A woman shared her experience using the ‘server hair theory’ online and revealed which hairstyle made her the most dollar.
Working in the service industry in the US isn’t an easy task. Unlike other countries, working as a waiter or waitress in America is notoriously underpaid, which means that service workers often rely on getting tips from customers to make ends meet.
The average suggested amount a customer should tip is around 20 to 25 percent of the overall bill. A tip isn’t mandatory however, with disgruntled service workers often going viral online for complaining about poor tips.
But this also means that service workers can earn more than their hourly wage on a good day.
Service workers in the US often rely on tips to top up their wages. (Getty Stock Images)
What is the ‘server hair theory’?
Usually someone working in and around food and drink is required to keep their hair tied back for food safety reasons (no one wants to be pulling your hairs out of their meal, no matter how nicely styled it is).
However one server, who goes by the username @sammccall0 on TikTok, believed that altering the way her hair looks could impact how much money she made in a shift.
She documented the process in a series of videos, adding in how much money she made at the end of each shift to compare.
Day one
For the first day of her experiment, Sam wore her hair down with a bandana tied around it.
“Trying the server hair theory to see what gets me more tips,” she wrote on the clip while showing off her look, which was complete with an apron.
“I made $310 (£245) with this hairstyle.”
Day two
After a strong start Sam decided to go for a completely different look, wearing her hair in two Dutch braids and keeping her fringe loose.
The look was clearly a winner with customers, as it brought in a total of $428 (£338) for the shift.
Commenters were also quick to share their preference for the look, with one person saying they’d personally tip someone more for a tidy hairstyle.
Day three
After positive feedback on day two, Sam kept her hair tied up for this day, but instead went for a messy bun instead of braids, earning her a total of $392 (£310).
Less than previous the previous day but still proving that hair tied up is what customers prefer to see.
Day four
With two days of higher tips for tied up hairstyles, Sam then tried a split ponytail look. This one proved to be a massive hit with customers as she received $465 (£367) with the look, which is over $100 more than what she received on her lowest day.
However it’s worth pointing out that this day was a Saturday, with several commenters agreeing that a busier restaurant equalled more tips.
Day five
For the last day of her experiment, Sam decided to go completely rogue and don a bald cap, per a suggestion from a commenter on a previous video.
She’s yet to reveal how much the unconventional look made her, but we’re certainly sure it led to some interesting conversations.
