By embedding a simple tipping prompt into card machines, Yoco has sparked a generosity revolution in South Africa’s small-business sector, turning everyday transactions into moments of appreciation and channelling R1,000,000,000 directly into the pockets of South Africa’s frontline workers. 

This small change in the checkout flow back in 2015 has led to an almost three-fold increase in tipping for hospitality merchants who activate the feature.

Some restaurants report up to a 386% increase in average tips, demonstrating the significant impact of making digital tipping more accessible to customers. 

With just one click on the customer-facing screen during payment, customers can opt in to tip 10%, 15%, 20% or a custom amount. 

Tipping was once rare with card payments, but now 200,000+ Yoco merchants can unlock the power of gratitude, and the ripple effect is massive. 

The tipping point

In South Africa, tipping is crucial for service industry workers as it significantly supplements their income, especially for those earning low wages. 

Many workers, such as waiters, petrol attendants, and car guards, rely on tips to make a living.

Tipping is not just a gesture of appreciation but a vital part of their livelihood.

For some, tips are the difference between struggling to make ends meet and earning a sustainable income. 

Your small change, a big collective impact

Here's how tipping through Yoco adds up to a powerful collective impact:

• More than 55,000 businesses have enabled tipping to support their teams.

• The top tip earners process 900+ tipped transactions every month.

• Those same merchants collect an average of R15,000 in tips monthly; on top of their regular sales.

The Smoothie On The Go team has seen a noticeable uptick in tips since switching on Yoco’s tipping feature - hear how it’s energising their staff and boosting morale:

Why gratitude matters

Gratitude is a multiplier. A small tip of 10% not only rewards excellent service but also sparks a chain reaction of benefits for businesses:

• Staff morale soars, leading to friendlier service and stronger customer relationships.

• Business owners see reduced turnover and lower recruitment costs as employees feel valued.

• Communities benefit as workers spend their earnings locally, stimulating economic activity.

That’s why tipping isn’t just extra change; it’s a catalyst for real, lasting change.

Beyond tipping: Yoco’s integrated point of sale (POS) ecosystem

With an integrated POS ecosystem, Yoco is rewriting the playbook for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), unlocking capabilities once exclusively reserved for big brands:

• sales data in real-time

• staff management and productivity tracking

• low-stock alerts and automated purchase orders

• easier cash-ups and reconciliations

• insights on peak trading times and average spend

• clear reports to guide decisions on staffing and promotions

• faster bank transfers, less manual admin



With these tools, business owners can adjust prices, staff shifts and stock levels based on real-time insights.

All of this is built into Yoco Counter - our smart, all-in-one POS setup designed to help you run a sharper, more efficient business.

So who are South Africa’s biggest tippers?

We’ve crunched the numbers on tipping data across over 55,000 merchants who empower their business and staff with Yoco and this is what we found:

• Most generous provinces: Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the Free State come out on top.

• Top tipping industries: outside of large volumes in retail and the food industry, other industries are flourishing with generosity.

• Tipping after hours: tipping tends to grow as the day goes on. Late-night venues often receive the most generous tips.

• Most tipped roles: travel and tourism workers receive the highest tips, followed by professional services and beauty professionals.

How to set up tip settings with Yoco

Ready to get started? Here’s a step-by-step guide:

• open the Yoco App

• tap your business name

• go to Business Settings, then Tip Settings

• turn tipping on and choose the options that work best for you

Customers can always choose not to tip, but a small prompt often inspires generosity.

Read more about setting up tipping with Yoco here.

Even more tipping tools coming soon

We’re looking into new ways to enhance the tipping experience. This could mean giving business owners more flexibility and control over how tipping works, along with smarter insights to better support their teams. 

We’re excited about exploring the possibilities that keep things simple for our customers while unlocking more value for businesses.

Trusted by over 200,000 small businesses nationwide, Yoco puts enterprise-grade tools into every business, no bank approvals or hidden fees required. Take this quiz to find your product fit and get your business thriving with Yoco today.