Tipping expert Mike Lynn, PhD, of Cornell University—a professor of consumer behavior and marketing who has published more than 80 academic papers on tipping—points to a “perfect storm” behind the recent shift in tipping culture, based on three forces. First, technology facilitated the process in the early 2010s, allowing businesses to use tablet-based point-of-sale systems that request tips with the tap of a screen, reducing the awkwardness that can be associated with asking for one.
Then came COVID-19. “During the pandemic, people started tipping larger amounts and for services they didn’t usually tip for,” Lynn says. “When businesses noticed that, it gave them permission to start asking for tipping in new contexts, and to start asking for larger amounts.”
Third, the current close-to-full employment market—coupled with inflation—has made tipping an attractive option for businesses. It’s a way to boost employee earnings without directly increasing prices or wages.
But that doesn’t mean you should feel guilted into providing a different tip amount than you mean to, whether it’s for a cup of coffee or an afternoon at the salon. “It’s true that we’re tipping more than ever, but we need to be a little bit more selective about how much we’re tipping and why,” says Jacqueline Whitmore, an etiquette expert in Florida and founder of the Protocol School of Palm Beach.
We consulted Whitmore and other experts to navigate real-life situations and offer clear solutions for making quick, informed decisions, empowering you to tip—or not—with confidence.