Restaurant Reopening: Tipping Is The No. 1 Way People Will Show Support
There are a lot of ways that reopened restaurants look different during the coronavirus pandemic. While a lot of things have changed this year, one thing hasn't: people's gratitude for servers.
Every State's Favorite Fast Food During Coronavirus
Grabbing lunch at a local cafe, meeting friends for happy hours and having get-togethers over dinner all went on pause when states began to shut down as a result of coronavirus spreading through the states. Now that things are reopening across America, restaurants are seen as an escape from worrying about COVID-19 for 69% of people and helps give back a sense of normalcy for 56% of respondents, according to new research from Data Essential.
Those that are dining out aren't taking the experience for granted. Of those polled, 43% of diners say they will tip their servers more than before.
Meanwhile, 37% of diners say they'll visit restaurants more often to give them more business, and 25% percent say they'll round up their bill to the nearest dollar in order to donate to worker funds.
Before dine-in returned, the restaurants and bars were among the industries most impacted by the pandemic. Delivery drivers and restaurants that could take pick-up and to-go orders soon became essential as people practiced self-isolation.
Tipping went from a nicety to an essential form of etiquette to thank the people who were continuing to work during a time when coronavirus cases and deaths still hadn't reached their peaks.
While more tipping has become a welcome change for servers, here are some other ways restaurants have changed since reopening.