Last updated: November 6, 2026
To learn how to tip in the United States, start with sit-down restaurants at 15% to 20% of the pretax bill, tip food delivery and rideshares about 10% to 20%, leave hotel housekeeping $2 to $5 per night in cash, and treat tip screens at counter service as optional. Automatic gratuities are service charges, not tips, under IRS guidance.
Contents
- How much to tip: quick rates chart
- How to tip at a restaurant
- How to calculate a tip percentage
- Delivery, rideshare and personal services
- Hotel tipping etiquette
- Tip screens vs automatic gratuity
- Why tipping matters for many U.S. workers
- Frequently asked questions
How much to tip: quick rates chart
Common U.S. tipping ranges used by personal-finance and hospitality guides are summarized below. Customs vary by city and venue; use the chart as a practical baseline, not a legal rule.
| Service | Typical tip | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant | 15%–20% of pretax bill | Expected for table service |
| Bartender | $1–$2 per drink or 15%–20% | Higher for complex cocktails |
| Food delivery | 10%–20% (often at least $5) | More in bad weather or for large orders |
| Taxi / rideshare | 10%–20% | Tip in the app or with cash |
| Hair stylist / barber / spa | 15%–20% | Tip the person who served you |
| Hotel housekeeping | $2–$5 per night | Leave cash daily with a note |
| Hotel valet | $2–$5 when car is returned | Cash preferred |
| Hotel bellhop | $2–$5 per bag | More for heavy or many bags |
| Coffee / counter takeout | Optional ($1–$2 or skip) | Tip screens are prompts, not requirements |
For travel planning that often pairs with lodging tips, see how to get a passport and TSA liquid rules.
How to tip at a restaurant
At a full-service restaurant, tipping is the customary way servers are paid for table service. Etiquette and finance guides commonly recommend 15% for acceptable service and 20% for good service, calculated on the pretax food-and-drink subtotal. If something goes wrong, speak with a manager rather than leaving nothing; many etiquette writers still advise leaving about 15% while you address the problem.
Pew Research Center’s 2023 survey of nearly 12,000 U.S. adults found that 92% of people who eat at sit-down restaurants say they always or often tip there, and 57% said they would tip 15% or less for an average meal. Quality of service was a major factor for 77% of adults when deciding whether and how much to tip. Check the bill for an automatic gratuity before you add more.
How to calculate a tip percentage
- Find 10% by moving the decimal one place left ($80 → $8).
- For 20%, double that amount ($8 → $16).
- For 15%, take 10% and add half of 10% ($8 + $4 = $12).
- For 18%, multiply the pretax subtotal by 0.18, or take 20% and trim slightly.
Example: pretax subtotal $80 with $8 sales tax. A 20% tip on the pretax amount is $16; on the taxed total it is $17.60. Traditional etiquette tips on the pretax subtotal so you do not tip on tax. If you pay by check, see how to write a check. Related percentage math appears in the compound interest formula guide.
Delivery, rideshare and personal services
For restaurant or grocery delivery, a common range is 10% to 20%, with many guides suggesting a floor around $5 on small tickets. Increase the tip for stairs, distance, heavy bags or storms. App delivery or service fees are usually not the driver’s tip—confirm the gratuity line in the app.
For taxis and rideshares, tip 10% to 20% of the fare in the app or with cash. Pew found that 76% of people who get food delivered and 61% who use a taxi or rideshare say they always or often tip. For haircuts, coloring, manicures and massages, tip 15% to 20% of the service price to the person who served you.
Hotel tipping etiquette
Hotel tipping is often cash because many roles never see your folio. American Hotel & Lodging Association guidance cited by travel outlets recommends $2 to $5 per night for housekeeping, left each day because staffing can change. Place bills on the desk with a short “thank you / housekeeping tip” note—not under a pillow where they can be lost when sheets are stripped.
- Bellhop: about $2 to $5 per bag.
- Valet: about $2 to $5 when the car is returned.
- Room service: 15% to 20% unless a service charge is already listed.
- Concierge: tip based on how hard the request was.
Customs differ abroad. For one common contrast, see Do you tip in Japan?.
Tip screens vs automatic gratuity
Digital checkout tablets often suggest 18%, 20%, 25% or higher. Pew found Americans are more likely to oppose (40%) than favor (24%) suggested tip amounts, and 72% say tipping is expected in more places than five years ago. For counter coffee, grab-and-go food and self-checkout, tipping is generally optional—choose “No Tip,” “Custom,” or $1–$2 when little personal service was involved.
The IRS distinguishes tips from service charges. A tip is voluntary: the customer decides whether to give it and how much. A service charge (automatic gratuity, banquet fee, room-service charge) is set by the business. IRS Fact Sheet FS-15-08 states that automatic gratuities are service charges, not tips, and amounts distributed to employees are generally treated as non-tip wages. The U.S. Department of Labor makes the same point under the Fair Labor Standards Act: a compulsory charge for service is not a tip. If an automatic 18% already appears on a large-party check, you are not required to tip another 20% on top unless you choose to.
Why tipping matters for many U.S. workers
Under DOL Fact Sheet #15, a tipped employee customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips. Employers that take a tip credit may pay a direct cash wage as low as $2.13 per hour, as long as tips bring the worker to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour; if tips fall short, the employer must make up the difference. Some states require a higher cash wage or ban tip credits. That wage structure is why restaurant, hotel and personal-service tips differ from optional tablet prompts at self-serve counters.
Frequently asked questions
How much should you tip at a restaurant?
Plan on 15% to 20% of the pretax bill for sit-down service. Use about 15% for acceptable service and closer to 20% when service is good. Check first for an automatic gratuity on large parties.
Do you tip on the pretax amount or the total?
Traditional etiquette calculates the tip on the pretax food-and-drink subtotal. Many people tip on the taxed total because it is simpler. Either method is common; pretax tipping avoids adding gratuity on sales tax.
Is an automatic gratuity the same as a tip?
No. The IRS treats automatic gratuities and similar compulsory charges as service charges, not tips. They are usually wages when paid out to staff. You can still leave an extra voluntary tip if you want.
How much do you tip hotel housekeeping?
A widely cited range from American Hotel & Lodging Association guidance is $2 to $5 per night. Leave cash each day with a short note so the person who cleaned that day receives it.
Do you have to tip on a tip screen?
Not for optional counter or self-serve prompts. Select custom or no tip when service was minimal. Tip screens at restaurants, salons, delivery apps and similar tip-reliant services are where standard percentages still apply.
How much should you tip a delivery driver?
Ten to 20 percent of the order is common, with many guides suggesting at least about $5 on small orders. Tip more for weather, stairs, distance or bulky groceries. App fees are usually separate from the driver’s tip.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Labor — Fact Sheet #15: Tipped Employees Under the FLSA
- IRS — Tips Versus Service Charges: How to Report (FS-15-08)
- Pew Research Center — Tipping Culture in America (2023)
- Kiplinger — How Much Should You Tip in 2026? A Practical Guide
- AFAR — How Much to Tip at Hotels in the U.S. (citing AHLA ranges)