Tipping: An American Social History of Gratuities

by Kerry Segrave

Though the history of tipping can be traced to the Middle Ages, the practice did not become widespread until the late 19th century. Initially, Americans reviled the custom, branding it un-American and undemocratic. The opposition gradually faded and tipping became an American institution. From its beginnings in Europe to its development as a quintessentially American trait, this work provides a social history of tipping customs and how the United States became a nation of tippers.

Genres: History, Microhistory, Nonfiction, Labor

Hardcover

First published February 1, 1998

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Came across this book at the library while hunting for something else and found it fascinating. A few fun facts:
1. In the 1880s, tipping was viewed as "illegal and un-American," a pompous tradition of the British elite that set certain people below other people.
2. Despite that, Americans traveling abroad were the ones who persisted in perpetuating the habit, out of some combination of egotism and ignorance.
3. William McKinley was a better tipper than William Henry Harrison. Bellboys claimed Calvin Coolidge was all right, but didn't tip as well as Warren Harding. William Howard Taft was a famous non-tipper, as were Leon Trotsky, John D. Rockefeller and Mark Twain.
4. Bellboys and head waiters used to rate tippers. The Japanese were the most generous, followed by English, then American. Among Americans, millionaires, women and well-dressed men were the worst tippers. The "magnificent seven" best tippers were bartenders, waiters, tavern owners, regular customers, small business owners, beauticians and blue collar workers.
5. While America was in denial and before the IRS cracked down, some people were definitely getting rich on tips, which were unreported and often hoarded by bosses.
6. In the 1960s, psychology was applied to the question. One unnamed psychiatrist created classifications: Paranoid undertippers; xenophobic undertippers; xenomaniac overtippers; obsessive overtippers; and reaction-formation overtippers. If you want to know which you are, you may have to read the book.
Lots more incredible stuff in here. An enjoyable and informative, if slightly dry, read overall. Happy I found it.

[Salem · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting, but inconclusive and unevenly written.

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mystery of tipping: finally explained!

Hearing people argue about tipping is almost like arguing about operating systems (read: boring), but a lot more snide. This book explains the history of tipping over the past 200 years, how and why it developed on the American continent, and the 'politics' surrounding it. If everyone just read this book, we could all quit having the stupid ongoing argument on WHY tipping is good or not, and stick to the more useful debate of 'who do I tip and how much?'

[David]

This was too dull to finish.