Can a server’s hairstyle affect their tips? TikTok user Sam McCall (@sammccall0) thinks so, and she’s taken to social media to demonstrate her theory. In a series of viral videos, Sam documented how different hairstyles influenced her tips during various shifts.
In one video, she styled her hair into a messy bun and reported earning $392 in tips, a figure that fell between what she earned with other hairstyles on different days. On another day, wearing her hair down with a bandanna, she made $310. However, when she wore Dutch braids on Friday, she earned the highest amount of $428 in tips.
Commenters on TikTok speculated about why certain hairstyles might lead to higher tips. Some suggested that contained hairstyles like braids might be perceived as more hygienic and professional, potentially influencing customers to tip more generously. Others noted personal preferences, with styles like pigtails being particularly popular despite varied opinions on their appropriateness.
This experiment isn’t isolated. Previously, TikTok user Autumn (@autumnsgotaux) also reported increased tips while wearing pigtails, echoing similar findings. The trend has sparked discussions online, prompting calls for deeper studies on the correlation between server hairstyles and tipping behavior.
As servers continue to explore this phenomenon, the impact of appearance on customer interactions remains a topic of interest and debate in the service industry.