Smiley Faces on Receipts Lead to Higher Tips

A recent study published in the Journal of Hospitality Management revealed that people tend to tip more when they see a smiley face on their receipt. However, it’s not the type of smiley face drawn by the server that significantly influences tipping behavior.

Here’s what the study found:

1. Researchers printed different tip suggestions (such as 15%, 20%, or 25%) on people’s receipts.
2. Each tip suggestion was accompanied by a different emoji.
3. The lowest percentage had a neutral-face emoji, while the rest had smiley faces.
4. As the tip percentages increased, the smiley faces got progressively bigger.
5. The average tip without emojis was 22.9%, but it rose to 25.4% with smiley faces—an 11% increase.

Interestingly, this effect was observed not only for restaurant bills but also for delivery orders (with a 10% bump) and takeout orders (with a whopping 33% increase in tips).

So, next time you receive a smiley face on your receipt, know that it might just brighten your day and encourage a more generous tip! 😊🍽️👍