First published 2010
Americans spend $66 billion annually on tips, yet most people feel anxious when the check arrives or the tip jar appears. Steve Dublanica sets out to master this poorly understood ritual that touches nearly every aspect of daily life. He crisscrosses the country interviewing shoeshine workers, strippers, bartenders, bellhops, and bathroom attendants to uncover what really happens in tipping exchanges. Dublanica investigates why this practice has spread so widely across American culture and how factors like gender, age, ethnicity, and nationality shape our tipping behaviors. He reveals what service workers actually think about customers after receiving tips. Through his irreverent journey, Dublanica transforms himself from someone with sweaty palms into a gratuity expert, answering the universal questions that plague millions of Americans daily: Should I tip? How much? The book combines humor with serious social observation to illuminate a $66 billion economy that affects over five million workers.
Genres: business, sociology, economics, non-fiction
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigative-journalism
320 pages · Hardcover · Ecco