Gen Z isn't tipping and they're not afraid to admit it

Yahoo

a day ago

Despite earning a six figure salary, Chloe, a 27-year-old creative marketer, never tips over 18 percent at a restaurant, dropping to 12 or even 10 percent if service is slow.
Her stingy restaurant etiquette often draws raised eyebrows from servers (and comments from her friends behind her back, since a quarter of Americans tip 20 percent or more in a sit-down restaurant), but a new survey has found that her fellow Gen-Zers are increasingly tipping less.
A new study by Bankrate has found that among U.S. adults, Gen-Zers (ages 18-28) and Millennials (ages 29-44) stand out as the least frequent tippers across various service categories including cafes, bars and restaurants.
In fact, 57 percent of Gen-Z respondents said they did not always tip at sit-down restaurants — the lowest of all the generations.
Youngsters that spoke to The Independent were indeed split on their habits, with many acknowledging social norms for dining at a sit-down restaurant while simultaneously having no problem with disregarding them.
Typically, they said, it's poor service, long waits for food, or some other unpleasant experience that would result in a low or total lack of tip.
'There's got to be a trifecta of bad things going on for me to tip under 20 percent – slow, unfriendly staff, and mid food,' says Sarah Hannaway, 23, from Colorado. 'I almost never tip nothing, unless there was no labor involved, like getting a bottle of water at a coffee shop.'
Sarah, a 26-year-old communications coordinator from St Petersburg, Florida, says: 'I always leave a tip no matter what, but if the server pisses me off, sometimes I leave less than 20 percent.
'It would have to be really really bad for me to not tip, like spit in my food and try to kill me.'
A 28-year-old New Yorker (interviewees have asked for various levels of anonymity based on how embarrassed they feel about their tipping habits being made public) agreed. 'The only time I would consider not tipping is if I specifically said I was dairy free, they gave me dairy, and then were rude when I sent it back,' they added.
Others may choose to express their displeasure in other ways. 'If it gets really bad then it's a 3-5 percent tip and a note that says something bitchy on it,' says Becca Flisnik, 25, from Los Angeles. 'Something like 'have a nice day!' or 'thank you for your incredible service'.
'Giving no tip at all? – I don't know, maybe if they're a Trump supporter.'
In contrast to the subtle protests of the youth, the generation most likely to tip are Baby Boomers (ages 61-79) – though they're not happy about it. The same study found that while 84 percent of boomers will always tip at sit-in restaurants, 68 percent of them hold negative opinions about tipping.
A smaller percentage of Gen-Zers, 57 percent, have negative views of the practice and view it as a necessary evil, given the current economic climate and how service industries function.
'Even when service is bad I still pay 20 percent if I'm sitting down,' says one 26-year-old New Yorker. 'Food industry not paying a livable salary is bulls*** in my opinion – that's someone's whole livelihood.'
And others will add in extra when it seems deserved. 'The other day I spilled all over the table/floor and they had to clean it up so I tipped a little extra,' adds Stephanie Pearl, 27.
Bankrate's survey also found that only 25 percent of Gen-Zers reported always tipping their hair stylists/barbers, and only 23 percent always tip taxi/rideshare drivers. One anonymous Gen-Zer told The Independent that never tipping an Uber driver was her 'fatal flaw.'
Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at Bankrate, sums up the frustration many feel at seeing that dreaded 'add tip' screen when it feels like no service has been offered: 'The high cost of living is a headwind, and many people resent all of the tip creep that has occurred in recent years, with us being asked for tips in previously unconventional settings.'
Others, however, are apparently oblivious to the habits of their peers.
'We're the best tippers, we tip everywhere,' said 23-year-old Liam Baxter.