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.
Caution: 6 Foods You May Want to Avoid at Restaurants
Tap Water
Even with filtration in place, restaurant water might not be as pristine as one would assume. A study conducted by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed that approximately 3-10% of water systems in North America have annually violated health standards set by the Safe Drinking Water Act, and this includes restaurants, as reported by the water filtration company, Quench. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to find germs and chemicals in restaurant tap water that could potentially affect the health of patrons. Common impurities detected in tap water supplies consist of microorganisms like bacteria, germs, parasites, and viruses, as well as substances like lead, chlorine, aluminum, pesticides, and others.
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Raw Sprouts
If sprouts aren’t properly stored and cleaned, they can become quite risky. Unfortunately, when ordering food at a restaurant, we may not witness this process. Sprouts are commonly cultivated in warm, moist conditions, which makes them an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, according to Health Digest. Recent outbreaks of E. coli and Salmonella have been potentially linked to these greens.
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Drink Garnishes
Bartenders often don’t have to follow the same stringent sanitary standards as the kitchen staff. As a result, the fruits used in drinks are likely to be unwashed, and they might sit out for days without refrigeration. According to Good Housekeeping, it’s worth giving a second thought to that citrus fruit you might be adding to your drink while dining out. A study revealed that 70% of these sliced fruits carry “over 25 different types of germs.” Contrary to popular belief, even alcohol doesn’t seem to do the trick in killing these germs. Good Morning America visited six restaurants and discovered that the lemons were teeming with “fecal matter” and even harbored the dreaded E. coli bacteria.
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Fish
Consider giving those impromptu “All-You-Can-Eat” fish special days a second thought. The fish served on such occasions is often leftovers from a shipment received a few days prior, which means it may not be at its freshest. According to Healthline, fish not stored at the proper temperature might become contaminated with a toxin known as histamine, which is produced by bacteria in the fish. Moreover, Healthline highlights that cooking at regular temperatures does not eliminate histamine, making it a potential cause of food poisoning.
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Bottled Ketchup
Whether your ketchup bottle is already on the table at a restaurant or brought to you by the server, chances are it has been handled by multiple people throughout the day or even longer. Making it a potential carrier of germs. Reader’s Digest explains that the reason these same bottles keep circulating is that the ketchup in each of them is often “married.” This means that as the volume of ketchup decreases in individual bottles, servers will combine the contents of several bottles into one. However, there is a downside to this practice: you may end up consuming ketchup of an unknown age or expiration date, leading to an unpleasant taste.
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Fresh Squeezed Juices
It might be worth reconsidering your choice, just as you skip adding garnishes to your drink. Freshly squeezed juices can be teamed with bacteria, unlike pasteurized juices. A study conducted by the MSU Extension reveals that most commercially sold juices in the United States are processed or pasteurized to eliminate harmful foodborne illness bacteria. However, when fruits are freshly squeezed into juice, there is a risk of harmful bacteria lingering in the finished product.
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