People Who Leave Generous Tips Whenever They Can Usually Share 11 Personality Traits
Roman Samborskyi / Shutterstock While Americans generally hold a lot of confusion and animosity toward suggested tip amounts, according to a survey from the Pew Research Center, whether it’s 15% or 30%, there are still people around who don’t choose to visit restaurants or coffee shops when they can’t treat service workers with a thoughtful tip. Whether they’ve worked in service themselves or have a higher level of empathy for others, people who leave generous tips whenever they can usually share these personality traits.
Even in a tipping culture that’s largely tumultuous and filled with frustration between customers and workers, these people bring a kind of generosity that helps make up for the bad interactions and transactions.
People who leave generous tips whenever they can usually share 11 personality traits
1. They’re incredibly empathetic
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Even if they’ve never worked in the service industry or for tips at their job, an incredibly empathetic person can put themselves in the shoes of the workers around them. Not only does their empathy often prompt generous tips when they’re out to eat or ordering a coffee, but it plays a fundamental role in boosting the health of their social interactions, as a study published in the Journal of Patient Experience explains.
They care about other people, even if sometimes their empathy means inconvenience, extra time, and effort they wouldn’t typically spend on others.
2. They’re socially conscious and aware
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Of course, social awareness is often rooted in the ability to read a room and be present, but for people who are actually conscious of the world and society around them, tipping generously and leading with respect is a side effect.
Whether it’s understanding the struggles and experiences of a service worker or reminding themselves that most are working almost entirely for tips, they are intentional with actions based on big-picture perspectives and thinking.
3. They understand because they’ve been there
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For people who’ve literally worked for tips and in the service industry before, generous tipping often comes as second nature for most, according to a survey from the Pew Research Center. Not only do they often tip well, but they are also kinder and more graceful with people, even when they’re clearly not having a great day or offering bad service.
They know the reality of a customer service job, and even if the scripts have flipped and they’re now a customer, they can empathize on an entirely different level with the struggles of the industry.
4. They’re positive people
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Even when things aren’t going right, or they’re having a tough day, people with a thoughtful, positive mindset often boost their life satisfaction and general well-being. It’s a choice to be positive, despite everything going on around them and in the world.
Whether it’s offering a smile to a stranger on the street or treating a service worker to a generous tip when they leave the house, their positivity and kindness are infectious to everyone around them.
5. They lead with their internal values
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While some people take actions that don’t necessarily align with their values in favor of selfishness, convenience, or comfort, people who intentionally lead and consistently consider their internal beliefs are often more grounded and appreciative of reality. Even if that means needing more emotional regulation and thoughtfulness to make decisions and navigate the world, their values lead.
As a study published in Europe’s Journal of Psychology explains, this ability to take action on their values is largely mediated by self-awareness. They not only understand their values, but they also often accept and act on them, even if it’s just giving a great tip to a barista at their favorite coffee shop.
6. They’re humble and self-assured
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While some people indulge in small acts of kindness with the expectation of praise or reward in return, humble people see their compassion through a less transactional lens. They’re already secure and self-assured, so their kindness comes from a place of genuine appreciation, rather than attention-seeking mindsets.
They don’t need someone to address their kindness or to boost their confidence with a dramatic response, which is why writing a generous tip and leaving is one of the humble ways they share their positivity with the world when they can.
7. They’re warm-hearted
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While many people come across as warm and welcoming on the surface in social interactions, a truly warm-hearted person is compassionate at their core. Their vibes and words may clue someone in to their internal nature, but most of the time, it’s their actions that speak the loudest, from small acts of kindness to intentional emotional support.
Sometimes, these people even have cold exteriors and personalities, but when they’re interacting with people or writing down a tip for a service worker, it’s their warm heart that leads.
8. They’re highly observant
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While most people enjoying a meal or going out to buy something are relatively caught up in their own needs, attention, and experience, people who are observant of what’s happening around them don’t miss the acts of kindness and thoughtfulness of a service worker. Whether it’s catching their eyes across a room or noticing their sense of urgency, their generosity is often fueled by actions and intentions others miss.
While some people ignore service workers entirely, unless to blame them for an issue or use them as a scapegoat for their own inner struggles, these people are always observant of their humanity, intentions, and kindness.
9. They’re open-minded
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According to a study published in the International Journal of Hospitality Management, openness is often a personality trait that healthily impacts tipping preferences and intentionality. The more open-minded someone is, the more generous they become.
They rarely adopt a single “black and white” perspective on something, even on something as volatile as tipping culture in our society, and often lead with generosity when they have the freedom to.
10. They truly see and appreciate others
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Instead of entitled people, who often craft a misguided perspective of “fairness” based on their inflated ego, superiority, and deservingness, according to a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, these types of people truly see and appreciate others.
They’re not too caught up in their own needs or the “well, it’s their job” mentality to overlook basic kindness and compassion. When they have the resources, that kindness often shows up as a generous tip or a thoughtful compliment, but most of the time, their entire mindset and social outlook are shaped by compassion.
11. They understand the value of money
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Even if they're frugal in other aspects of their lives, if they have the means to be financially generous to others, a mindful person often will. Of course, they’re not throwing around or bragging about money on a daily basis, but they’re often using money as a tool to make people feel safer, more seen, and valued.
They understand the value of money, and while it might not be at the center of all their kind, compassionate actions, in situations with service workers who often work entirely for tips, they understand that it’s a powerful way to show their appreciation.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
