The effect of touch on compliance with a restaurant's employee suggestion

Numerous experimental studies have shown that touch increases compliance with a request made by the “toucher”. Customer's behavior is also affected by tactile contact. Waiters or waitresses in a bar or in a restaurant were evaluated more positively and received higher tips when they slightly touched the customer than when no tactile contact was used. A new evaluation of the effect of tactile contact was made in a restaurant with 256 patrons. When presenting the menu to a patron, the waiter or the waitress was instructed to make or not make (control condition) a suggestion about a meal. In half of the cases, when making this suggestion, the employee slightly touched the patron on the forearm. Results showed that, compared to a control condition, the suggestion had a positive effect on patron's choice especially when the patron was touched by the employee. Theoretical and practical implication of tactile contact are discussed.