As inflation surges, restaurant servers depend on tips more than ever simply to make ends meet.
But many of us are tightening our purse strings rather than digging deeper to help out. And that is particularly true among members of younger generations.
A recent CreditCards.com survey has found that over the years, fewer people are willing to tip. This year, around 2,600 adults were polled. Among that group, 73% of patrons say they always tip at sit-down restaurants, down from 75% in 2021 and 77% in 2019.
Breaking the numbers down by generation, the percentage of diners who say they always tip is:
- Baby boomers (ages 58-76): 87%
- Generation X (ages 42-57): 77%
- Millennials (ages 26-41): 60%
- Generation Z (ages 18-25): 52%
As you might expect, dining tipping averages increase among people who have higher incomes.
Gender also plays a major role in terms of who tips, with 78% of women saying they always tip restaurant servers, but just 68% of men saying the same.
On the other hand, among those who do tip, both men and women leave a median tip of 20%, with the average being slightly higher among men (22%) compared to women (20%).
In terms of other services, here are the percentage of patrons of each of the following services who say they always tip:
- Hairstylists/barbers: 66%
- Food delivery people: 57%
- Taxi/ride-share drivers: 43%
- Hotel housekeepers: 27%
- Coffee shop baristas: 22%
- When picking up takeout food: 13%
- Furniture/appliance delivery workers: 17%
- Home services/repair people: 12%
Before heading out to your next meal, read “A Former Restaurant Critic Shares 11 Tips for Dining Out.”
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