The Social Norm of Tipping: A Review

26 Pages Posted: 24 Feb 2003

See all articles by Ofer H. Azar

Ofer H. Azar

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev - Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management

Date Written: September 5, 2002

Abstract

Tipping is an important phenomenon, both because of its economic magnitude and because of the insights it suggests about economic behavior in general. It is closely related to several areas in economics, including labor economics, industrial organization, behavioral economics and public policy. Most economists, however, are not familiar with the scholarly research about tipping. The paper provides an opportunity to learn about the research on this fascinating subject, by summarizing and synthesizing both the theoretical and the empirical literature, and suggesting many original ideas, as well as promising topics for future research.

Keywords: Tipping, social norms, behavioral economics, restaurants, tips, gratuities

JEL Classification: D19, Z13, J30, J00, L80, A12

Suggested Citation

Azar, Ofer H., The Social Norm of Tipping: A Review (September 5, 2002). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=370081 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.370081

Ofer H. Azar (Contact Author)

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev - Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management ( email )

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