This Is How Americans REALLY Tip, According to Study

When a restaurant is empty, waiters feel it in their pocketbooks. While some states require that servers’ hourly wages hit a certain livable benchmark, many don’t. And even when the minimum wage increases, tipped workers can often be left out in the cold. Waiters are largely tip-reliant, and a new study reveals some interesting facts about how Americans tip in restaurants—even these 10 weirdest restaurants.

If a waiter in New York City is hoping to fill his tables with generous tippers, he’ll want to see red—politically, that is. The most generous tipping demographic in the U.S. is Northeastern Republican males paying with credit or debit.

Across the aisle, the numbers are less favorable, though very dependable. Democrats tend to tip exactly 15 percent. Other 15-percenters include Southerners and people who pay cash. The median tipping percentage for women is 16 percent. And hopefully none of them pull this mean tipping trick, 

The study looked at more than just restaurant tipping. It revealed that 67 percent of people always tip their barber or hair stylist, 29 percent always tip at coffee shops, and 27 percent always tip their hotel housekeeper. It was based on a sample size of 1,002 participants and was conducted by the Princeton Survey Research Associates International.

Even the best tippers could probably benefit from these tried and true rules of dining etiquette.