Hair color and wages: Waitresses with blond hair have more fun

Abstract

The effect of employees' hair color on wages was experimentally tested in a tipping context. Waitresses in several restaurants were instructed to wear blond, red, brown or dark colored wigs. The effect of hair color on tipping according to patron's gender was measured. It was found that waitresses wearing blond wigs received more tips but only with male's patrons. Waitresses' hair color had no effect on females' tipping behavior. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.