A survey revealed that they decreased in the United States after the epidemic

the The impact of tips on the American economy It has seen a significant decline in recent years, according to a survey Pancreatic. Percentage of adults who say they always tip Designers, restaurant waiters and food delivery people It has decreased by 8 percentage points since 2021. The same survey reveals that the rate of Taxi and Rideshare drivers It fell 7 percentage points in the same period.

Reopening the economy After the pandemic and the inflationary increase initially affected consumers' willingness to tip. In 2021, three-quarters of consumers reported that they always tip at restaurants. However, today, only two-thirds do. Additionally, 55% of people say they provide reliable advice to hairdressers and 51% to food delivery drivers..

Ted Rossman, analyst PancreaticHe explained that inflation after the pandemic led to a decrease in the purchasing power of consumers. Although some workers' wages rose more quickly than prices, others are still recovering. According to “Many Americans are staying less because of a new appreciation for service workers.” Rossman.

In a context where at least 25 states have increased or will increase Minimum salary This year, even in important cities such as New York and Chicago, the impact of the decline in tips is partially mitigated by these wage increases. he Minimum salary From $20 per hour California The labor law for workers in large fast food chains came into effect in April. According to the manufacturer of the digital payment platform Immediately– Restaurant workers They indicated that their tips remained stable or decreased slightly, while only 29% reported an increase in tips.

The survey also reveals that pre-set tip amounts may put off some customers. Hans Frisch La Rosa, behavioral researcher at Common Cents Laboratory Subordinate Duke Universitynoted that mobile payments are perceived as impersonal, which reduces consumers' tendency to tip.

The decline in tips reflects a broader shift in consumer entertainment habits. There are setbacks in some areas of spending and improvements in others. For example, budget-conscious diners have reduced their visits to fast food chains Due to increases in menu prices, while middle- and upper-income consumers continue to spend on vacations, with an increase in cruise bookings.

Other changes in consumer behaviors appear to be situational. In major cities United States of AmericaTransaction volumes at midday during the work week fell sharply, offset by increases in evenings and weekends. According to the digital payments platform SquareThis indicates that Americans save their lunch money to spend on happy hour drinks and weekend brunch.

The discussion about tipping has spread to social media. A TikToker sparked controversy after posting about her decision not to tip a hairstylist after she paid $350 for braids, justifying the decision by saying that paying in cash would require a trip to an ATM. Clearly, many customers' attitudes toward tipping are influenced by economic considerations and convenience or discomfort in payment transactions.

Banknotes and coins still reign supreme when it comes to tipping, even in the digital age. The vast majority of workers Restaurants (89%) prefer to receive cash tipsAccording to Immediately. This finding suggests that despite the prevalence of digital payments, there is a significant tendency towards more traditional methods of supplementary fees for services.

In short, though Gratuities remain an integral part of America's service cultureVarious economic factors such as Inflation and new minimum wage regulationsalong with the digitalization of payments and changes in consumer habits, constitute a new reality in the practice of tipping.