How Waiters Get Us to Tip More Money
Don't look now, but that nice waiter is playing little tricks to get you to fork over a higher tip!
Rewarding wait staff for a job well done is something most restaurant patrons want to do. There is nothing better than an attentive waiter whose service makes your evening out even more special. The From the Editor staff loves waiters! If there's a waiter working, that means we're not cooking dinner that night. Still, what IS it that makes us leave a high tip or a paltry one?
The How Stuff Works Web site has analyzed the situation. Tipping is not always a sign of a job well done. We tip because:
• We plan to return to that restaurant.
• It's expected.
• We don't want to look cheap.
• We feel guilty if we don't tip.
• We don't want to anger the server.
• It makes us feel better about being waited upon by someone who works hard and isn't necessarily paid well.
And while all these reasons for tipping are legitimate, you may be giving a higher tip to your server because of little tricks he or she plays that makes you want to dole out the cash after dessert. How Stuff Works reports that researchers at Cornell University's Center for Hospitality Research showed that the quality of service received isn't always reflected in the tip. As odd as it may sound, servers who provide excellent service only receive a slightly higher tip on average than those who provide average service.
So what IS going on? Cornell researchers say servers do these specific things to boost their chances of getting a higher tip from you:
Touching
If a waiter touches the customer--a brief brush on the shoulder, for example--they can expect the tip to increase from 11.8 percent of the bill's total to 14.8 percent of the check total. Both men and women fall for this. People of all ages are susceptible to it, especially younger customers.
Squatting
Two different studies concluded that when waiters squat next to the table when they take the order, their customers tip more. In one study it was 17.5 percent instead of 14.9 percent; in the other study, the waiter received 15 percent instead of 12 percent. Why? Squatting allows the waiter to make better eye contact and that closer interaction creates a more intimate connection. And, of course, intimate connections makes us want to hand over more money.
Giving Candy
Isn't it nice to get a piece of candy with your bill? Some of us think it's so nice that we'll tip 17.8 percent when we get candy, up from 15.1 percent when there's no candy. The Cornell researchers cite one study in which servers gave each customer two pieces of candy and they watched their tips rise to 21.6 percent of the bill. But just throwing the candy down isn't enough. HOW the candy is given has an even larger impact on how we tip. The best way: The server gives each member of the party one piece of candy and then "spontaneously" offers a second piece of candy. The payoff? It increased the tip to 23 percent of the bill.
--Cathryn Conroy
In Spain, you often get a shot of some sweet tasting liquoir which is awful, but I suppose, if the waiter is nice and the food to your liking, you'll tend to tip more. :)
