showed an overwhelming majority of you had “never even thought of it.” Nevertheless, 15% of respondents said they had tipped, at least once. Campgrounds aside, it seems nearly everyone has their hand out these days. Are you spending more on tipping than you want? Are you a victim of “tipflation”?
Tipflation—to the tune of $500 a year for many
Americans spend nearly $500 a year tipping more than they’d like to, according to new research. A survey of 2,000 Americans examined just how much tipflation may be impacting our wallets.
Results found 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 more than a quarter (26%) feeling they are always or often forced to tip more than they would like.
The survey, conducted by Talker Research, found the average respondent tipped more than they’d like to on six occasions (6.3) in the last 30 days alone.
Only a quarter feel “on the spot”
And whether it’s the watchful eyes of a barista, the hastily swiveled tablet, or the waiter handing you the card machine, 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.
That might be why many of those polled (49%) felt they’d noticed their options for tipping on tablets and digital devices increased in value in the last month alone. 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.
Us old geezers just aren’t moved like younger generations
But the concept of guilt tipping doesn’t necessarily hit equally. When examining the data generationally, Gen Z (16%) and millennials (16%) were almost twice as likely to say they “always” feel pressure to tip compared to older generations. Just 9 percent of Gen X and only 5 percent of boomers felt the same constant tipping obligation.
And when purchasing specifically in-store, the pressure to tip relents the older a person is—a third of both Gen Z (33%) and millennials (33%) always or often feel pressured or made to feel guilty when tipping compared to 23 percent of Gen X and just 13 percent of boomers.
Tipping pressure doesn’t always need a human presence, it seems. 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.
What’s next for RVers in the tipflation world? We can almost see the fellow at the propane pump with a tip jar. The thought of it is enough to give you gas.
This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 Americans was carried out between April 3 – April 8, 2024. It was conducted by market research company Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR).
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Interesting article. I hate when you’re handed a tablet that gives options of tipping up to 30% or more. On the rare occasion that we’re out and about, I leave a cash tip that I think covers the service – if there IS service.
I always leave cash for the person and sometimes hand it to them so the busboy doesn’t get it. Some places make the servers pool their tips so all servers get the average of all server tips and some have to turn their tips over to management to decide how to deal with them. Servers in Florida only make $5.63 an hour.
Funny … my wife and I were just talking about this over lunch and the fact that tipping has gotten totally out of control. Example: at coffee shop, there is both a tip jar and ability to add tip to CC purchase when all the person has done is take the order and ring up the sale. Then, you go over to get your coffee, and there is another tip jar! Sorry, but not happening. Restaurants are now having tips start at 20 to 25% for service. I always go to the option to pay what I think was appropriate. Not sure why this has gone crazy, but to get a tip from us, you’d best do something above “normal”.
I asked a worker at a sandwich shop how the tip jar differs from the tip on the CC. He said that any tips on the CC are divided by the number of people working that shift and added to their paychecks, with taxes taken out. Tips in the jar are also divided among the crew at the end of the shift but they get to take the cash home. (In our state they should report that as income, but that’s a different topic.)
If I have the cash, I would prefer to tip directly. That way I know all of it goes to the person who served me and not divided up among all the shift workers.
Counter service workers are paid far above the tipped wages ($2.13/hr) paid to many waiters and bartenders. In fact, the minimum tipped wage rate is much higher in many high cost-of-living states. Prices have been raised to pay for this, so feel free to adjust tips downward as you see fit with a clear conscience. As for counter service, paying cash avoids the tip screen.
We have no problem checking the ‘no tip’ option when it’s available and lowering the amount to what we feel is acceptable. In general, we leave a larger tip at those establishments that don’t charge a fee to use our card as well. It’s a cost of doing business that’s always been there.
Back to the original subject about tipping campground workers. If the worker does something above and beyond for us, we do hand them a tip. Normally they will not accept it. I just stuff it in their pocket. It’s the same way with the tech that works on our vehicles.
One campground we stay at quite often though, we take the worker and his wife out to dinner during our stay. We’ve become friends with him and he is always pleasant and helpful.
Thank you, Russ and Tina! 🙂 I have noticed that even when I get take-out from a place that there are listed tip amounts on the same screen as the one I sign. I tip modestly (10%) when I get take-out and 20% – 25% when I eat in the restaurant, depending on how the service is. Poor service gets 10% – 15%. I worked as a busboy one summer, so I may be more sympathetic (empathetic?) to waitresses and waiters than some. Thanks again and safe travels! 🙂
Tiña worked in the restaurant industry back in the 1960s. Back in the old days, customers weren’t told to tip, they did. If you did a good job, you took home good tips. She worked in some upscale hotel restaurants, and it wasn’t unusual for her to bring home $80 a shift. Of course, she worked at it! Thanks, Neal for your always-there comments!
You’re very welcome, Russ (and Tina)! I’ll never forget that one of our waitresses got a 2 cent tip because she told the customer that a particular lunch special was no longer available. We weren’t out, the special had ended. The waitress was in tears for minutes. $80/day was good money in the 60s! 🙂 Safe travels! 🙂
It seems the tip culture if 2024 is an automatic assumption that a tip is coming and in order to not tip, or tip less takes an affirmative effort to reduce the amount “suggested”.
It’s easier to just tap the suggested 25% button on the IPAD while the hopeful recipient stands hovering eagle eyed over you, rather than enter in a desired tip amount or nothing at all and then receive the dreaded “stink eye” from the server, even if the service was bad.
We boondock so no tipping involved, maybe a cow now & then 🙂 I do tip when we eat out, if I couldn’t afford to tip, I would stay home. We generally leave 20% unless the service is unusually poor. I always leave a tip in a motel room since I, at one time, cleaned rooms. I rarely got a tip so I make sure to leave one. I found the best tippers were the groups of motorcyclists that would stay, we could always depend on a nice tip from them. Another example of not judging a book by its cover right there!
I don’t use a credit card at restaurants. Don’t have a debit card either.
I leave a tip in cash on the table or hotel room dresser.
Many of those people work hard for their money and should be fairly compensated for their work.
Should not be required to count on tips to make their wage.
Hmmm. “…the watchful eyes of a barrister…” Did you really mean attorney? Or barista? Hehehe. Or did AI write this?
🌟 You get the gold star for catching the Goof of the Day, Judith. That one totally slipped by me. Ugh! Maybe it’s because I worked for an attorney for 45 years, and I never drink coffee, hence, I am never waited on by a barista. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.🤣 It’s been fixed. Thanks! Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Thanks again Russ and Tina! 🙂 We have never thought to tip a campground worker. Similarly, we typically do not think to tip service techs. This was the case when we had an American Coach and took it to REV for factory service. We now have a Newmar and were surprised to learn from other owners during our first visit to their factory service center that it IS customary there to tip the techs several tens of dollars at completion of service. Our tech was exceptional and we did not wish to imply to him that we thought otherwise. Consequently, I had to scramble to acquire enough cash to provide the appropriate gratuity. Thanks again and safe travels! 🙂
It’s ridiculous. It was ( a long time ago) 5% was enough then 10% now 20% or gotta love it 25 and 30%.. Get a pizza at one of the ” papa” chains and up pops the tp box. I punch ” no tip” and put in a buck or two in the ever present tip jar.it not right. You order a steak and all of a sudden its a $4 tip. Order a burger and the same amount of labor goes into it and the tip is 40 cents. Texas Roadhouse wait staff shares the tips with the whole crew cooks bus etc. I’ve been told
i dont feel so bad about that if true.
years ago my daughter could make $100 at hamburger joint and me as an electrician made $40
I tip what I want and when I want, regardless of industry. If the service suggests a special “thank you” is the recognition I’d like to share, I share it.
I don’t tip to prop up poor pay, to motivate the mediocre or because an iPad offers the choice, I give extra if I receive extra.
A six pack of cold ones on a hot day to the tire guy or pizzas with Pepsi to the overworked nurses on the recovery floor isn’t an entitlement, it’s a kind gesture of appreciation.
I agree 100%. I always bring a pizza with me to the tire shop when getting a rotation.
Then do you eat it in front of the mechanics while they’re working on your vehicle, Cancel?🤔🤣 Just kidding.😉 Have a great day. 😀 –Diane
That’s quite funny D. 😆🤪 LOL.
Well, you left yourself wide open on that one, Cancel, i.e, you didn’t say what you did with the pizza once you were there.😉 Have a good afternoon. 😀 –Diane
My tip is: “Don’t smoke near the propane tank.”
I will bring cookies to the front desk workers to share in the state park that we frequent but not $$ tips. The workers remember the cookies and thank us during our stay