Higher sticker prices have made some people stingier in recent years, a new Bankrate survey finds. “They’re no longer appreciating service industry workers as much.”

People are a little bit stingier in barber chairs and Ubers than they were just a few years ago.

The shares of adults who say they always tip their hair stylists, servers at sit-down restaurants and food delivery people have each fallen 8 percentage points since 2021, according to a Bankrate survey released Wednesday. That rate slipped 7 percentage points for taxi and ride-hail drivers over the same period.

Three years ago, the economy was reopening from the pandemic and inflation was higher than it is now, but so was concern for front-line workers.

At the time, three-quarters of consumers reported always tipping restaurant servers, but today just two-thirds do. Despite modest upticks since last year, barely more than half of people now count themselves reliable tippers of hairdressers (55%) and food delivery drivers (51%), while only 41% say the same when it comes to ordering a ride.

The survey reflects Americans’ growing ease bypassing ubiquitous tipping prompts, from coffeeshops to airport terminals in the post-Covid economy, especially as sticker prices have risen. While consumer spending has held remarkably steady, many households are feeling the squeeze from persistent inflation and tightening their belts accordingly. Some of that newfound caution may be factoring into when, where and how much people tip.

  • @[email protected]English
    -7•7 months ago

    Don’t forget that it’s the employer paying the shitty wage that is the one screwing over the worker.

    I’m not defending the tipping culture, but it’s baked into the idea of how much these people are paid by their employer. By not tipping, you’re just screwing them, not sticking it to the man. It’s just an attempt to justify being cheap.

    • @Redfugee
      12•7 months ago

      Again you’re blaming the consumer but totally overlook the employer being cheap and paying shitty wages. You’re playing right into their hand.

      • @[email protected]English
        -1•7 months ago

        Again you’re blaming the consumer but totally overlook the employer being cheap and paying shitty wages.

        It’s currently part of our culture and an expectation. We all agree that it should go away, but as of now, regardless of whether the boss is being cheap, if you don’t tip you’re being cheap and only screwing the worker, as the boss still makes their money.

    • @[email protected]
      6•7 months ago

      I really really don’t agree with this. They have already been screwed by their boss, you are choosing whether to Bail the boss out or not. The dynamic will never change by continuing your stance, you’ll just keep on bailing out the rich guys.

      • @[email protected]English
        -6•7 months ago

        There’s an expectation that you tip, right or wrong. If you don’t tip, you’re just screwing them, not the boss.

        If you want to change it, screwing the worker is not the best path.

        • @[email protected]
          4•7 months ago

          I didn’t say you would be screwing the boss. What you are doing by tipping is letting them away with it. I understand the expectation, I think it shouldn’t exist, I think it’s wrong. I also refuse to take a job like that which I believe IS the way to change it.

          • @[email protected]English
            1•7 months ago

            Going and not tipping is still letting them “get away with it” because they still make their money. The person who makes less is the worker who served you the food. The owner still gets their money. If you want to hit the boss in the pocket book, you don’t go to places that rely on tipping their workers. That’s how you put pressure on the owner.