NJ among one of the worst, cheapest states for tipping

Sometimes New Jersey ranks well in national surveys, such as one of the best states in the nation for education. And other times, not so much.

Property taxes by far top that list making us number one in a category we'd prefer not to land among the top. And as Jerseyans, we naturally have some strong opinions about all of it.

This one, however, is a bit different. It has to do with how well New Jersey tips when compared to the rest of the nation.

But it's also a category that some of us might not mind being among the worst, while others might feel insulted. It's kind of a middle-of-the-road situation.

And there are a few reasons why that might be. Before we look at some of the factors that possibly put us here, let's first see how we ranked among the top 10 states that leave the absolute worst tips.

New Jersey is 9th worst - But why?

Our average tip is around 18.9%, which is a little below what's considered the standard at 20%. But before anyone takes insult to this, there are a few factors that could've contributed to this.

Again, it's not to say we're not tipping, or not trying to leave a good tip. But there are at least three big reasons why our tip percentages might not be as high as they could be.

We're expensive to begin with

As mentioned earlier, New Jersey has among the highest taxes in the nation. Not just for residents, either.

Businesses alike also have to cough up extra dollars, which in turn, may force them to charge more overall. And that naturally leads to a higher bill.

Some of us in New Jersey simply can't afford to leave up to 20%, so we do what we can. Then again, there is that other group that might purposely leave a cheap tip no matter what, further helping us land on this list.

We (almost) have a $15 per hour minimum wage

Starting in 2024, New Jersey's minimum wage will exceed $15 per hour. Although that's going to put more money in the pockets of some employees, it'll certainly only make what you pay more expensive.

And that in turn, stems to the original issue. New Jersey is already an expensive state, and many of us can't afford to leave any more behind.

Not only that, but some might also feel a huge tip isn't warranted since the employee is making more already into the year.

We're tired of tip culture

Perhaps the biggest reason of all is this. The tip culture in New Jersey has gotten way out of control.

Forget receiving personalized service, we're now expected to leave something for takeout when we travel to pick up the food. Aside from that, everyone literally feels they deserve something extra even if they did nothing more to earn it.

And that is a major deterrent to leaving the standard 20% or more for anyone. It's just a few reasons why some in New Jersey might not mind being known for leaving some of the worst tips in the nation. Prices have simply become too expensive.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.