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.

[WoofDog123]

"$110 bill, some a bit more, some less. If... they only tip 15% on average, this waitress is taking $198 in tips for the day. Don't cry for her Argentina"

would be worth factoring in tipping out to bar, cook, bussers, etc which are all common practices to some degree or other.

[A_perfect_lady]

No matter what you folks say, the fact remains that the tip is the customer's way of giving feedback about the service. Sob stories about taxes and hungry children are just that: sob stories.

[meowmeow]

Darn – I’m on my way to bed and don’t have time to read 200+ posts but let me add mine…because I’m sure there are those on the thread who never worked as a server and resent tipping because servers should be able to get through school on $2 an hour and those who have worked will find this familiar.

I worked for a year as a waitress in a restaurant that had a diverse clientele. Out of curiosity, I started keeping all the bill copies left on the tables in my section (no one usually takes the bill copy) and quickly marking down the tip I received and some codes – to designate black, white, Asian, old, young, family, church group, sports team, military, and various other customer characteristics that I learned to discern. Then I dumped it all into a big spreadsheet. Blacks scored at the very bottom for tipping and at the top for complaining. Gays, Jewish families, softball teams and couples in the early stage of dating and small groups of guys who drank a lot of beer tipped highest. Church groups were also near the bottom of my tip study, although they were nice as could be. Yuppie families with small children tipped well when the husband paid, but poorly when the wife paid. Asians tipped 15% exactly about 98% of the time. Women tipped worse then men unless they were a former waitress. Latinos were all over the board, I could never predict them. I wish I still had that spreadsheet! It was fascinating.

As a side note, when I had a table with children who were polite and well behaved, I treated them like little kings and queens and complimented their parents afterwards. They were few and far between, but I was always impressed. It can be done. I think it’s called…parenting. But that’s another thread…

[McGavin999]

That's true jwalsh, I've never heard about it being a racial thing. I think it's a matter of what's inside. As I said, sometimes it's just the fact that people are unaware how little these folks make per hour because their bosses calculate the tips into their wage. If the tip is there they do fine, if they have good tippers, they do even better, and sometimes there's no tip or a small tip.

It's really a question of letting people know.

[McGavin999]

Look, you apparently can't read or else you have a problem absorbing what you do read. If you get poor service, then don't tip. What we've been pointing out to you is that MANY people get good or excellent service and STILL don't tip. You seem to have taken this personally for some reason, and that's your choice, but I don't think we could have possibly been clearer. Perhaps you've just had a tough day, but don't be so defensive.

[HairOfTheDog]

I started keeping all the bill copies left on the tables in my section (no one usually takes the bill copy) and quickly marking down the tip I received and some codes – to designate black, white, Asian, old, young, family, church group, sports team, military, and various other customer characteristics that I learned to discern. Then I dumped it all into a big spreadsheet.

You did that?

Fascinating...

[pbear8]

I agree about 'In and Out', the service is excellent. The first time I was in one, the counter guy addressed me in perfect English and really seemed as though he wanted to take my order. Won me over. I've never had fast food service as good anywhere else. The $8.50 per hour pays off for the nice Christian company.

[Drango]

In regards to public broadcasting, here is some data on how much they pledge. Think about it, as it's pledge time at FreeRepublic! (hint, hint) Do what you can...

Average per-person contribution in current dollars	1980	1999
Public radio	$24.84	$73.22
Public television	$30.12	$77.05

Source: Corporation for Public Broadcasting

[TontoKowalski]

May speak to current economics or depression blowback.

Man, I could write a book on that. My grandfather (God rest his soul, he was a very good man) supported his entire family through the depression... he was 13 in 1929, and his Mother was widowed in 1930.

He was a financially successful man later on in life, but the depression never left him. As long as I knew him, he carried very large amounts of cash at all times. I mean like $2000. It was almost like a security blanket, if you know what I mean.

He was a generous man, but never wasted money either. He paid a very good wage to his employees, and was rewarded by their length of service to him. But he was tight as a drum in other matters.

He did always tip EXACTLY 15%.

[AnAmericanMother]

I would rather divide than move decimal points around (always had trouble with the ol' slide rule doing that . . . . :-D )

[Lijahsbubbe]

Well, I am a young grandma, but it won't be long and then I'll have to hear all the old people jokes.

The other day my 4 yr old grandson rode his little bike by me and said "move it granny!" LOL!(okay now, what was that we were talking about?.....)

[headsonpikes]

"Thank yew! We aim to please."

Sorry, no tip; I prefer quieter service.

;^)

[ido_now]

Isn't it amazing that in this thread of some 270 post, we are the only ones who have any idea of what we are talking about.

You tasty thing!

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

when I had a table with children who were polite and well behaved, I treated them like little kings and queens and complimented their parents afterwards.

I took my mother to Friendly's one day, and she (retired schoolteacher) remarked on the good behavior of the pair of kids with their mother at a nearby table. I got up and went over to their table and relayed the compliment. Always better to remark on the things done right than to complain about what is not . . .

[Lijahsbubbe]

Well, I think it's usually because when they were young a good tip was $1.

I think I remember my grandma leaving a dollar when we would go 'downtown' (the good ol days) and have a hamburger and a lalapalooza at Bridgeman's. Of course, grandma always took tons of napkins from the napkin holder, so she more than made up for it!

[jwalsh07]

Both of my granpa's were Irishmen and bartenders at different points in their lives. They imparted this wisdom to me.

The size of the tip is directly proportional to the amount imbibed.

And I might add that in my younger days I proved that rule many a time.

[PresbyRev]

Glad to hear you fundies are acting in conformity with the Gospel of Christ and inconsistently with your apocalyptic doomsday'ism! The Wells of Salvation is a wonderful project. In my area the PCUSA churches - mainline libs which you implicitly condemned - are active in sending mission groups on clean water projects, building rainwater collection systems due to ground water contamination in Haiti, school building and long-term support, sharing Christ's good news in word and deed. Beyond that of course many folks of faith, conservative and liberal alike, are active in addressing not just the symptoms of poverty but poverty's causes.

Haiti and theological debates aside, it doesn't negate the plight of the working poor and the poor in general in the United States. I waitered in college and seminary, along with factory work and a number of other jobs. Often - though that is surely a generalization - someone waiting tables is holding that job for a reason, options are often as limited as their income. My point is simply that I observed during my restaurant days and since that many Christians --- not all --- who wear their faith on their sleeve, hit the steak house or Red Lobster, et. al, after church in masse - strutting in their Sunday finery - act like ****** (I'll asterisk it for those of delicate sensibilities) and demand top notch service then leave pittance or nothing for a hard-working, often low income, table waiter. Not a great testimonial to the unchurched & the very sort of hypocrisy that the prophets condemned in the Hebrew Scriptures and that Jesus and several of the NT writers spoke and wrote against as well.

[GOPJ]

A young friend who worked her way through college told it to me this way: The worst tippers are blacks, followed closely by obvious liberals, then two middle aged women eating together, then old people. The best tippers are young men trying to impress a date followed by white middle aged couples.

I've heard old people are the worst. They're picky and demanding and tip lousy.

[Hurricane Andrew]

By your logic then, the car I pay $15,000 for should be able to be purchased by a minority for $10,000 since they make "less as a group"? Isn't that the basis of socialism?

[Vinnie]

Even if the food is cheap, if you got served well, tip well.

Hear, Hear.
I always tips generously at inexpensive eaterys.
My wife worked at one of those 'smorgasbord style' establishments for a while. Many people tip little or nothing because the waitress doesn't actually bring the food to them. Her stories convinced me to be very generous.