Tips are victims of inflation, which is straining the budgets of Swiss households. According to a study published Thursday by the Cler bank, 40% of Swiss people choose to leave less money on top of the bill. The catering sector is particularly affected.
“Less money, less tip”, sums up the study, which reminds us that inflation weighs on the budget of 80% of the population. It even weighs heavily or very heavily for 43% of these people. The temptation is therefore great to leave a lower amount for tips.
This trend has an impact on the income of several trades, particularly in the catering industry. “We actually see that there are a little less tips,” confirmed Alexandre Belet, the president of GastroLausanne, Thursday in the 12:30 p.m. of the RTS. “But it is linked to each person’s own situation and their monthly income.”
The president of the umbrella organization for Lausanne restaurateurs and hoteliers, however, emphasizes that unlike certain countries, notably the United States, the income system for employees in this sector is not based on tips. “We have a system which is based on a CCNT with salaries agreed between the unions and the employers,” he explains. “This allows our employees to have a known and certain economic situation to be able to live.”
Friendliness of staff and quality of service
However, respondents say that the friendliness of the staff and the quality of the service have more weight on the amount left than their financial situation. The restaurant also remains the place where the Swiss give the most. According to the study, the average tip is 9 francs for an addition of 200 francs (4.5%), while at the hairdresser, it only amounts to 5.5 francs for a service of the same amount. (2.5%).
The study also notes that tipping also strongly depends on the method of payment. In cash, the extra money left will depend on the change left at the bottom of the wallet for a quarter of those surveyed. The rise of card and smartphone payments also has repercussions on habits. 40% of those surveyed leave less tips when using these digital payments.
>> Read also: Electronic tipping, the new trend in Swiss restaurants
Loïc Delacour/edel
