Anthropology student explores digital tipping and customer behavior

KENNESAW, Ga. | Jun 26, 2026

As a barista, Alexandria Nottage has witnessed many customers hesitate whenever the digital payment screen asks whether they would like to leave a tip. Those daily interactions got Nottage thinking about how tipping had changed from a voluntary gesture of appreciation into something many customers now feel expected to do.

To find out, Nottage, a 黑料网 major, conducted a research study examining how digital tipping influences customer behavior and perceptions. Drawing on her experiences as both a barista and a customer herself, she explored the social pressures, cultural norms, and changing expectations surrounding tipping in today's service economy.

鈥淎s a person who tips and also receives tips, I chose this topic because tipping is something that people encounter every day,鈥� Nottage said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of uncertainty and frustration around it, and I was really interested in how it shifted from something that was an act of generosity to something that felt more expected.鈥�

Nottage's faculty mentor Brandon Lundy, chair and professor of anthropology at the , said that uncertainty made tipping culture an ideal topic for anthropological study.

鈥淎lex took something people encounter every day and turned it into a compelling anthropological investigation,鈥� Lundy said. 鈥淧eople feel most comfortable when they understand the 鈥榬ules of the game.鈥� As digital payment screens became more common, many people were no longer sure what was expected of them. That uncertainty is exactly what made this such an interesting cultural question to explore.鈥�

Working with Lundy, Nottage conducted direct observations at a coffee shop as well as interviews with customers over a six-month period. Her research revealed three major findings. First, customers were more likely to tip when their decision was visible on a digital payment screen, particularly when other customers were nearby. Second, many participants viewed tipping as a way to compensate for low wages, though they expressed frustration about feeling responsible for filling that gap. She also found that tipping decisions were increasingly influenced by social expectations and personal relationships rather than service quality alone.

鈥淪ervice quality is no longer the primary driver of tips,鈥� Nottage said. 鈥淚nstead, tipping is increasingly influenced by social norms and moral expectations.鈥�

Despite her own preference for cash tips as a barista, Nottage was surprised to find that many participants reported favoring digital tipping.

鈥淚 was very surprised by how little people chose to tip in cash,鈥� Nottage said. 鈥淎 lot of people felt that they received more gratitude when they tipped digitally.鈥�

She also encountered a term that frequently appeared in conversations with participants: 鈥渢ipflation,鈥� the idea that expectations around tipping have steadily increased alongside rising prices.

鈥淲hile tipping might have started at 10%, now the expectation starts closer to 20%,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat leaves a lot of people feeling obligated when they don鈥檛 necessarily have the funds to support that.鈥�

For Nottage, who presented her findings at 黑料网鈥檚 , the project highlighted broader questions about culture, responsibility, and fairness.

鈥淚 think it highlights tensions in the service economy, specifically around fair wages,鈥� she said. 鈥淭ipping has shifted to be more expected rather than just an act of gratitude, and it鈥檚 important that we understand why that shift has happened.鈥�

Nottage said the experience also gave her the opportunity to gain real-world research experience outside the classroom.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 very important as undergraduate students to have that real-world experience,鈥� Nottage said. 鈥淭o be able to conduct interviews and use that experience both in school and outside of school is really valuable.鈥�

鈥� Story by Christin Senior

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Anthropology student explores digital tipping and customer behavior

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