Why do people tip when no one asked them to?

It is not uncommon for people to show appreciation for a good service in a dining place. They show it by giving some extra money on top of the bill.

The extra money, called tip, has become a social norm across many countries, including the United States where it is very much ingrained in the culture.

A study published in Management Science explained the psychological causes behind tipping, saying it is not just about rewarding good service but also about conforming to the social norms.

Some people tip service providers to show genuine appreciation of their hospitality, others just try to match up out of social pressure.

This practice is not just limited to dining services alone but also increasingly popular in the transport sector. 

Why do people tip?

Led by Dr Ran Snitkovsky of the Coller School of Management at Tel Aviv University and Professor Laurens Debo of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, the researchers aimed at understanding the personal and social motivation behind tipping.

They found it difficult to explain tipping culture using the standard economic tools.

People who are interested in making their own wealth have no reason to tip the service providers, said Dr Snitkovsky who found tipping unreasonable for some people.

Also, if the intention is to encourage better service in the future, most customers know they wouldn't meet the service provider again and even if they met them, the worker won’t recognise them.

So, tipping made no sense in these situations.

Using behavioural economics, the researchers tried to construct a model to understand how tipping plays out in a society where it is not mandatory.

The findings show in societies where people follow the crowd, the tipping averages increase with time. 

Appreciators versus conformists

The constructed model demarcated consumer behaviour into two broad categories: the appreciators and the conformists.

The study showed people who genuinely empathise with the service provider or the appreciators won’t hesitate in increasing the average tip after a heartfelt meal.

The conformists, however, to protect their social standing or image often chase the standards raised by the appreciators, willing to match up the cost.

The study also found that tipping culture had little to no effects on the service performance because it reinforces the belief that customers will pay under any circumstances.

Tipping and stigma

As per experts, tipping behaviour is also influenced by the social settings around the person.

Speaking to DH, Chetna Luthra, a clinical psychologist at Marengo Asia Hospitals (Gurugram) said: “People may tip more when dining with others because they want to appear generous, respectful, or financially capable. This is especially true in social or professional settings.”

In some cultures, tipping is viewed as a moral act and people do it to avoid feeling guilty or judged by others, said Luthra.

Some experts feel tipping can be internalised to the point that a person might engage in it even when no one is watching.

Speaking to DH, Yash Dilip, a Mumbai-based psychotherapist said: “It causes an immediate discomfort in the person who avoids giving the tip. It feels as if one has broken an unsaid rule. This feeling creates pressure to conform.”

As per experts, tipping is more about how service work is organised, a system that quietly depends on it.

“In many cases, responsibility for fair compensation is informally shifted onto the customer. So what looks like generosity is also a way people navigate social pressure and expectations,” said Yash Dilip.