Canary Technologies has revealed a more than 3X year-over-year growth in digital tips to hotel staff, with nearly 70% of gratuities going to housekeepers.
This milestone underscores how hotel teams are being recognized in an increasingly cashless economy and highlights the essential role housekeepers play as the backbone of hospitality, as the industry prepares to celebrate Housekeeping Week, Sept. 14–20.
For housekeepers, this surge in digital tipping means higher earnings, improved job satisfaction and a boost in morale, according to the company. Digital tips are frequently accompanied by personalized messages from guests expressing appreciation for their hard work and dedication to hospitality.
“Housekeepers are the heartbeat of hotel operations, and their work often happens behind the scenes,” said SJ Sawhney, president/cofounder, Canary Technologies. “At a time when cash tips have been declining, digital tipping is a powerful way to express appreciation. It’s clear just how much guests value housekeepers—and how easy it can be to say thank you when hotels make tipping seamless.”
Industry research by Canary shows that 70% of guests want to tip hotel staff but often don’t, since many no longer carry cash. At the same time, staff are far more likely to stay in their jobs when tips increase.
Digital tipping by the numbers:
- Nearly 70% of all digital tips went to housekeeping staff
- 62% of guests left personalized thank-you messages alongside tips
- The highest single digital tip to a housekeeper was $600
Hotel leaders are seeing the difference. In addition to signaling appreciation for housekeepers, Canary’s Digital Tipping has been shown to improve guest service scores by 7 to 10%, reduce staff turnover by up to 75%, and improve employee engagement.
“The team loves reading the messages from guests,” said Tom Anderson, GM, Hotel 1620, Linchris Hotels. “It’s a little boost of retention. You might have had a bad day and feel like, ‘I’m not coming back tomorrow,’ but then you see a $20 tip and a note saying, ‘Thank you for all you do.’ That can be the thing that makes you stay.”
