Seven Ways to Increase Servers' Tips

Abstract

Psychological research on tipping has found that servers earn larger tips when they introduce themselves by name, squat down next to the table, flash sincere smiles, touch their customers, use tip trays with credit-card insignia, write "thank you" on the backs of checks, and-for many servers-draw a happy face on the backs of checks. Most of those simple actions increased tips by 20 percent or more, although that effect is not expected to be cumulative. That is, combining actions that separately increase tips will probably not produce an even larger effect. Since the actions are innocuous and varied, every manager should be able to find several things to recommend to the wait staff, and every server should be able to find something he or she would be comfortable doing.