Digital Tip Prompt Fairness & Default Effects Survey

Welcome! This brief survey ( 11 minutes) explores your recent experiences with digital tip prompts at cafes, restaurants, and delivery services. Your participation is voluntary, and you may stop at any time. There are no right or wrong answers—we are interested in your honest opinions. All responses are confidential, anonymized, and used for research purposes only. Thank you for participating!

In the last 30 days, have you encountered a digital tip prompt when paying at a hospitality business (e.g., cafe, quick-service restaurant, delivery service)?

• Yes
• No
• Not sure

Approximately how many times in the last 30 days did you see a digital tip prompt?

• 1–2 times
• 3–5 times
• 6–10 times
• 11–20 times
• More than 20 times

Where have you encountered tip prompts in the last 30 days? Select all that apply.

• Counter tablet (e.g., iPad/Square)
• Handheld card reader
• Self-service kiosk
• QR code on table or receipt
• Mobile app for ordering/delivery
• Website checkout for pickup/delivery
• Other

Thinking about your most recent tip prompt, which suggested tip amounts were shown? Select all that apply.

• 10%
• 15%
• 18%
• 20%
• 25%
• Custom amount
• No suggested amounts were shown
• Can't recall

On that most recent prompt, was any tip option pre-selected (highlighted or already chosen) by default?

• Yes — the lowest suggested amount
• Yes — a middle suggested amount
• Yes — the highest suggested amount
• Yes — a custom amount field
• No — nothing was pre-selected
• Can't recall

When a tip amount is pre-selected on the screen, how likely are you to accept that default amount?

Overall, how fair do digital tip prompts in hospitality feel to you?

How acceptable do you find a pre-selected default of 15% at a quick-service counter?

How acceptable do you find a pre-selected default of 20% at a quick-service counter?

How acceptable do you find a pre-selected default of 25% at a quick-service counter?

During your most recent prompted payment, how much pressure did you feel to leave a tip?

How do digital tip prompts affect your sense of price transparency at checkout?

Approximately what percentage did you tip on your most recent prompted payment?

• 0% (I did not tip)
• 1–9%
• 10–14%
• 15–17%
• 18–19%
• 20–24%
• 25% or more
• I entered a custom dollar amount
• Can't recall

Rank the following factors by how much they influence your tipping decision at checkout. Drag to reorder (1 = most influential).

1. Service quality during the visit
2. Friendliness of staff
3. Suggested tip buttons or defaults
4. Feeling watched or social pressure
5. Total bill size
6. Ability to choose a custom amount

Which tip prompt format would you most prefer to see at checkout?

• Percentage (%) options by default
• Dollar amount ($) options by default
• No default selected — let me choose each time
• No tip prompt at all

Based on your experiences, what would make digital tip prompts feel fairer or more respectful to you?

You mentioned your experiences with digital tip prompts. We'd like to explore a bit further. What emotions or thoughts come to mind when you see a tip screen at checkout?

What is your age?

• 18–24
• 25–34
• 35–44
• 45–54
• 55–64
• 65+
• Prefer not to say

What is your gender?

• Woman
• Man
• Non-binary
• Prefer to self-describe
• Prefer not to say

In which country do you currently reside?

• United States
• Canada
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• Other

What is your current employment status?

• Full-time
• Part-time
• Self-employed
• Student
• Unemployed
• Retired
• Prefer not to say

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

• Less than high school
• High school or equivalent
• Some college / associate degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Postgraduate degree
• Prefer not to say

Thank you for your time! Your feedback helps us understand how digital tip prompts affect the customer experience. Your responses have been recorded and will be kept confidential.