America This Week Wave 249

The Consumer Rush to Beat Tariffs, DINKs Are Back, If I’m Standing, I’m Not Tipping, and Gen Z Think AI Could Make You A Better Manager.

The latest trends in society and culture from The Harris Poll

While the majority (53%) of Americans drink over the holidays, a growing “sober curious” trend is on the rise. In our latest research with Instacart, there’s a 157% rise in alcohol orders that included non-alcoholic drinks over the past five years as more people seek out ways to celebrate without the associated hangover.

We have four new stories this week:

• If you are stocking up before tariffs hit, you’re not alone.
• More younger Americans are going “DINK” as a hack to a harsh economy.
• Borne out of fury, the new consumer rule is “If I’m standing, I’m not tipping”.
• AI might be the key to developing better leaders.

Americans Brace For Tariffs: The Guardian-Harris Poll

In our latest collaboration with The Guardian, we test the popularity of tariffs ahead of the next inauguration.

• Uninformed voting? Though (78%) of Americans felt confident they understood tariffs, only (48%) correctly answered that American companies pay the price, with nearly half (47%) of Republicans incorrectly believing foreign countries were responsible (v. DEM: 32%).
• Over two-thirds (69%) of Americans think tariffs on imports will lead to higher prices (DEM: 79%, IND: 68%, GOP: 59%), with a similar number (70%) thinking they will significantly impact what they can afford.

• Consumers think they’ll pay the price: (76%) believe companies will pass along the cost of tariffs to consumers.
• Nearly half (44%) are planning purchases ahead of Trump’s inauguration in case of tariffs, as (62%) feel tariffs will force them to adjust their 2025 financial plans.

Takeaway: Tariffs look great at a campaign rally but not in the grocery store or dealer showroom. Multiple executives have already said tariffs will mean higher prices. Walmart’s chief financial officer, John David Rainey, said, “There probably will be cases where prices will go up for consumers” with tariffs. Lowe’s CFO, Brandon Sink, has said that tariffs “certainly would add product costs.”

DINKS, America’s New 1%: Fortune-Harris Poll

Young Americans have discovered a powerful hack for surviving modern capitalism, according to our Thought Leadership & Futures team’s latest research, as seen in Forbes and Fortune.

• Dual Income No Kids is a new prosperity blueprint: Three in five (61%) DINK households bring in over $100,000 annually.
• DINKS have both freedom of time and spending: Over four in five (83%) appreciate the freedom and flexibility not having children gives them, and (88%) direct their income toward enriching experiences and self-development.
• Further, three-quarters (74%) of DINKS see children as a threat to financial stability.
• For some, DINK living is a permanent lifestyle: While (65%) of Gen Z and Millennial DINKs view this as a temporary phase before children, a significant (35%) are choosing this as their long-term lifestyle.

Takeaway: “The data reveals DINKs aren’t just spending more – they’re spending differently, with an emphasis on experiences that enhance their partnerships and personal growth,” Libby Rodney, chief strategy officer at the Harris Poll, said in a statement alongside the new survey. “It’s a segment that’s redefined discretionary spending as an investment in life experience. The rise of DINKs isn’t a rejection of parenthood – it’s a generation’s response to economic trauma, turning financial security into the ultimate luxury.” Make sure to check out Libby’s deep dive into the research here.

Skipping Tips When Standing: Paylocity-Harris Poll

The backlash against “tipflation,” the term for tipping becoming both more widespread and heftier, has been raging for over two years. Now, with Paylocity, as covered by Retail Brew, we find that “If I order standing up, I’m not tipping,” a sentiment viewed 3.3 million times on TikTok.

• Tipflation malaise persists: Two-thirds (65%) of Americans say they’re annoyed with how frequently they’re asked to tip.
• Causing more than three in five (62%) to say they won’t tip if they are standing up while ordering.
• Even more against the practice, ironically enough, were tipped employees (68%).
• In an era of tipflation, employees are largely dubious about the practice: Tipped employees would prefer a higher wage with no tips (83%) than a lower wage with tips.

Takeaway: The tipping mania could get even more widespread if Donald Trump keeps his campaign promise of ending taxes on tips, an idea that struck such a populist chord that Kamala Harris made the same promise. House Speaker Mike Johnson said in June that he expected the proposal to be among the agenda items in Trump’s first 100 days in office.

Gen Z Loves GenAI: Google Workspace-Harris Poll

According to our research with Google Workspace, covered by Quartz, most Gen Z and millennial knowledge workers are already using artificial intelligence tools in one capacity or another at work.

• Some (82%) of young adults in leadership positions said they leverage AI in their work, with many saying they use two or more tools weekly (Gen Z: 93%, MLS: 79%).
• Most respondents said they use AI to start a task that feels overwhelming, improve their writing, and take notes, allowing them to join meetings on the go.
• AI helps on more than just tasks: A majority (86%) believe AI can help leaders become better managers, and (47%) say it could help enhance communication, improve problem-solving, and facilitate better relationships.

Takeaway: “The future of work is here – and it’s AI-powered,” said Yulie Kwon Kim, vice president of products at Google Workspace. “Rising leaders are not only advocating for AI – they’re deploying this technology in meaningful ways, from improving communication with colleagues to freeing up time for strategic work.