Tip or skip? What drives our tipping behavior, with Michael Lynn, PhD

In this episode of Speaking of Psychology, host Kim Mills interviews Dr. Michael Lynn, a leading expert in tipping behavior and professor at Cornell University's Hotel Administration School. Drawing on over 30 years of research and his own experience working in restaurants, Lynn unpacks the psychological drivers behind tipping in the U.S. He reveals that while people claim to tip to reward good service, the reality is that social norms—particularly bill size and the expectation to conform—are the dominant forces, accounting for about 70% of tipping variation. Other key influences include social rapport with service workers and the design of digital tipping interfaces, which increase pressure through active 'no tip' choices and hidden peer behavior. Lynn also discusses how tipping is shaped by cultural values, labor laws, and systemic biases—such as race and gender—that disadvantage certain workers. Despite these inequities, he cautions against eliminating tipping entirely, noting it boosts customer satisfaction, and instead suggests reforms like equitable tip pooling, though he acknowledges the challenges in implementation. The conversation concludes with practical tips for service workers to build rapport and influence tipping, and a reflection on how research has changed Lynn’s own tipping habits.