Tipping in United States
Standard restaurant tip in United States is 18%. Currency: USD ($). Full guide below.
Your Bill
Each Person Pays
$59.00
United States Tipping Snapshot
| Currency | USD ($) |
| Standard restaurant tip | 18% |
| Service charge included | Not typically included |
| Last updated | 2026-04-25 |
Tipping Culture in United States
Tipping in the United States is more than a courtesy; it is a structural part of how service workers earn a living. The federal tipped minimum wage is just $2.13 per hour (states vary, with seven states paying full minimum wage to tipped workers including California, Oregon, and Washington). Servers, bartenders, and many delivery workers depend on tips for the majority of their income. Standard sit-down restaurant tipping is 18 to 20 percent of the pre-tax bill, climbing to 22 to 25 percent for exceptional service. Bartenders typically get $1 to $2 per drink or 18 percent of the tab, whichever is higher. Food delivery: 15 to 20 percent with a $3 to $5 minimum for small orders. Rideshare (Uber, Lyft): 15 to 20 percent through the app. Hair stylists, barbers, and personal services: 15 to 20 percent. Hotel housekeeping: $2 to $5 per night left daily, not at checkout. Counter service and fast-casual remains optional and often resented by customers when tip prompts default to 18 percent or higher; rounding up or skipping is acceptable. The tipping prompt creep on iPad checkout systems has triggered widespread frustration, but for traditional service jobs the norms remain firm.
Tip by Service in United States
| Service | Tip | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant | 18-20% | 25%+ for exceptional service |
| Bartender | $1-2 per drink or 18-20% | Whichever is higher |
| Food delivery | 15-20% | $3-5 minimum for small orders |
| Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) | 15-20% | Through the app |
| Hair / barber / spa | 15-20% | Cash preferred |
| Hotel housekeeping | $2-5 per night | Daily, not at checkout |
| Hotel bellhop / valet | $2-5 per bag or service | |
| Counter / fast-casual | 0-15% | Optional; round up or skip |
| Movers | $20-50 per mover | Based on job difficulty |
| Taxi | 15-20% | Round up for short trips |
The current standard is 18 to 20 percent for sit-down restaurants. 15 percent has become the floor for acceptable but not great service. 25 percent is increasingly common for exceptional service in high-end establishments. The shift from 15 to 18 percent as baseline happened gradually over the past decade as tip credit laws stayed largely unchanged while wages and prices rose.
Pre-tax is technically correct since you are tipping on the service, not the tax. Most Americans tip on the post-tax total for simplicity, which gives a slightly larger tip (about 7-9% extra of the tip amount in a 7% sales tax jurisdiction). Either approach is acceptable.
These have become controversial. The default suggestions (often starting at 18%) feel coercive when you are picking up a $5 coffee. Counter service does not have the same wage structure as table service, so the historical norm was 0 to 15 percent or rounding up. You are within social norms to skip or tip a smaller amount at fast-casual, takeout, and self-service.
Tip on the pre-discount total. Servers did the same work whether the meal cost $80 or $40 with a coupon. The professional courtesy is to tip 18-20% of what the bill would have been at full price. This applies to free-meal promotions, BOGO deals, and complimentary items.
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