Mitigating implicit racial bias in tipping: when direct and indirect experience matters

Purpose Academic research has supported the belief that consumers undertip minority race service workers due to implicit racial biases. However, there been less focus in examining possible moderating factors. This paper aims fill this gap by analyzing role of direct and indirect experience tipping frontline from a background. Given prominence customer ratings on digital platforms perception African Americans are discriminated against, authors look at interplay interaction length (direct experience) (indirect relationship between tipping. Design/methodology/approach An expectancy disconfirmation framework was developed tested with sample 360 US participants an online experiment. The experiment followed 2 × (race: African-American versus Caucasian) experience: limited extensive) 3 absent positive negative rating) design. Findings found who have extended (longer interaction) no (absent ratings) tipped more than Caucasians. Interestingly, effect is reduced presence (customer ratings). Finally, where consumer lacks (shorter but exposed (positive ratings), tip more. Originality/value To best authors’ knowledge, first examines Based findings, provide several contributions, including recommendations reduce inequalities arising bias platforms.