How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Praise Them

Techniques > Tipping > How to Get a Bigger Tip > Praise Them

Description | Discussion | See also

Description

Find natural ways to make them feel good by praising them. Ways of doing this include:

• Praise their menu or wine selection: 'Good choice, sir.'
• Praise their choice of table: 'Yes, that's a great place to sit.'
• Praise their appearance: 'You're looking great to day, Miss Jones.'

Discussion

We all like to be be praised as it makes us feel good and perhaps reminds us of when we were young and our parents conditioned us by combining praise with rewards.

When you offer praise, you are subtly positioning yourself as a superior, such as a parent or manager, who has the authority to judge, praise and punish. If they start to accept you in this role, they will also want to please you and will be more ready to accept your suggestions.

Praise also sets up an exchange. You have made them feel good, so they are now obliged to make you feel good in return, and one way they can do this is to give you a bigger tip.

Seiter (2007) found that saying 'You made a good choice' in praise of menu choice led to around a 13% increase in average tip.

See also

Compliment Them, Praise, Conditioning, Obligation principle

Seiter, J.S. (2007). Ingratiation and Gratuity: The Effect of Complimenting Customers on Tipping Behavior in Restaurants, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 37, 3, 478–485