Clothing Color and Tipping: An Attempted Replication and Extension. (June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lynn, Michael; Giebelhausen, Michael; Garcia, Sheila; Li, Yiwei; Patumanon, Isara
• Is Part Of: Journal of hospitality & tourism research. Volume 40:Number 4(2016)
• Page Start: 516
• Page End: 524
• Publication Date: 2016-06
• Subjects: foodservice operations -- food and beverage -- restaurant tipping -- consumer behavior -- marketing; Hotel management -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Restaurant management -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Food service management -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; 647.068
• DOI: 10.1177/1096348013504001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1096-3480

Abstract

An online, hypothetical, tipping-scenario experiment found that subjects tipped the servers less (not more) when those servers wore a red shirt than when they wore a white or black one and that female subjects perceived a waiter (but not a waitress) as less attractive when wearing a red shirt than when wearing a white or black shirt. These findings are opposite those in the existing literature and suggest that the earlier findings are less generalizable than previously believed and that the process underlying previous clothing color effects on tipping may not be precisely what the researchers thought it was. Possible explanations of the discrepant findings are discussed along with directions for future research and practical implications.