Waitstaff tip strategy hinges on women’s influence, experts warn against bias
Mel Robbins says she learned to focus on women at a table to boost tips, while hospitality experts caution that ignoring men is poor service.
In a recent interview, bestselling author Mel Robbins shared a tip-earning lesson from her early waitressing days at the Red Rooster Tavern in Michigan, where a mentor taught her to identify the diner who influences the tip, often the woman at the table. Robbins said she learned to prioritize attentive service to women, assuming they would encourage their partners to tip well. Hospitality specialist Robert Mahon, managing partner of Mahon Hospitality Group, agreed that women can sway the tip but warned that neglecting men constitutes bad hospitality and that servers should attend to the whole group.
He emphasized that successful servers read all guests and engage everyone. Academic research by John S. Seiter and Harry Weger Jr. supports the idea that small gestures like compliments increase gratuities. Etiquette authority Lisa Burdette added that the person paying the bill ultimately determines the tip and that servers should treat all patrons equally.
Why it matters
Knowing who influences tips helps servers earn more while encouraging equitable service to all diners.
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