Persuasion by Way of Example: Does Including Gratuity Guidelines on Customers' Checks Affect Restaurant Tipping Behavior?

This study examined the role of gratuity guidelines on tipping behavior in restaurants. When diners were finished with their meals, they were given checks that either did or did not include calculated examples informing them what various percentages of their bill would amount to. Results indicated that parties who received the gratuity examples left significantly higher tips than did those receiving no examples. These results and their implications are discussed.