Waitresses: how to get top tips

If you have ever wondered why you are sometimes inspired to leave your waitress a hefty tip, a team of scientists may have found the answer.

A new study shows that staff who mimic their customers' way of speaking could make up to 80 per cent more in tips.

A study in the Netherlands observed staff in a fast-food restaurant who spent half their shift imitating customers' speech patterns, and half ignoring it. The surprising results were that tips rocketed by 80 per cent when the staff copied customers' behaviour.

Rick van Baaren, an assistant professor at Nijmegen University, believes the increase is all about bonding.

He said: "If you mimic somebody, you effectively put them at ease very quickly, and create a bond with them.

"Everybody wants to see themselves to some extent, and they will treat you far better if you appear to be on the same wavelength as them. The key is to use phrases the person uses. Also try and act a little like them if you can. The empathy with you this creates is invaluable."

Professor van Baaren is now planning to look at how the brain copes with being taught how to mimic.

Apart from building the fortunes of waiting staff, he believes his research may one day help painfully shy people to interact more confidently in society. He said it may even help those with more serious social disorders.