[BU Today] Does “Tipping Fatigue” Justify Paying Minimum Wage to Tipped Workers?
“Tipping fatigue has hit American consumers hard,” ABC News reported about the backlash to burgeoning gratuity requests for things such as takeout. Two-thirds of Americans have negative views of tipping, according to a 2023 survey. The Massachusetts legislature has until tomorrow, April 30, to place a tipping-related question on the November ballot; if it doesn’t, advocates can seek signatures […]
[GPB News] What is the new etiquette for tipping?
What are the new rules for tipping? Businesses that never seemed to ask for a tip before — like grocery stores, self-checkout machines and fast food restaurants — are now asking for one these days. To answer this question, it helps to understand the purpose of tipping and why requests have increased over the past […]
[Boston.com] Should the tipped minimum wage be abolished? Lawmakers hear from advocates, servers on proposed ballot question.
State lawmakers heard arguments for and against a proposed ballot question to raise the minimum wage for tipped workers Tuesday — a measure some say would mean less money for workers and others say would protect workers’ rights. One Fair Wage, a national coalition, is sponsoring a proposed ballot question to raise the current $6.75 wage […]
To tip or not to tip? 3 reasons why tipping has gotten so out of control
It has become as much a part of our daily lives as getting our to-go coffee: the screen turn. It’s the moment when you’ve ordered your coffee and the barista turns the payment screen toward you, with prompts asking you for a tip. Tipping is on the rise across the U.S. as more and more […]
The BHR Restaurant Edition: March-April 2023
We’ll admit that Hospitality has been slow to change. This problem has been particularly evident in the last few years as droves of employees left the hospitality industry. This Restaurant Edition of Boston Hospitality Review (BHR) by Sean Jung, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Hospitality Analytics, hones in on the question: “What are leading restaurant companies doing to keep talent?” To get […]
Question Everything: Has the pandemic changed the way we tip?
BOSTON — It’s 2 p.m. on a Tuesday. The bar at the Corner Tavern in the Back Bay is busy because the World Cup is on. “Usually a Tuesday day is a lot slower than this,” said Victoria Bishop. Bishop has worked here for seven years. She’s getting tipped more now than ever. “I would […]
[GRID] Professor Sean Jung Discusses why Restaurants are cutting hours and closing early amid employee and customer crunch
Why you can’t get a table or a late-night bite to eat. Tough getting a reservation lately at your favorite restaurant — or any restaurant for that matter? Across the nation, restaurants are open fewer hours and closing earlier. Nearly 4 in 5 restaurants nationwide have reduced their hours since 2019. They’ve done so by […]
[Vox] Professor Sean Jung Shares his Insight: Everyone wants a tip now, Do you have to give them one?
Thanks to touchscreens and the pandemic, tipflation is everywhere — and it’s hard to say no. Jenny Kivett went to see the band War on Drugs at Colorado’s storied Red Rocks Amphitheater last month. The show was great. Buying merch, less so: A vendor prompted her to kick in a 20 percent tip for an […]
[Vox] Professor Sean Jung Shares his Perspective on Where do restaurant “service fees” really go?
Service charges are making dining out more expensive, but that doesn’t mean your server sees that cash. Service charges have become commonplace for things like online delivery and concert tickets, but they’re increasingly showing up in unexpected places — namely restaurants. While there’s no formal data yet on how many restaurants are implementing service charges, […]
To Cluster or Not to Cluster?: Understanding Geographic Clustering by Restaurant Segment
By: Sean Jung Abstract This study tested whether geographic clustering differs by restaurant segment due to the differences in consumers’ hedonic and utilitarian values by using Ripley’s K function and a Tobit model. This study found that higher priced restaurant segments have stronger clusters than lower priced restaurants, which implies that restaurants that focus on […]