Which Generation Are the Worst Tippers? A New Study Sheds Some Light.

Anyone who has ever worked at a restaurant has formed stereotypes about which demographic has the worst tippers. Some servers will insist that crotchety old people are notoriously stingy, while others will bemoan groups of college-aged kids who linger in their booth all evening and mysteriously can’t afford to tip when it’s time to go.

All restaurants are different, and these servers are probably right about their individual experiences. On a broader scale, however, we do have data that singles out a more definitive “best” and “worst” generation.

According to a study conducted by SpotOn, millennials and Generation X are overwhelmingly considered the most generous generations. Of the 1,000 restaurant workers surveyed, 35% said that Gen X (born 1965-1980) were the best tippers and 31% answered millennials (1981-1996).

After that, there’s a pretty sharp dip. Baby boomers (1946-1964) came in a distant third place with 17% of the vote. Generation Z (1997-2012) received 10% and the Silent Generation (1928-1945) came in last place with 7%.

In other words, both the anti-youth and anti-elderly servers we mentioned earlier might be on to something.

The Worst Tippers

The SpotOn survey also turned the question on its head, specifically asking participants who the worst tippers are. As the first set of answers indicated, the Silent Generation and Gen Z eat up most of the pie graph with 48% and 42% of the vote, respectively.

Even the youngest servers who participated in the survey were more likely to say they tipped only 15%, and other age groups typically answered 20%.

Not surprisingly, the servers who participated were all in agreement as to who the most generous group of all was: themselves.

“It may come as no surprise that restaurant workers consider themselves generous tippers, having worked in a tip-reliant industry,” read SpotOn’s statement to the press. “83% of all respondents said they were big tippers when dining out.”

A Bankrate survey conducted among consumers seems to at least partially echo these servers’ opinions. Thirty-five percent of Gen Z participants said that they always tip at restaurants, putting them at the bottom once again.

The Bankrate study differs in that millennials and Gen X are in the middle of the ranking as opposed to the top. In fact, these results actually indicate that the older a customer is, the more likely they are to tip. Baby boomers, the oldest group included in the survey, took first place with 83% answering that they always tip at restaurants.

While We’re Here, Let’s Make Some More People Mad

Bankrate also broke their findings down by gender and location. Men were found to be less likely to tip at restaurants, with 60% saying that they always tip. Women, by comparison, came out considerably ahead at 70%.

Diners in the Midwest were found to be the most generous, with 77% saying they always tip at restaurants. In a blow to Texas, the South and the West tied for last at 61%. We’re not sure which category we were included in, but it doesn’t really matter. It’s a bad look for us regardless.

Toast ran a more state-specific study, and we’re proud to report that Texas ranked in the top 84% of states, coming in at No. 42. Why are we framing this as a positive? Because at least we did better than California, which came in dead last.

What can we take away from this research? SpotOn, a software company geared toward restaurant support, naturally points to technology as a way for restaurants to engage with stingy Gen Z customers.

“Younger generations have grown up with technology in every aspect of their lives, so it makes sense that they expect and accept increasing amounts of technology in their hospitality experiences,” said Kevin Bryla, chief marketing officer of SpotOn, in a statement to the press.

Bankrate puts the onus on the reader with advice on tip etiquette: “In personalized service, tip every worker who helps you. […] Leave at least a small amount for inexpensive services. […] Keep some cash on hand, but you may need to pull up an app.”

Or if you’re a restaurant worker, you might have just decided to be wary of college-aged men from California moving forward. We can’t say we blame you.