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Insightful weekly commentary on news & current events from economist Antony Davies and political scientist James R. Harrigan.

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Has Tipping Gone Out of Control?

August 9, 2017

In 1922, famed etiquette writer Emily Post advised her readers that 10% is the standard for tipping your waiter. Since then, “gratuity creep” has been so steady that tip jars are now ubiquitous and 25-30% is considered the rule in New York City. Uber once resisted this trend, but recently added a tipping feature to its app. 

What is the economic rationale behind tipping? Does the usefulness of tipping diminish the more that a certain rate becomes an expectation? At a certain point, would it be better to do without the fuss involved and simply include that portion of a service-provider’s compensation in the wages paid by the employer? 

Our valiant hosts, Antony Davies and James Harrigan explore these questions and more!

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