Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Waitresses With Red Lips Earn More $$$, Says Science
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published May 12, 2012
Modified May 12, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published May 12, 2012
Modified May 12, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Hey, waitresses: trying to drum up some extra rent money? Well, you might want to slap on some Revlon Ravish Me Red—according to a recent French study, waitresses who wear red lipstick make more tips.
Researchers at the Universite de Bretagne-Sud studied seven waitresses who served 447 customers in three restaurants in France, discovering that those who wore red lipstick earned up to 50 percent more in tips than the waitresses who wore brown, pink or no lipstick. The researchers suggest that the male customers who handed out better tips were more attracted to the color red, which they associate with "an indication of estrogen levels, sexual arousal and health" (translation: red lipstick makes women hotter, so men give them more money). Female customers' tips did not fluctuate based on their waitresses' lip colors.
The study correlates with other recent scientific breakthroughs about factors that can increase a waitress' tips, like having larger breasts or blonde hair. In other scientific news, getting completely naked won't hurt your tips, either.
Tagged
lipstick
money
research
science
Waitresses
Rebecca Fishbein
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Oct 19, 2026
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .