Virtually no one gets excited about Tax Day (April 15) unless they’ve got a whopper of a refund coming. Some restaurant industry workers don’t even know that their tax situation has improved this year, according to a new poll from OysterLink, a job platform for restaurant and hospitality professionals.
OysterLink says it surveyed approximately 100 hospitality professionals and found that most respondents had heard about the “No Tax on Tips” deduction—part of the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill signed into law last year—but few actually knew how to take advantage of it.
The poll was conducted through OysterLink’s website and social media channels. While the results offer a useful snapshot, they’re based on a relatively small, self-selected sample and are not necessarily representative of the broader hospitality workforce.
According to OysterLink, only 22% of the respondents said they knew exactly how to claim the deduction on their 2025 tax return. The largest group (43%) reported they had heard of the policy but were not sure how it works. Another 20% of respondents said they were not aware of the policy at all. (The remaining 15% noted they don’t receive tips, so the policy does not apply to them.)
“These results show that awareness is starting to build, but understanding is still lagging behind,” said Milos Eric, general manager at OysterLink. “For a policy that directly impacts take-home income, clarity is critical. Right now, many workers simply don’t know how to benefit from it.”
Under the law, employees and self-employed individuals may deduct qualified tips up to $25,000 for certain qualified occupations, including wait staff, bartenders and gig economy workers (among others). The list also extends to roles like cooks and dishwashers who participate in tip-sharing arrangements, broadening eligibility beyond front-of-house staff.
“There’s a real opportunity for businesses to step in and better support their staff,” Eric added. “Even simple steps, like sharing resources or offering basic guidance, can make a meaningful difference.”
The White House earlier this year declared 2026 to be the “largest tax refund season in U.S. history.” The Trump administration projected the average refund “to rise by $1,000 or more this year.”
According to NPR, however, “that extra refund bump has fallen short of that projection.”
IRS numbers show the average refund has gone up by about $350 compared to last year. As of early April, the average tax refund was $3,462, which is 11.1% higher than early April of 2026.
