Tipping In The Hospitality Industry: Fair Or Not?
Tipping in the hospitality industry is just Las Vegas. And living in Las Vegas, we know that the hospitality industry is big business. Growing up in Nevada, you knew to…
Tipping In The Hospitality Industry: Fair Or Not?
Jupiterimages via Getty Images PlusTipping in the hospitality industry is just Las Vegas. And living in Las Vegas, we know that the hospitality industry is big business.
Growing up in Nevada, you knew to tip those who were doing you a favor, and being paid very little. Servers, bartenders, housekeeping, etc. Tipping was just standard, and you did it, because you appreciated them. And that's where hospitality workers earned their living - in tips.
Tipping Culture In America
In many countries, tipping is not really a thing, because restaurants, and bars pay much more than the US. In Europe, it is standard to make a good livable wage salary, with benefits.
Somewhere along the way in the US, tipping was forced upon us. By way of tablets that were flipped around on a swivel, along with a tip amount suggestion. Wait - why am I tipping at a tanning salon, or gas station? And how do I even know where that is going?
Well, now nearly 9 in 10 Americans think tipping culture has gotten way out of control, according to WalletHub’s 2025 Tipping Survey.
The survey asked when people believe they should have to tip, if they feel pressured to do so, how they think tips should be split, and more.
Key Issues When It Comes To Tipping
- Passing the buck: Nearly 3 in 5 Americans think that businesses are replacing employee salaries with customer tips.
- Taxing tips: More that 1 in 4 Americans think tips should be taxed (as they are now).
- Tip Suggestion Effect: Nearly 3 in 10 Americans say they tip less when they’re presented with a tip suggestion screen.
- Rate, Don’t Tip: 40% of people say they believe tipping should be replaced by an instant employee rating system so businesses can decide how much to pay their staff. (Hmmm... Still seems like hospitality workers are fighting to just make a livable wage with this one)
- Service Fees: 83% of people think automatic service charges should be banned.
Tipping In The Hospitality Industry--Just Be Fair
Most people want to be generous, but they don’t want to be forced into being generous. Especially when gratuity was truly optional in the past. But the economy has changed, and money is tight. More and more, people would like for businesses to pay their own staff a fair wage, rather than passing the buck to the customer.
If you've never worked in the hospitality industry, you can't imagine what these employees put up with from customers. If you have - you already know.
They are doing you a service. Along with bringing you every condiment known to man, keeping track of your food allergies, taking your steak back for the third time, and cleaning up the barf from your kid. They are working hard hustling your food to your table.
Bartenders are getting your drinks right, while dealing with drunks who say they are "just fine," as they drop another drink, or complain, because there was too much vermouth in their martini. And Housekeeping? You know what you did in your room - give them something.
Just be fair with tipping. Hospitality workers are often just doing the work YOU didn't want to do.
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