Dining out any time soon? If so, pay attention to whether servers touch you or squat beside your table.

It could convince you to leave a better tip, according to a hospitality researcher.

Waiters and waitresses also can boost gratuities by writing “Thank you” on the check or drawing on it, according to Cornell University professor Michael Lynn’s research.

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This is a rendering of Marriott Atlanta, a planned refresh of the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Midtown hotel at 590 W Peachtree St. (Courtesy of Monomoy Property Ventures)

Credit: Courtesy of Monomoy Property Ventures

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Mathew Palmer, a former Delta Air Lines employee, at his home in Atlanta on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025.  Palmer was fired less than two weeks after writing a post on social media about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Natrice Miller/AJC)