IRS study tracks tips
According to a study by the Internal Revenue Service, waiters in Italian restaurants in the U.S. receive the biggest tips from customers, while those in Mexican restaurants receive the smallest.
The average tip in Italian eateries in 1986 was 15.8 percent, compared to 15 percent in Chinese restaurants and 14.8 percent in Mexican restaurants.
But, patrons in Chinese restaurants were more likely to leave a tip—90 out of every 100 did—than in Italian restaurants, where only 88 chose to leave a tip. In establishments serving Mexican food, there were 86 tips per 100 customers.
The IRS investigation began because waiters are required by law to include tips in their earnings and pay income tax on them, and the underreporting of tip income has long been a concern to the IRS.
The Survey Research Laboratory of the University of Illinois questioned families and individuals from nearly 13,000 households who kept records of their tips over two-week periods between 1983 and 1986. The study did not try to provide any reason for the differences, nor did it ask about restaurants that serve the food of other countries.
Disney workers rate pay
In a recent poll among salaried Walt Disney employees, 21 percent rated their pay as "good," 35 percent rated it "average," and 40 percent "poor." Among hourly workers, 18 percent rated the pay as "good," 28 percent as "average," and 51 percent as "poor."
Most homebuyers use real estate agent
A survey by the National Association of Realtors of 4,000 households that purchased homes during the last half of 1986 found that 80 percent of the purchases involved the use of real estate agents; 20 percent did not. Of those who used brokers, seven percent met the agent at an open house.
Fifty of each 100 respondents answered "agent" when asked "How did you first learn about the home you recently purchased?" 17 mentioned a sign, 15 saw a newspaper ad, eight used a friend, six knew the seller, one saw the home in a magazine, and two mentioned other sources.
Americans express fear of environmental hazards
A recent survey by Opinion Research Corp shows that as many as 80% of Americans are very concerned about certain environmental hazards, and that one-fifth of the public believe that they or a family member have already suffered damage to their health due to poor air quality, ozone depletion, or exposure to hazardous materials at work.
As a result of this apparent high level of anxiety over the environment, many Americans support tougher environmental regulations even if it means higher prices for consumer products or higher taxes.
At least half of the public say that they are very concerned with each of eight potential environmental threats that they were questioned about, with the largest majorities expressing anxiety about the environmental hazards that have been given publicity over a long period of time.
Three environmental problems are of considerable concern to the public:
• Four people in five say that they are very concerned with water and air quality.
• Two-thirds of the public see pesticides, or hazardous substances in the home or workplace, as being areas of particularly pressing environmental concern.
• Just over half express strong concern about three environmental issues that have emerged more recently as major foci of media attention: growth hormones in meat, ozone depletion, and the greenhouse effect.
People may be hypersensitive about environmental threats of all types following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Many indicate willingness to dig into their own pockets to pay the costs of stricter environmental regulations. A slight majority (57%) are willing to accept higher-priced products as a side effect of stricter regulations, and two out of five state that they would pay higher taxes to cover the costs of tougher environmental controls.
However, many consumers draw the line at putting the nation's overall economy in jeopardy. Even in the wake of the catastrophic Valdez oil spill, two people in three would oppose stricter regulations that would make America more dependent on foreign oil. Three out of five would also oppose regulations that cost some workers their jobs, and a slight majority would be in opposition if the regulations made it more difficult to compete against foreign firms.