Waitresses’ facial cosmetics and tipping: A field experiment

It had been found that cosmetics do improve female facial attractiveness when judgments were made based on photographs. However, these studies were conducted only on laboratory and field studies are scarce in the literature and none of them have tested the effect of customers’ behavior. An experiment was carried out in restaurant in order to verify if waitresses’ makeup is associated with an increase in patrons’ tipping behavior. Female waitresses with and without makeup were instructed to act in the same way than usual with their patrons. Results showed that the makeup condition was associated with a significant increase in tipping behavior of the male customers.     

How to fuel employees’ prosocial behavior in the hotel service encounter

With mounting customer expectation for excellent service, frontline service employees’ prosocial service behavior is of great importance since it helps enhance customers’ perceived service quality, which is critical for maintaining a hotel’s competitive advantage relative to its comp set. Regardless of the importance of prosocial service behavior, role clarity, perceived organizational support, and psychological empowerment in encouraging employees’ prosocial service behavior has not received much attention. This study examines the effects of the above three predictors on the prosocial service behavior of customer-contact employees. The authors developed a conceptual model of prosocial service behavior and empirically tested it using structural equation modeling. The findings suggest that role clarity and psychological empowerment have a direct influence on prosocial service behavior. Psychological empowerment partially mediates the relationship between role clarity and prosocial service behavior and fully mediates the relationship between perceived organizational support and prosocial service behavior.     

Tipping: The case of hotel turndown service

Turndown services are experiential and value-added practices to make guests feel cared-for in luxury hotels. Previous research has found that when receiving an additional or exceptional service, people may feel obligated to respond with a reciprocal behavior, such as providing tips. This study aims to investigate the effects of hotel turndown services on tips given to hotel room attendants. The results revealed that the room attendants received more tips for providing turndown service, both in terms of the frequency of receiving tips and the amount of those tips. The findings suggest that without the existence of a tipping norm in hotel guest rooms, the relationship between service and tip seems much clearer.     

Effects of the Big Five personality traits on tipping attitudes,motives, and behaviors

Knowledge about the personality predictors of tipping attitudes, motives, and behaviors could shed light on the psychological processes underlying tipping and might allow service workers to better predict and manage their tip incomes. To those ends, analyses of online survey data revealed numerous direct and indirect (through tipping motives) Big Five personality trait effects on tipping attitudes and behavior. For example, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and Openness affected tipping likelihood and tip sizes through its enhancement of intrinsic tipping motives. Also, the effects of Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, and Neuroticism on leaving sub-normative (<15%) or normative (15%–20%) restaurant tips were independent of the traits’ relationships with self-reported tipping motives. However, the sizes of these and other personality effects were small, so there is little to be gained from using customer’s personalities to predict their tipping behavior.     

Tipping behavior in Canadian restaurants

This study tested several common stereotypes held by restaurant servers about tipping behavior, using detailed, household-level Canadian recall data on over 73,000 restaurant meals during the 2000–2005 period. Most variation (84%) in tip amounts was explained by a meal's price. Regarding tipping rates, however, two-stage least squares and logistic regressions explained only a small portion of variation. Diners’ previous tipping history was the dominant predictor of tipping rates. Statistically significant results supported each tipping stereotype, but the average magnitude of impacts appeared too low to justify basing staffing or service quality decisions on diner-specific tipping expectations.     

Individual differences in self-attributed motives for tipping: Antecedents,consequences, and implications

A web-based survey of consumers finds that: (i) individual differences in self-attributed motives for tipping load on two factors – intrinsic and self-presentational motives,(ii) more people claim to tip for intrinsic reasons than for self-presentational reasons, (iii) demographic differences in motives for tipping are small, (iv) individual differences in self-attributed motives for tipping are rooted in more general dispositional tendencies toward conformity and feelings of gratitude, (v) intrinsic motives for tipping are associated with larger restaurant percentage tips and greater likelihood of non-restaurant tipping, and (vi) self-presentational motives for tipping are associated with smaller restaurant percentage tips.     

Exposure to altruism quotes and tipping behavior in a restaurant

Some studies have shown that exposure to fortuitous information can influence individuals’ behavior. In this study, customers in two restaurants were exposed, or not, to an altruism-related quote written on their bill. A significant increase in tipping behavior was found from both male and female patrons who had been exposed to the altruism quotes. Activation spreading theory was used to explain these results.     

From angels to demons: Uncovering the relationships between tipping,social dignity,OCB and incivility intentions

Building upon equity, expectancy-disconfirmation, and social exchange theories, this research broadens the tipping literature by examining employees’ psychological and behavioral responses when receiving tips that differ in size from expectations, and how managers’ support influences perceptions. Using a 2 (actual-expected tipping discrepancy: higher vs. lower-than-expected tip size) x 2 (manager delivered social praise: presence vs. absence) between-subjects experimental design, the study finds that employees receive higher-than-expected tip size (vs. lower-than-expected tip size) have a higher level of social dignity, which promotes employees’ organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). The results also support an interaction effect of manager delivered social praise and tipping discrepancy on employees’ social dignity. The results provide important theoretical and managerial implications to the tipping, social dignity, OCB, incivility, and social praise literature.     

The underlying dimensions of tipping behavior: An exploration, confirmation, and predictive model

Tipping is unique in that the customer provides a major portion of the employee's wage. Because tipping is voluntary and because it usually occurs retrospectively of the service rendered, tipping practices have stimulated historic interest from both economic and psychological perspectives. This research extends the body of knowledge on tipping by integrating recent advances in motivational research which support the existence of a universal, multifaceted model of intrinsic motivation. Inasmuch, the present research investigated the underlying motives for tipping under various conditions of service. Findings supported the existence of six underlying behavioral dimensions associated with tipping: (a) Heuristic Model, (b) Impress Others, (c), Reciprocal Reward, (d) Social Obligation, (e) Generosity, and (f) Control Service. Each of these six corresponded closely with the basic motivators proposed by the multifaceted model. Results from a hierarchical linear regression confirmed the overriding influence of heuristics on tip amounts under various service conditions.     

Impression Management and the Hospitality Service Encounter

Abstract

Managers, marketers, and employees in the hotel and restaurant industry that are aware of the needs of people from different cultures will be able to better direct their efforts at product development, provide better guest services, and thereby offer a means of developing competitive advantage. This study determined cross-cultural differences in customer perceptions of employee behavior, intentions to return, and tipping between Americans and Asians living in the United States. The study was based on several impression management dimensions (ingratiation, intimidation, self-promotion, exemplification, supplication, and non-verbal behaviors). The results suggest that behaviors associated with ingratiation and exemplification techniques were perceived as being more satisfying for American than Asian respondents. Behaviors demonstrative of intimidation and supplication techniques were perceived as very dissatisfying for Americans.     

The “Mask Effect” on the tips that customers leave restaurant servers

Masks have become the custom among restaurant workers and bartenders as a form of protection against COVID-19. Yet, given the rapid introduction of masks to the uniforms of restaurant servers there is a dearth of extant scholarship that has explored the effects of face coverings on customers’ behaviors. In response, this research offers a preliminary test of the effect of server masks on a common consumer behavior in the full-service restaurant industry—tipping. We review theoretical and empirical reasons suggesting that a mask may have a negative effect on customers’ tipping practices. Potential mask effects on tipping are then explored with a survey experiment that was administered to a large and diverse sample of Amazon Mechanical Turk “workers.” Our results suggest that wearing a mask is not likely to, on average, have a meaningful effect on how much restaurant customers tip their servers. However, we do observe a negative indirect effect of a mask on customer reported tip amount through diminished perceptions of a hypothetical servers’ friendliness. This effect was found to be attenuated among those who are altruistically motivated to tip servers as a way to help them financially. The implications of our results and directions for future research are discussed.     

Listen to their heart: Why does active listening enhance customer satisfaction after a service failure?

A service employee’s active listening plays a crucial role in restoring a damaged customer relationship. However, previous studies reveal little about how listening to customer complaints operates in recovering a service failure. The purpose of this research is to explore when and why the employee’s active listening has a positive influence on customer response. We define active listening as (1) listening to customers’ concerns before apologizing and (2) verbally acknowledging them. Using scenario-based experiments, we demonstrate that active listening improves customer satisfaction, which in turn increases tip size (Study 1). Moreover, we find that active listening fosters customers’ perceptions of preferential treatment, which lead to greater customer satisfaction (Study 2). Yet, such positive effects of active listening diminish when customers are unexpectedly offered a complimentary service such as a room upgrade. The implications for academic researchers and marketing managers are discussed.     

What's in a tip? The creation and refinement of a restaurant-tipping motivations scale: A consumer perspective

According to Segrave (1998), since the late 1800s, the study of tipping has provoked debate in a range of abstract dimensions such as economics, sociology, and psychology. To date, the research on the topic has been largely qualitative in nature, while addressing motivating themes (service, social norm, and future service considerations) in isolation from one another. Following a thorough examination of the literature, there is a definite lack of research on the development and testing of a more holistic quantitative scale aimed at identifying the motivational Gestalt driving actual consumer tipping behavior. Therein lies the major theoretical contribution of this study, namely the development and testing of a Tipping Motivations Scale, which over two separate analyses, supports a number of drivers of consumer tipping motivation.In this study, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test the empirical dimensions of consumer tipping motivations. The results obtained indicate a reasonable fit between the data and the proposed model across both analyses. This was repeated on two separate occasions and the results largely remained consistent. The findings point to the key role of service in driving the consumer's decision to tip. Other important factors included social conformity, the issue of future visitation, and server actions. Further research is needed to explore whether these dimensions remain constant among other sample groups and across different tipped professions.     

Goodwill intended for whom? Examining factors influencing conspicuous prosocial behavior on social media

Despite the popularity of cause-related marketing (CRM), the socially-oriented drivers that influence the success of CRM have yet to be investigated empirically in the hospitality context. This study investigated the effects of three factors (status motive, guilt, and recognition) on customers’ attitudes and intent to participate in CRM promotions through social media. A scenario-based 2 × 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design was used. Results revealed that status-seeking individuals exhibited the high level of prosocial behavior when their behavior was recognized by others publicly compared to non status-seeking individuals. In addition, individuals who felt guilt with regards to a CRM promotional appeal were more likely to respond to the promotion positively than those who did not, when their goodwill was observable by others. Considering this desire of some customers to have their goodwill displayed to others (known as conspicuous prosocial behavior), this study provides important evidence for companies wishing to develop CRM strategies via social media.     

Job standardization and service quality: The mediating role of prosocial service behaviors

Service quality has been recognized as a major topic in the tourism and hospitality industry. Although previous literature has examined the relationship between job standardization and service quality, the mechanism underlying this relationship remains a black box. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between job standardization and service quality, and to clarify the role of prosocial service behaviors. Survey data from 336 customer-contact employees and 404 customers in Taiwan indicate that job standardization positively affects role-prescribed service behavior and extra-role service behavior of customer-contact employees, in addition to the service-quality perception of their customers. Extra-role service behavior also positively affects service quality. By contrast, the effect of role-prescribed service behavior on service quality is not significant. In addition, prosocial service behaviors mediate the relationship between job standardization and service quality. Managerial implications and future research directions are discussed in this study.     

Tipping Perceptions: Taiwanese Tour Leaders' Perspectives

This study aims to investigate how tour leaders (TLs) in Taiwan perceive the issue of tipping, and to identify the factors which influence TLs to solicit tips. It also examines the impact of tipping in relation to the job performance of TLs. Data collection involved participant observations and interviews with travel agencies' managerial staff and TLs. This study found that TLs see tips as a significant source of income if they are not well-paid by their employers. This study suggested that selfish economic behavior has a significant impact on tips received. The consequences are mainly caused by travel agencies' operating policies regarding the price competition and low payment of TLs. TLs have a tendency to perceive tips as a service charge rather than a voluntary payment. Slowly, but not unanimously, including tips in the price of the tour might be an alternative for the future practice of travel agencies in Taiwan. It is expected that the results of the study can help travel agencies in Taiwan to draw up an appropriate tipping policy and to extend literature on service performance in the travel industry.     

Tipping policy effects on customer satisfaction: An informative failure to replicate

Analysis of online reviews indicates that Royal Caribbean’s abandonment of tipping on March 1, 2013 had no reliable effect on its customers’ ratings of either the overall cruise experience or the cruise service/staff. This finding stands in opposition to previous studies which reported that customer satisfaction and service ratings fell after organizations abandoned voluntary tipping policies in contexts where tipping is normative. Since tipping is no longer common in the cruise industry, the failure to replicate suggests that earlier effects were probably caused by people’s subjective preference for the tipping policies they were used to in those contexts rather than by tipping’s actual effects on service delivery.     

The effects of tipping policies on customer satisfaction: A test from the cruise industry

Many in the media have called for the abolition of the practice of tipping and at least some resorts, private clubs, hotels, and restaurants have replaced tipping with automatic service charges or service inclusive pricing. Particularly notable in this regard is the cruise industry, where several of the largest brands have switched to an automatic service charge system. Given the popularity of tipping and its perceived role as an incentive/reward for service, such moves to replace tipping with service charges seem likely to have negative effects on customer satisfaction. We test this expectation by examining the effects of Carnival Cruise Line's tipping policy change in the early 2000s on its customers’ evaluations of their cruise experience. After controlling for the effect of ship and review date, we found that Carnival Cruise Line's guests rated their cruise more positively when they sailed under a voluntary-tipping policy than when automatic service charges were added to their onboard bills. However, this effect was small and need not deter firms from replacing voluntary tipping with service charges. Discussion of this finding focuses on ways services marketers might be able to mitigate this modest negative effect of service charges.     

Homelessness in destinations: Tourists' visit intention

Although the presence of homelessness can challenge a destination's existing representations and undermine tourists' visit intention, its impacts have not received much scholarly attention in the tourism literature. Recognizing this research gap, this study examines the impact of homelessness on tourists' visit intention in Hawaii. In particular, findings reveal that tourists' preceding prosocial behavior and moral emotion affect their intention to visit a destination experiencing homelessness issues. This study also finds a gender difference regarding the effect of preceding prosocial behavior on moral emotion. It contributes to the literature by expanding the discussion of this important social phenomenon in a tourism context. Findings also suggest that destinations could promote socially responsible and sustainable practices to mitigate the effects of homelessness.     

Enhancing employee voice to advance the hospitality organization’s marketing capabilities: A multilevel perspective

Increased pressure to remain competitively viable necessitates that hospitality organizations are responsive to the market. Through a theory of cooperation and competition lens, this study examines how hospitality organizations can enhance their market responsiveness via the mechanism of employee voice. Using multi-level data from 75 U.S. chain restaurants, results show employee-organization goal alignment builds employee efficacy necessary to exhibit effective prosocial voice and fortifies the organization against misaligned employee goals that potentially lead to ineffective, defensive, or acquiescent, voice behavior. At the restaurant level, unit level prosocial voice had a positive impact on the organization’s marketing capabilities through the support of a participatory organizational climate, providing evidence that enhancing employee voice is a viable marketing strategy to advance marketing capabilities.