At a time when gratuity has hit a tipping point, there is another method to get customers to fork out more cash.
The happy face.
The Journal of Hospitality Management shows that people tip more if they see a smiley face on their receipt.
In addition to the classic handwritten happy face, some places have started using emojis that correspond to the different tip options.
In a recent study, for example, the 15 % tip option showed a neutral emoji, and the higher the percentage, the happier the corresponding emoji was.
And this mind game works.
According to the report, at full-service restaurants, the emojis saw the average tip rise from 22.86% to 25.38%, an overall 11% relative increase.
In food delivery apps, the average tip jumped from 14.66% to 16.11%.
Takeout orders saw a massive 32.8% jump, going from 12.61% to 16.75%.
They are guilting us!
Researchers reason that "the presence of emojis leads to a positive emotional experience for the customer, who in turn leaves a larger tip than they would when no emojis are included."
Feature image from Pexels by receipts, tipping, delivery by pexels from Mike Jones
