The Tipping Divide: Study Finds Differences in Tips by Black, White Restaurant Patrons

National Public Radio ^ | 7/11/2003 | National Public Radio

[07055]

July 11, 2003 -- A new study finds many waiters and waitresses feel that black Americans generally tip less than restaurant diners who are white. The study, by a researcher at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, found that blacks tip on average 20 percent less than whites. In addition, restaurant workers of all races dislike waiting on black people because they assume the tips will be less no matter how good the service. NPR's Juan Williams reports.

The study found that 63 percent of blacks and 30 percent of whites didn't understand that the standard restaurant tip in the United States is 15 to 20 percent. The difference between how blacks and whites view tipping has serious ramifications for restaurants, including lawsuits and lost profits, Williams reports.

"The average tip from a black customer is about 13 percent of the bill. The average tip from a white customer is about 16.5 percent of the bill," says Dr. Michael Lynn, the study's author.

In some cases the difference in tipping may be the result of poor service, but blacks interviewed in one of Lynn's studies rated the service slightly higher yet still tipped less than whites, he says.

Jerry Fernandez, president of the Multicultural Food Alliance, which represents food servers and restaurateurs, says the expectations of a lower tip from blacks can often lead to poor service.

"If a [waiter] says, 'I don't want to wait on that table because they're black or they're Hispanic, then they tend to give less service and it's a self-fulfilling prophecy," Fernandez explains.

He says cultural elements -- blacks have avoided sit-down restaurants in favor of take out or self-service eateries -- institutionalized racism that exists in the restaurant industry and education about tipping are all behind the discrepancy. "How do people learn about tipping? If you don't go, you don't know."

Lynn suggests that the American restaurant industry begin a campaign to inform people about the basics of leaving a tip. He urges the use of advertisements, educational pamphlets, and even putting tipping information on menus. And Lynn suggests that restaurants could introduce a game in which dining parties would have to tip at least 15 percent in order to be eligible to win a contest.

[KneelBeforeZod]

I love when I see travel info that says some cultures consider it an insult when you tip. Yeah right!

[HairOfTheDog]

Heh..... I am just easily embarrassed by bad manners.... ask Joe.... ;~D

[CFC__VRWC]

Yeah you're right, when you're dealing with the zits-and-tats crowd, you're options are kind of limited. I'm assuming that these places with the punk managers were chain-type places, where the manager probably gets down on his knees and thanks God if all his people actually show up to work on Friday night.

[VermiciousKnid]

A couple of things:

1) You make an interesting point when you mention that a $20 steak will net a waiter $4.00 in tip, whereas an entire meal served at a diner -- with numerous trips to refill coffee cups, etc. will only cost about $7.00, and therefore the waiter gets only a $1.40 tip. In my experience, some of the very best wait service I've ever had comes from the neighborhood diner, and I always felt like a heel leaving such a small tip or such excellent service. So I don't. I usually go overboard and leave $3.00 (I just leave a $10 on the table and leave it at that) on that $7.00 bill. It just seems like the right thing to do.

2) I live in NY, and the sales tax here was 8½% for many years (it's more now). A fast way to calculate the proper tip had always been, "double the tax and you'll come out OK." Anyway, my husband and I took a trip to Block Island, R.I. one summer, and we went to numerous restaurants while we were there. On the third day, I realized I'd been stiffing waiters all over the island because I'd simply been doubling the tax. Unfortunately, the tax in Rhode Island was only 4%. I went back to each and every restaurant to apologize to the waiters and make up the difference. I don't think any of them could believe that somebody would actually come back just to leave a bigger tip (don't think my hubby could believe it, either...LOL).

Regards,

[annyokie]

I never did that. Many are the times I have regretted that decision.

[A_perfect_lady]

Were you by any chance a character in Reservoir Dogs?

... I was ALL of them!

[Paul Atreides]

What I hate are restaurants that have tip jars in which all the waitresses have to put the money in a jar and divide it among all of them at the end of the day. The table next to me may have a great waitress, but I may get one undeserving of a tip.

[Burkeman1]

I was at a business lunch a few years back and I was paying for clients. The bill came and I did my normal thing- 20% and I rounded up a bit- maybe overtipping a buck. This one client- who was old (60's)- sitting next to me and who was watching as I was filling out the credit card receipt got almost upset that I was giving the waiter an extra buck and said I should figure the tip to the exact CENT! That blew my mind.

[Welsh Rabbit]

I agree. I'm a generous tipper, but that whole "tip jar" concept in a fast food joint (just because it's independent) has always annoyed me.

[Just another Joe]

I am just easily embarrassed by bad manners

heh heh
I'm just embarrassed by people that get easily embarrassed. lol

[jocon307]

"I don't have a problem with restaurants that add on the gratuity with large parties, because otherwise the servers tend to get screwed."

Yes, that's fair. I've heard some real horror stories from waitresses about this. Usually it's for groups of over 8, at least around here. People have so much trouble deciding/figuring out how to split the check in those situations it's probably a very good idea if the tip is including in the number for them in the first place.

Everyone always wants me to do it, because I'm a bookkeeper, but I try to remind them that doesn't mean I'm a mental arthmetic wiz kid. I usually try and sneak to the ladies room when check splitting time arrives!

And, it is true that in America there is an assumption made that one will tip the server, approximately 15 - 20% of the cost of the food. Hubby actually says it's 10% on the bar bill, 15% on the food, for decent service, excellent service you tip more, lousy you tip less.

Waiters and waitresses are generally hard working people, and they split their tips with others, the bus boys, the cooks even, in some diner operations. These folks depend on tips for the majority of their earnings, and they did not invent the current system. I think poster here make a good point that voluntary tipping encourages good service. Anyone who can afford to eat out can afford to leave a 15% tip.

But it does remind me about the joke about the two fussy old ladies whose exasperated waitress asked them "Is ANYTHING alright?"

[annyokie]

I've seen women snatch a fiver out of the tip while their man was in the restroom. Men tip better.

[Welsh Rabbit]

I'm surprised I didn't see that one. I'm an insomniac TV junkie, I thought I'd seen them all.

[Paul Atreides]

Not so much as it may be weird for people to expect money dangled in front of them in return for treating a paying customer decently.

[Xenalyte]

The best way I ever found to tip was to estimate what you will spend and put 20% of that on the table. When the wait staff comes over you tell them that is their tip. Anytime you have to look for them to get something, 1% of the money goes back in your pocket. Normally they are not offended and you do get them to stop by your table more than others asking if everything is all right.

Never been a waiter, have you?

When I was waiting tables, I would have been quite offended, and I would have pointed out your table to the rest of the waitstaff.

[Welsh Rabbit]

Do you like yours with tomatoes, or without?

[AppyPappy]

When I waitressed I never could pin down who I thought would tip well or not. I was always surprised.

I had a rommmate who was a died-in-the-wool Southern Democrat. He ALWAYS tipped pocket change. The bill could be $80 and he left 75 cents.

[annyokie]

That's the truth! I used to hate to see the "Christers" show up after I had already cleaned up the fountain, wanting hot fudge sundaes, et al, and leaving me tracks for my considerable efforts.

[chudogg]

I do my tipping on a bell curve system. None of this B.S. rules where you have to tip at least 15%. I say at least half the time you should be leaving LESS than 15%. Think about it, half the time your getting below average service, why should they get an average tip?. Just make sure your tips average out to 15% and your ok.

Im a coffee fiend in the morning and when i go out to breakfast and dont get my coffee filled and the waiter/waitress goes awol, i dont think twice about holding out on tip.'

And i love how whenever there's a tipping discussion going on all the waiters/waitress come out and bitch saying to tip 20% (i keep hearing from my waitress friends that tipping is 20% now? and 15 is too low? i asked why one time and they said INFLATION!!)I know waiters and waitress that can pull 20-25 dollars and hour on a good friday or saturday night easy. And they dont bust their ass a tenth as hard as i do as a warehouse laborer making 8.50 an hour, and nobody ever tips me!

[don-o]

Agreed, and as the thread shows, it is not an angle very many people are interested in.

Well, like the airline threads, everyone can relate a horror story.

The larger point is discussed in other threads.