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The Tipping Point: Californians Are "Picky" With Gratuities
Photo by joelogon via Flickr
How much cash do you throw the guys who towel-off your ride at the car wash? Do you scrutinize Yelp to pick a dinner spot where you're sure to get the star-treatment from the servers? If these are your predicaments, congratulations: You're on par with the "picky" tippers of California.
Data collected by survey by Marketplace ranks the states when it comes to the average tip left for certain services, like getting your daily Extra-hot Non-fat Mocha Lattechino at your local coffee shop or when you get your locks shorn at the salon. In California, our average tips break down as follows:
A $20 sit-down meal: $3.76 (18.8%)
Food Delivery: $3.73
Takeout: $0.85
Bellhop Service: $3.19
Haircut: $6.89
Cab Ride: $3.35
Coffee Shop: $0.59
Cleaning Services: $3.97
Yes, that's right: We value our haircuts and dry cleaning more than our Chinese food delivery guys or the folks who bring our $15 sandwiches to our table at lunchtime. Surprised?
Incidentally, in New Hampshire the average diner tipped just under 25% for their $20 sit-down meal, and in South Carolina those dry cleaners are only getting an extra 40 cents for their efforts.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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