Money conscious Brits are willing to pay for a nice smile, a new survey of restaurant tipping habits has revealed.
The poll of 1,000 diners by money saving site Voucherbox.co.uk, found while we are generally willing to pay for good service, one fifth of us will also tip big if we find the waiter or waitress attractive.
A nice smile was the quality most of us were willing to dig deep into our wallets for with almost a quarter of those surveyed, 23%, saying this deserved more dosh.
An attractive figure or build was less important with only 14% of diners saying this would lead them to increase their tip.
However a flirty manner was enough for 16% to part with their cash while a waiter or waitress with nice eyes caused 11% to melt when the bill came along.
Nice hair was enough to win a huge tip from eight per cent of diners while 10% said they would be more generous with their gratuity if the waiter or waitress smelled nice.
But four out of ten diners said they found body odour unforgivable in waiting staff and they would refuse to tip at all if their waiter suffered with this problem.
Dirty fingernails were also frowned upon with more than one third of diners, 36%, saying they skimp on the tip if their waiter’s nails were filthy.
Greasy hair was also a turn off with almost a quarter of diners, 23%, saying they wouldn’t tip a waiter in need of a good shampoo.
And almost a third, 30%, said they wouldn’t tip if their waiter or waitress was scruffy in appearance.
A mean spirited minority, eight per cent, said they would only tip an attractive waiter or waitress and anyone they deemed unattractive would have to go home empty handed.
Almost a quarter of diners, 23%, said they would make a point of going back to a restaurant if they found a waiter attractive.
One diner told researchers: “As a rule I only tip for outstanding service but if the waiter happens to be gorgeous that definitely helps make the experience better.
“It’s only human to enjoy the attention of an attractive person and if they offer a beautiful smile as well then on an almost subconscious level I’m more likely to be generous.”
A spokesman for Voucherbox.co.uk, who commissioned the research, said: “Only a minority of Brits admitted to tipping more money if they found the waiter or waitress attractive. But at 20% that is still a significant number. Interestingly a nice smile was much more important than an attractive build or figure when it came to persuading diners to part with their hard earned cash. It seems if waiting staff want to maximize their tips all they need is to make sure they do the three S’s – shower, shampoo and smile.”
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