Restaurant Servers Research Articles

Linking coworker friendship with incivility: comparison between headwaiters and servers in family-style restaurants

PurposeUnderpinned by affective events theory (AET), this paper examines the effect of coworker friendship on coworker incivility in family-style restaurants. Furthermore, this paper seeks the mediation effect of positive workplace gossip.Design/methodology/approachUsing a time-lagged approach, 83 headwaiters and 326 servers at family-style restaurants located in Port Said and Ismailia responded, and their responses were analyzed using AMOS v. 24.FindingsMultigroup analysis findings proved that coworker friendship increased positive workplace gossip in favor of the server sample. At the same time, the latter decreased coworker incivility in favor of the headwaiter sample. Besides, positive workplace gossip partially mediated the coworker friendship–incivility association in favor of the server sample. Furthermore, incivility levels increase between married coworkers and their peers in favor of the server sample.Originality/valueFrom the AET lens, this paper offers valuable insights into affective and emotional reactions to closest coworkers' judgmental behavior in the restaurant industry.

Workers and Their Foes: Customer Scapegoats in the Service Triad

The author reconceptualizes the service triangle as a Simmelian triad and draws on 16 months of fieldwork to analyze restaurant servers’ experiences of income and interactional precarity. Precarious work frustrates servers. However, triadic dynamics position customer scapegoats as responsible for servers’ frustrations. Employers passively benefit from this dynamic, which continually minimizes opposition to the structure of employment. This is a new mechanism for the reproduction of precarious service work that can explain why service workers consent to exploitation. These findings apply to workplaces in which workers experience low levels of autonomy and encounter customers who are interactionally salient and can control workers’ behavior. In such workplaces, the triadic dynamics identified in this article could weaken the potential for worker-customer alliances and complicate the promise of anti-tipping campaigns.

Do Tip Percentages Affect Server Job Tenure, or Vice Versa?: Evidence From a Panel Dataset

Increasing compensation reduces turnover in other industries, but it is unclear if increasing tip percentages will reduce turnover among tipped service workers. This question was examined using a panel data set on the charge tips of restaurant servers over time from POS systems. The results indicate that tip percentages were generally consistent across servers’ running workday counts (in other words, across growing levels of server experience), but were slightly higher overall for those servers who ultimately stayed in the job for more workdays. These findings provide more compelling evidence of a potential tip percentage effect on server tenure than is provided by existing cross-sectional correlational data sets. However, the effect of servers’ average tip percentages on their tenure was relatively small—accounting for only 5% of the variance in server tenure, as compared to 14% accounted for by servers’ average dollar tips per day and 33% accounted for by servers’ average number of daily checks. Compensation is important, but when it comes to restaurant waitstaff turnover, other things may matter more.

Smiling for tips? Will restaurant servers’ actions affect customers’ emotional contagion and tipping behavior?

¿Sonriendo por propinas? ¿Afectarán las acciones de los camareros al contagio emocional y a las propinas de los clientes?ObjetivoEste estudio tiene como objetivo examinar cómo impactan las acciones de los camareros de restaurantes en el contagio emocional de los clientes, y cómo ese contagio emocional influye en su intención de dejar propina y en la probabilidad de hacerlo. Este estudio también explora el cumplimiento social y examina su impacto en la intención de los clientes de dejar propina y la probabilidad de hacerlo.Diseño/Metodología/EnfoqueTomando un restaurante en Taiwán como ejemplo, este estudio utiliza cuestionarios para investigar cinco constructos del marco de investigación, que son las acciones de los camareros del restaurante, la susceptibilidad de los clientes del restaurante al contagio emocional, la intención de los clientes de dejar propina, la probabilidad de hacerloy el cumplimiento social de los clientes. Los cuestionarios se distribuyeron online a través de la web Surveycake. Se recogieron un total de 310 cuestionarios completados.ResultadosLos resultados indican: (1) las acciones de los camareros del restaurante afectan positivamente a la susceptibilidad de los clientes al contagio emocional, (2) el contagio emocional de los clientes afecta positivamente su intención de dejar propina y la probabilidad de hacerlo, (3) el cumplimiento social de los clientes afecta positivamente su intención de dejar propina y la probabilidad de hacerlo, y (4) el contagio emocional de los clientes media parcialmente los efectos de las acciones de los camareros del restaurante sobre la intención de los clientes de dejar propina y la probabilidad de hacerlo.Originalidad/ValorLos resultados de la prueba de hipótesis en este artículo no solo integran o confirman con éxito los hallazgos de estudios previos, sino que también amplían el alcance de la investigación sobre temas relacionados. Además, los resultados de este estudio proporcionan a los profesionales de la restauración importantes implicaciones de marketing.

How tip credits affect consumer tipping behavior

In the United States, employers can count servers’ tip earnings toward the satisfaction of minimum wage requirements, so that servers are often paid a sub-minimum wage. The difference between the regular and server minimum wage is known as the tip credit and it has come under attack on the grounds that it contributes to server poverty. However, if tip credits increase consumer tipping, then reducing or eliminating tip credits may not increase servers’ incomes as much as expected. The current study finds that consumers from states with larger tip credits say they tip restaurant servers more and that this effect is serially mediated by perceptions of low server wages and altruistic tipping motives. These findings contribute to theory by supporting the role of altruistic motives in tipping and to practice by raising a cautionary, yellow flag to those contemplating reductions in the tip credit.

I’ll take the check!: a longitudinal replication analysis of gender biases in bill placement from restaurant servers

ABSTRACT Traditional gender scripts in restaurants assume that men wield money, while women are framed as ‘accessories’ who do not pay restaurant checks in mixed-gender settings. While some research has addressed how servers replicate this script at U.S. restaurants, no previous research has looked at this practice longitudinally over time. This study explores how bill placement practices are connected to gendered power dynamics via observations of server and customer interactions about the restaurant check placement. Drawing from audit studies from the 1970s and 2010s, this study examined historical trends in gendered check placements. Comparing data from the 1970s in Phoenix, Arizona, we examined data from an audit of 176 visits to restaurants in Phoenix in the 2010s. This study sent out two-person teams of one cisgender man and one cisgender woman, with the woman always requesting the bill. Results found little change between the 1970s and 2010s, as the majority of servers placed the bill in the middle of the table. That said, the percentage of men receiving the bill surprisingly increased over time, while the number of times women received the bill decreased to almost never. This data contradicts accounts of a decrease in sexism and sexist behaviour over time. Further, the type of restaurant and server characteristics (such as age and gender of server, average check price, type of food served) did not influence bill placement tendencies. Implications for understanding the behavioural practices of sexism, the patriarchal coding of restaurant check placement and the importance of tracking and studying mundane expressions of sexism are explored.

The "Mask Effect" on the tips that customers leave restaurant servers.

Masks have become the custom among restaurant workers and bartenders as a form of protection against COVID-19. Yet, given the rapid introduction of masks to the uniforms of restaurant servers there is a dearth of extant scholarship that has explored the effects of face coverings on customers' behaviors. In response, this research offers a preliminary test of the effect of server masks on a common consumer behavior in the full-service restaurant industry-tipping. We review theoretical and empirical reasons suggesting that a mask may have a negative effect on customers' tipping practices. Potential mask effects on tipping are then explored with a survey experiment that was administered to a large and diverse sample of Amazon Mechanical Turk "workers." Our results suggest that wearing a mask is not likely to, on average, have a meaningful effect on how much restaurant customers tip their servers. However, we do observe a negative indirect effect of a mask on customer reported tip amount through diminished perceptions of a hypothetical servers' friendliness. This effect was found to be attenuated among those who are altruistically motivated to tip servers as a way to help them financially. The implications of our results and directions for future research are discussed.

The Value of Vale: Negotiating the Progressivity of Service in a Market Restaurant

Abstract This paper examines the interactional functions of the Spanish conversational particle vale in the self-recorded service encounter interactions of a bidialectal restaurant server in an Ecuadorian restaurant in Madrid whose clientele are, by and large, of Ecuadorian descent. The article details the sequential contexts in which vale is found as well as the grammatical and prosodic design of the turns where it is deployed, and contrasts its use with slots in the same dataset where alternatives were deployed instead. It also compares the findings with resonant descriptions from prior interactional studies of its English counterpart: okay, given the similarities in the interactional functions observed for vale. Vale was identified as a standalone particle in third position during the ordering activity bearing rising or falling intonation to register the (in)completeness of the order and contingencies around it, and also as a turn-final agreement-eliciting tag with rising-falling intonation appended to announcements of imminent service to welcome clients or serve the dishes.

Are Black Restaurant Servers Tipped Less Than White Servers? Three Experimental Tests of Server Race Effects on Customers’ Tipping Behaviors

A limited number of published studies have presented evidence indicating that restaurant customers discriminate against Black servers by tipping them less than their White coworkers. However, the cross-sectional, localized, and small samples that were analyzed in these extant studies do not support any unqualified claim that consumer racial discrimination in tipping practices is a widespread phenomenon. Thus, in an effort to further clarify the relationship between restaurant servers’ race and customers’ tipping practices, we present results from three survey experiments designed to assess the causal effect of servers’ race on customers’ tipping intentions. In three independent, demographically diverse, and relatively large samples of U.S. consumers, we found no evidence to conclude that all else being equal consumers discriminate against Black restaurant servers by tipping them less than comparable White servers. Furthermore, the null effects of servers’ race on customers’ tipping practices were not found to be sensitive to variation in service quality, dining satisfaction, servers’ sex, customers’ sex, or customers’ race. Our results challenge the generalizability of the previously observed server race effects on customers’ tipping practices and point toward the need for future research that aims to advance our understanding of the conditions under which customers’ tipping practices are sensitive to the perceived race of their server. The implications of our results for restaurant operations and directions for future research are also discussed.

The effect of the minimum server wage on restaurant guest tipping behavior

ABSTRACT Restaurant server income is predominantly composed of tips received from guests and the minimum server wage received from restaurants. Grounded in equity theory, this study investigated the effect of the minimum server wage, in combination with service quality, familiarity, and perceived fairness, on tipping rate. An online scenario-based 2 (minimum server wage) x 2 (service quality) experimental design was conducted. Results revealed that the minimum server wage and familiarity with tipping have moderating roles on the indirect effect of service quality on tipping rate via perceived fairness of tipping. Findings provide new information to researchers and industry stakeholders on the effects of the minimum server wage on guest tipping behavior.

A Group Randomized Trial of the Stop Service to Obviously-Impaired Patrons (S-STOP) Program to Prevent Overservice in Bars and Restaurants in College Communities

Background College student drinking in on-premises establishments has been associated with heavy alcohol consumption and a range of problems including assault, fighting, risky sex, and drinking and driving. Although more strictly enforcing overservice laws might reduce heavy drinking in on-premises establishments, law enforcement agencies have few resource-efficient tools for doing so, resulting in these laws seldom being enforced. Objectives In this paper, we report the results of an evaluation of the Stop Service to Obviously-impaired Patrons (S-STOP) program that was implemented in 303 bars and restaurants in 18 university communities in California using a randomized cross-over design (early vs. delayed implementation). The S-STOP program: (a) deployed pseudo-intoxicated patrons who attempted to purchase a drink when showing obvious signs of intoxication; (b) provided feedback to owners and managers on staff performance; and (c) offered free online refresher training for staff. Results Overall, alcohol servers in bars and restaurants in these college communities were willing to serve a pseudo-intoxicated mystery shopper 90% of the time. The study found no evidence that S-STOP reduced the prevalence of alcohol sales to apparently impaired patrons during the two intervention stages of the study. Conclusions The findings highlight the need for developing effective interventions to prevent overservice and should prompt college and university leaders to take the lead in addressing the problem of alcohol overservice at on-premises establishments by working with community leaders, law enforcement, and retailers.

More tasks, more ideas: The positive spillover effects of multitasking on subsequent creativity.

We propose that multitasking behavior influences creativity on subsequent tasks and that it does so through a serially mediated process in which multitasking increases activation, which increases cognitive flexibility, resulting in a positive effect on downstream creativity. We build support for our hypotheses through 4 studies designed to establish both internal and external validity: an archival study using coded data from the TV show, Chopped, and a laboratory experiment test the direct link between multitasking and subsequent creativity; while a quasi-experimental field study with restaurant servers and a second laboratory experiment examine the full serial mediation model. Results from the archival study and the first lab experiment support the proposed theory of a positive relationship between multitasking and subsequent creativity. Results from the quasi-experimental field study and second lab experiment suggest that multitasking increases creativity through activation and cognitive flexibility acting in tandem. Together, this work yields important theoretical and practical implications about managing creativity in a fast-paced contemporary workplace. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

The joint effect of flirting and emotional labor on customer service-related outcomes

The current studies examined why hospitality employees flirt with customers, and the interaction between flirting and authentic or faked emotional displays. In Study 1, 245 restaurant servers reported their flirting motivations, emotional labor strategy, and perceived rapport. Flirting motivations had a positive effect on rapport when servers engaged in either surface acting or deep acting but not when servers engaged less in emotional labor strategies. In Study 2, 130 servers reported their flirting displays, emotional labor strategies and tip sizes. Flirting displays only increased tips when deep acting was involved. The theoretical and practical implications of flirting are discussed.

The Difference on Perception of Restaurant Servers’ Communication Competence between Customers and Workers: A Study on Communication Skill, Empathy Skill, and Satisfaction of Communication

The Difference on Perception of Restaurant Servers’ Communication Competence between Customers and Workers: A Study on Communication Skill, Empathy Skill, and Satisfaction of Communication

“The uh deconstructed pumpkin pie”: The use of uh and um in Los Angeles restaurant server talk

Recent work on the elements uh and um has focused both on their functional profile and on the sociodemographic patterns of use. They have been shown to be more than just a signal of some trouble in the speech production process; they also perform text structuring functions that are usually ascribed to discourse markers. And their use has been shown to stratify according to gender, age and level of education (e.g. Tottie 2011, 2014). However, such work has not always been sufficiently controlled for context. Differences that were identified for specific speaker groups may ultimately have been caused by different speaker roles or by differences in the formality or privacy of the communicative situation. For this reason, we focus on one single communicative situation, service encounters in selected and socially stratified Los Angeles restaurants. And we focus on one single speaker role, the role of the server. This allows us to test hypotheses about gender differences and socio-economic stratification in a much more controlled environment. In addition, we provide a functional profile of uh and um in this carefully delimited context, and we show that they are not only used in their often-described functions as planners, hesitators or repair managers but also with a highlighting or a face-mitigating function. The highlighting function turns out to be particularly prominent to emphasize food terminology when servers present menu items to their guests.

Polychronicity at work: Work engagement as a mediator of the relationships between job outcomes

Abstracts The hospitality business is characterized by a rigorous work-related environment. Whenever the time use preferences are considered, task switching among multiple tasks within a given time block becomes an essential ingredient. In a restaurant environment, it is important to comprehend whether the restaurant server prefers to participate in assigned tasks or switch between these tasks as it directly affects the level of participant's work engagement. The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the relationship among polychronicity with time use preference, work engagement, job performance, and turnover intentions in the restaurant context. We examined the individuals' preferences for carrying out multiple tasks at the same time. A sample of 360 respondents was arranged that were full-time restaurant servers working at round the clock service restaurants in Pakistan. The PLS-SEM was utilized to analyse the hypotheses and determine the indirect impact of mediation on the aforementioned performance measures. Model outcomes indicated that the polychronicity at the restaurant business negatively predicts the employee turnover intention. Several important managerial insights are obtained that could help the restaurant managers to select the job seekers who might best fit in their business objectives. Furthermore, the results of this study will help the restaurant servers to determine the career path that best suits their personality traits.

Racialized Workplaces, Contemporary Racial Attitudes, and Stereotype Endorsement: A Recipe for Consumer Racial Profiling

Negative stereotypes are widely assumed to underpin the mistreatment that black Americans sometimes experience while engaging in everyday consumption activities like shopping or dining away from home. However, studies that directly observe the relationship between service providers’ endorsement of racial stereotypes and the nature of their interactions with black consumers are rare. In response, this study presents results from a factorial survey experiment designed to assess a theoretically grounded causal process leading service providers to racially profile consumers. In two independent samples of restaurant servers and bartenders we show that consumer racial discrimination in the context of full-service restaurants is a function of servers’ endorsement of racial stereotypes depicting blacks as undesirable customers who are dishonest, uncivil, demanding, and bad tippers. Furthermore, we show that servers’ endorsement of such stereotypes and their resultant tendencies to discriminate against black diners increases as a function of contemporary anti-black animus and employment in workplaces characterized by explicit expressions of anti-black biases.

The Presenter’s Paradox in customer service interactions

This study examines the Presenter’s Paradox in the context of customer–server interactions. Our findings from four studies suggest that, in response to service predicaments, restaurant servers frequently exhibit two tendencies that are misaligned with the preferences of their customers: they offer uninformative explanations to avoid revealing information that conveys an unfavorable impression, and they manage impressions on behalf of coworkers that cause service predicaments. These efforts lead to behaviors that do not satisfy the information needs of customers and result in less favorable financial outcomes (e.g., lower tips) for servers. This study contributes to the knowledge on impression management and customer service interactions.

Does tipping facilitate sexual objectification? The effect of tips on sexual harassment of bar and restaurant servers

PurposeIn many countries, service workers' (e.g. restaurant staff, bartenders) income depends highly on tips. Such workers are often female and targeted by sexual harassment. The purpose of this paper was to investigate whether the mode of compensation (tips vs. no tips) could play a causal role in the perceived legitimacy of sexual harassment.Design/methodology/approachIn an experimental study (N = 161), the authors manipulated the source of income of a fictional female bartender (fixed income vs. smaller fixed income + tips) as well as whether she or her boss chose her (sexualized) clothing. The authors then asked male participants in an online survey to imagine being her customer and to form an impression of her.FindingsThe bartender was viewed as more sexualized, more manipulative and sexual behaviors toward her were perceived as more legitimate when she received tips. Further, the effect of tipping on the legitimacy of sexual behaviors was mediated by perceptions that she was manipulative. The target was perceived as more manipulative when she chose her clothes than not.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is an online scenario study and, as a consequence, assesses only judgments rather than actual behaviors.Practical implicationsEncouraging fixed salaries rather than tipping could reduce the occurrence of sexual harassment.Social implicationsThe present work suggests that tipping may play a detrimental role in service workers' well-being by contributing to an environment in which sexual harassment is perceived as legitimate.Originality/valueTo the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study showing that mode of compensation can increase the objectification of workers and legitimize sexually objectifying behaviors toward them.

The role of team-member exchange: Restaurant servers’ emotional intelligence, job performance, and tip size

With its roots in the social support resource and social exchange theories, this study examines how team-member exchange (TMX) mediates the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and job performance, eventually increasing restaurant servers’ tip size. The participants were 273 non-managerial servers working at full-service restaurants in the U.S. Results revealed that (1) TMX partially mediated the relationship between EI and job performance. In addition, (2) job performance was positively correlated with tip size. Theoretical and practical implications as well as recommendations for future research are discussed.