How Much to Tip in the US: A Practical Guide
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The standard amounts
| Service | Customary tip |
|---|---|
| Restaurant, sit-down | 18%–20%; 15% for adequate service |
| Bartender | $1–$2 per drink, or 18%–20% of the tab |
| Food delivery | 15%–20%, minimum $5 |
| Coffee counter | Optional — $1 or rounding up |
| Taxi or rideshare | 10%–20% |
| Hairdresser or barber | 15%–20% |
| Hotel housekeeping | $3–$5 per night, left daily |
| Hotel bellhop | $2 per bag |
| Valet | $2–$5 on collection |
| Movers | $20–$50 per mover for a full day |
| Tattoo artist | 15%–20% |
Leave housekeeping tips daily rather than at the end — staff rotate, and the person who cleaned on Tuesday may not be there on Friday.
Pre-tax or post-tax?
Either is accepted and the difference is small. On a $100 bill with 8% sales tax, 20% pre-tax is $20 and post-tax is $21.60.
Etiquette guides traditionally say pre-tax; card terminals almost always calculate suggested tips on the post-tax total. Nobody will notice or mind either way — the tip calculator handles both and splits the bill at the same time.
Automatic gratuity — check before you add
US restaurants commonly add an automatic 18%–20% service charge for parties of six or more. It appears on the bill as "gratuity" or "service charge".
Adding a further tip on top is voluntary, and double-tipping by accident is common when the suggested-tip screen appears afterwards regardless. Read the itemised bill before the terminal.
Mental shortcuts
- 20% — move the decimal one place left, then double. $86.40 → $8.64 → $17.28.
- 15% — 10% plus half of it. $8.64 + $4.32 = $12.96.
- 18% — 20% minus a tenth of that. $17.28 − $1.73 = $15.55.
- Rounding up to a whole dollar makes splitting far easier and costs almost nothing.
For anything more complicated — uneven splits, several people, an added service charge — the percentage calculator is faster than arguing at the table.
What changed after 2020
Two things shifted. Baseline expectations moved from 15%–18% to 18%–20% for table service and have not moved back. And tip screens spread to counters where tipping was never customary — self-service kiosks, retail checkouts, even some vending.
The counter-service prompt is genuinely optional. Declining a suggested tip at a till where nobody served you at a table is not rude; the prompt is a payment-processor default, not an etiquette rule.
Outside the United States
- Japan and South Korea — tipping is not practised and can cause real discomfort.
- Most of Europe — service is included. Rounding up or 5%–10% for good service is appreciated, not expected.
- United Kingdom — 10%–12.5% in restaurants, often already added as a service charge. Not customary in pubs.
- Australia and New Zealand — staff are paid a full wage; tipping is uncommon.
- Canada — closely mirrors the US at 15%–20%.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I tip at a restaurant?
18%–20% for satisfactory sit-down service in the US, 15% for adequate service, 25% or more for exceptional. Servers in most states are paid a sub-minimum tipped wage, so this is a substantial part of their income.
Do I have to tip on tax?
No, and either convention is accepted. The difference on a $100 bill is about $1.60. Card terminals typically suggest tips on the post-tax total; traditional etiquette uses the pre-tax subtotal.
Is 15% still an acceptable tip?
It reads as below average today. Norms shifted upward after 2020 and 18%–20% is now the default expectation for table service in most US cities.
Should I tip for takeout?
Not required, though 10% is a kind gesture for a large order. Delivery is different — always tip a driver 15%–20% with a $5 minimum, since drivers rely on tips for most of their earnings.
What if the service was genuinely bad?
Leaving 10% signals dissatisfaction more clearly than leaving nothing, which usually reads as an oversight. If the problem was the food rather than the service, speak to a manager — the kitchen is not the server’s doing.
Free tools for this
Everything above, worked out for your own numbers in a few seconds.
Related guides
This guide is general information from ToolNest, not financial, legal or tax advice. Figures are estimates based on the assumptions stated and current at the time of writing. For decisions that matter, speak to a qualified professional in your own country.