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.

[JoeGar]

I once asked a waiter who were the best tippers. His response was, "Everyone -- at an Amway meeting. They all try to out-tip their friends."

[CFC__VRWC]

My wife worked as a waitress for 4 years back in our college days. She said this very same thing for years. Everyone called her a racist for saying so.

I delivered pizzas all through my college days. What you both say is absolutely true.

[07055]

Would it be fair to assume that on balance, minorities make less than whites? If so, this is a non-story.

Tips are based on a *percentage* of the bill. So, why would it matter how much money each of the groups make?

[dogbyte12]

Tipping by percent of meal cost is absurd. If ya order the $25 steak, instead of the $6 appetizer, that entitles the waiter $4.50 instead of $.90? You should tip on service period. Not on the food quality. Most restaurants don't split the tips with the kitchen grunts. I feel for the waitresses at greasy spoons who bust their humps, and an order for four comes in at $20, and they get $3 or 15%. Somebody at an expensive restaurant, who is only passably attentive, gets a $20 tip on a $130 bill just because the food is more expensive?

We have to remember what exactly we are tipping. I encourage everybody to tip the service. Even if the food is cheap, if you got served well, tip well. If ya get served crappy at an expensive place, why should that waiter get 5 times the amount of tip as the worker at the cheaper place?

[Just another Joe]

Just out of curiosity, did you get that idea from that episode of Cheers where Carla's brother visits?

that may be where it came from originally.
I got it from a regular at a bar I used to work at in downtown Kansas City.

He would come in, spend several hours drinking and carousing, and then go home. (He lived catty corner across the street from the bar)
He would lay a twenty on his table then he would tell the wait staff, "Here's your tip. Every time my beer mug goes empty a dollar goes back in my pocket."
I very rarely saw his mug empty.

[Lijahsbubbe]

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

[KneelBeforeZod]

same thing my friend said... for some reason they sent her 20 miles north to Oakland to train... she got stiffed about half the time.

what I found interesting was a study they talked about on Discovery channel or Learning Chl or something...

even when customers paid cash, they tipped bigger when the little tray/book with the bill had a credit card logo on it.

[ScottinSacto]

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

Shhhhhh! Next thing you know they will be trying to pass an increase in Social Security benefits to subsidize their "inability" to tip higher.

This article makes one wonder about Denny's and all the lawsuits a few years back.

[Lijahsbubbe]

Some good common sense!

[Guillermo]

Then the waitresses should get a job at a more expensive restaraunt, if they want bigger tips.

They're not forced to work where they are.

Also, the guy who's spending $25 on a steak may sit there for an hour and a half, while the guy at Waffle House will be there for 30 minutes, or less.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Way backwhen, I hated waiting on blacks and hispanics. They griped about everything, didn't make themselves clear about their gripes and made me,a little white girl cry.

Don't cry, just tell the cook to take care of them.....

Only a fool makes enemies with those that serve and cook their food.

[vbmoneyspender]

you ever been to a restaurant in Europe? Good luck trying to get the same type of service over there that you get here. The difference in the service is due to the tipping. If a waiter knows that he or she is going to get paid more if he or she provides better service, that improves the service for everybody, including the people who tip poorly. In Europe, there is no tipping and, hence, no incentive to work harder when you are dealing with patrons. As a result, the waiters get pissed if you try to get them to do any kind of extra thing. I had this happen to me at a restaurant in Berlin where the waitress got snotty when I asked for a couple of extras (like a couple of beers beyond the initial one that I was served with). I still tipped her well when the meal was over. When she saw the tip, she apparently began to suffer pangs of conscience because she ended up serving us an extra round on the house.

[randog]

Lynn suggests that the American restaurant industry begin a campaign to inform people about the basics of leaving a tip.

What do you want to bet that "the basics" doesn't include the notion that you don't have to leave a tip if the service is crappy?

[CFC__VRWC]

What really chaffs me are the resturaunts that automatically add-in 15% grautuity to the bill...

I don't have a problem with restaurants that add on the gratuity with large parties, because otherwise the servers tend to get screwed. Everyone ducks out of his part of the tip, thinking that the other guy will suck it up.

[Just another Joe]

I tip well because it is a nice reward for doing well at a job that it is easy to do badly and hard to do well, it's not a bribe.

I pay the restaurant for the food. I tip for good service.
I just let the wait staff know ahead of time not to expect a good tip if I don't get good service.
For excellent service, especially if I see it happening to all customers, I will lay down extra.

[Lijahsbubbe]

Funny! Or they could use their increase for the casinos!

[HairOfTheDog]

Its still weird to dangle money in front of people so they will treat you better.... IMHO....

[Guillermo]

I know, that was my point.

[jobim]

Best tippers? waitresses & cabdrivers

Worst tippers? doctors

[TontoKowalski]

You're a tightwad Tonto? - I never would have guess that! Fun people are usually good tippers. [shakes head]

Noooo. Read my post again, dear friend! I tip very generously for good service. I'm not a tightwad, I'm just fair!

Our family doesn't eat out a whole lot. More of a treat... once every couple of weeks. So, when we do, it really pisses me off to have it ruined by a snotty waiter.

I've had a waiter treat my kid like dirt because he asks for a straw for his milk. I've been out where you could here the staff in the back hee-hawing while tables when completely untended for ten minutes or more. I've been treating like scum because I don't want a drink before dinner (by the way, I wonder what the drinks/no drinks before dinner tip ratios look like).

Maybe it's just our area, but the waiters tend to be very young. The very best waiters are those with a few years on them who need this job/tips to pay the rent.

BTW, how are you, you gorgeous thing?