This Is How Much Americans Are Tipping a Year — Largely Out of Guilt
Written by
Adam Palasciano
Edited by
T. Woods
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Tipping for good customer service has always been customary. However, tipping culture has gotten out of control post-pandemic.
Many of us have fallen victim to “guilt tipping.” You might be in a cafe and the option to tip for your to-go cup of coffee pops up on the screen. If you reluctantly add an extra $1 or $2, USA Today says you’re not alone.
A recent study highlighted just how pervasive tipping culture has become.
‘Tipflation’ Is Taking a Hit On People’s Wallets
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans to examine just how much “tipflation” may be impacting all of our wallets.
The average respondent reluctantly tips $37.80 a month on average because they feel pressured to do so. This equates to about $453.60 a year in guilt-induced gratuity, which is no small chunk of change in today’s inflationary economy.
“We know that tipping has been a hot topic,” Van Darden, head of media relations for Talker Research, explained to USA TODAY. “It’s trended on TikTok, there’s all kinds of online conversation about it, it’s been in the news as people transitioned out of the high peaks of COVID and delivery services.”
There’s a Generational Divide on Tipping Etiquette
Not every generation thinks the same way when it comes to tipping. Here are some important stats to note from the Talker Research study:
- 16% of Gen Zers and 16% of Millennials were almost twice as likely to say they ‘always’ feel pressured to tip than older generations.
- Only 9% of Gen Xers and 5% of Boomers felt the same about the constant obligation to tip.
- When it comes to in-store tipping, about a third (33%) of Gen Zers and a third (33%) of Millennials alike always or often feel pressured or were made to feel guilty when tipping. That’s compared to 23% for Gen Xers and 13% for Boomers.
Overall, younger generations seem to feel more guilt about tipping these days compared to their older counterparts. While tipping is always important in the right scenarios, it should also be justified and not just because you feel guilty.
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