Tips have been on my mind lately since we discussed Robert Cialdini’s Principles of Persuasion in my recent class. Studies in restaurants illustrate his principle of reciprocation and how we are more likely to say yes to those we owe. Ever wonder why you get those little mints with your bill? It’s because one mint is likely to increase the amount you tip by 3%, two mints increase your generosity by 14%, and if the waiter gives you one, starts to walk away, and then turns around and gives you another, tips go up by 23%!!
While I may or may not be influenced by mints, those who humor me usually get more of my funds. I never know when or if to tip for carry-out places like a food truck or sandwich shop but two tip requests recently caught my eye:
- A mobile fish truck was in town serving the entree of fish and chips. Attached to the truck was a bucket that said: “Fish and Tips.” Very clever.
- I also got a smile at Pita Pit whose tip jar reads: “What’s a Pita spelled backward?” Ha, ha.
Whether through gifts or through humor, pay attention to the ways service industries are trying to influence your giving — and if you’re on the receiving end of tips, test out Cialdini’s principle of reciprocation. If you think about all those “gifts” you receive in the mail with solicitation requests (address labels, notepads, bookmarks, stickers, etc.), there must be something to the theory.
