Nowadays, an awful lot of taxi drivers accept payment by card as well as in cash but are you more likely to receive a tip by card or cash? Well, some interesting research has been carried out on behalf of the Post Office.

Apparently, you are more likely to receive a tip in cash than by card with 58% of people in the UK preferring to tip in cash compared to 15% who tip by card. Another interesting statistic is that 39% of people are more likely to give someone a larger tip when using cash to tip.

It is also very interesting to read that in the region of 80% of people do not tip if they are only able to provide a tip using their bank card.

The cost of living has had an impact upon tipping with 24% of people saying they don’t tip as much these days.

The top three types of businesses most likely to be tipped are: –

1. Restaurants at 74% with the average tip being £5.70
2. Taxis at 42% with the average tip being £3.90
3. Hairdressers at 31% with the average tip being £5.00

We are sure that you will agree, it is interesting to see taxi drivers in second place in the above table. You will no doubt have your own views on tipping but we are sure you will agree tips can potentially make up a reasonable percentage of the income you receive as a taxi driver.

The type of jobs you do as a taxi driver may also affect how generous your passengers are when it comes to tipping you. If you pick a party of people from a night out at a club do they tip you more than a businessperson you are taking from say home to the office? If you do a lot of airport transfers do you tend to find that the holidaymakers are more likely to provide a larger tip especially if it is a long journey between their home and the airport?

Hopefully, as Christmas approaches, taxi drivers will see the amount they receive in tips whether they are paid in cash or by card increase significantly to provide a welcome boost to their incomes to help them and their families enjoy a lovely festive season.