The Hot Waitress Economic Index?

The insulting and doubtful hot waitress economic index ranks attractive servers. The appealing server index shows that the economy is worse when more attractive servers exist. The problematic premise is that beautiful people can obtain higher-paying employment during economic booms. The statistic shows that high-paying occupations are harder to find in harsher economic times, forcing more attractive individuals to work in service industries. The idea seems to ignore employee qualities and experience.

A New York Magazine article by Hugo Lindgren introduced the concept of the appealing server index. Lindgren edited and wrote for American magazines and newspapers. His current career is in Hollywood production, not economics or academics.

Understanding the Hot Waitress Economic Index

In 2009, Lindgren wrote about noticing more beautiful people serving tables at a Lower East Side eatery in New York City during the Great Recession. These servers replaced laid-off workers. The manager believed attractive servers would boost sales.

Economists haven’t tested the appealing server index, and one establishment’s management approach may have failed. Lindgren argued there was “good reason to believe” his index was a leading signal for economic recovery, contrary to orthodox economic theory.

“As a commodity that’s fairly cheap, historically effective as a marketing tool, and available on a freelance basis, hotness will likely be back in demand long before your average Michigan autoworker is,” he said.

The favorable server index may be a coincidence.

Little research supports this indication. Scientists have shown that handsome people are more adept and confident, which leads to better employment and greater earnings. Many call this “lookism,” or attractiveness prejudice. Beautiful people working in low-skilled, low-paying professions like waiting tables may indicate a lack of better opportunities.

Compensation depends on a restaurant’s location, customer, cuisine quality, and skill. To think the service business is low-skilled ignores the market’s fierce competition. Today, Yelp ratings may rapidly dismiss servers for being illiterate, inexperienced, or impoverished.

Economists accept GDP and first-time jobless claims as indices of the economy’s health. But virtually everything may be an economic signal; therefore, each new hypothesis should be tested before being trusted.

“Pop culture myths can surround certain economic indicators,” says Erika Rasure, Ph.D., Maryville University assistant professor of business and financial services and Investopedia Financial Review Board member. This can be superstitious. Correlating observable phenomena doesn’t prove them. This is racist and misogynistic.”

Do your homework to evaluate an indication in Rasure’s opinion. “How well studied is an indicator? Don’t act until you know the facts, and don’t trust TV or the internet.

Other Strange Indicators vs. Attractive Server Index

The appealing server index may be inaccurate, but it is not the only strange financial indicator. If you can imagine anything, someone may have already thought of it. Some believe the full moon affects the economy. These variables read like pop culture  finance, said Rasure.

Some beliefs suggest that marine ads, men’s underwear, and even lipstick sales may foresee the future. Similar concepts underlie them. Marine recruitment ads will be more demanding on TV in a tough economy because they meet recruitment goals quickly and don’t need to scare people away; men’s underwear sales will drop (that pair might last longer), and lipstick sales will rise.

Conclusion

• The provocative and questionable Hot Waitress economic index indicates a financial slump.
• It says the economy is weaker when there are more attractive servers.
• Hugo Lindgren, a journalist, introduced the index in New York Magazine.