How Much to Tip: The Complete 2024 Guide for Every Situation
Clear tipping guidelines for restaurants, delivery, hair salons, hotels, rideshare, movers, and more - with cultural context on why we tip.
Tipping in the US has become increasingly confusing. Tablet screens prompt you for 20–30% at counter-service spots where you never would have tipped before. Meanwhile, the traditional guidelines keep shifting upward. Here’s a straightforward reference for what’s actually expected.
Quick Reference: Standard Tip Amounts
| Service | Standard Tip | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant | 18–20% | 15% for poor service, 22–25% for exceptional |
| Buffet | 10–15% | Someone clears your plates and refills drinks |
| Takeout | $0–10% | Becoming more common post-2020, not required |
| Coffee shop (counter) | $0–$2 | Not expected; round up or drop change |
| Food delivery | 15–20% or $5 min | Whichever is greater; tip in app before delivery |
| Pizza delivery | 15–20% or $3–5 min | Standard; more for large orders or bad weather |
| Bartender | $1–2 per drink | Or 18–20% on a tab |
| Hair stylist | 15–20% | Of total service cost |
| Barber | 15–20% | $3–5 minimum for simple cuts |
| Spa / massage | 15–20% | Check if gratuity is included |
| Nail salon | 15–20% | Tip each person who works on you |
| Hotel housekeeping | $2–5/night | Leave daily, not just at checkout |
| Hotel bellhop | $1–2/bag | $5 minimum for multiple bags |
| Hotel concierge | $5–20 | Depends on complexity of request |
| Valet parking | $2–5 | When car is returned |
| Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) | 15–20% or $2–5 | Not required but appreciated |
| Taxi | 15–20% | Round up for short rides |
| Movers | $20–50/person | Full day; $10–20 for half day |
| Furniture delivery | $5–20/person | More for assembly or stairs |
| Grocery delivery | 10–15% or $5 min | Instacart, etc. |
| Dog groomer | 15–20% | Similar to hair salon |
| Tour guide | $5–10/person | More for private tours |
| Tattoo artist | 15–20% | Of total cost |
Restaurant Tipping: The Details
How to calculate
Always tip on the pre-tax subtotal, not the total after tax. On a $100 meal with $8 in tax, a 20% tip is $20, not $21.60.
Pre-tip vs. post-tip on tablets
When a tablet asks for a percentage, it’s almost always calculating on the full total (including tax). The 20% button might actually be 21–22% of your food cost. This isn’t sinister - it’s just simpler math for the software.
Automatic gratuity
Restaurants commonly add 18–20% automatic gratuity for parties of 6 or more. This is legal and clearly disclosed. You’re not obligated to tip beyond it, but you can if service was exceptional.
Tipping on alcohol
Yes, tip on the full bill including drinks. If you ordered a $200 bottle of wine with a $50 meal, standard practice is to tip on the full $250. Some people tip less aggressively on expensive wine - 15% instead of 20% - which is generally accepted.
Tipping on discounts and comps
Tip on what the meal would have cost without the discount. If a $100 meal is half off, tip on $100, not $50.
Delivery Tipping
Food delivery apps (DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub)
Drivers see your tip before accepting the order. Low or no-tip orders get bounced between drivers and often arrive cold and late. A $5 minimum or 15–20% (whichever is greater) is the standard. For large orders, tip proportionally.
Tipping in the app vs. cash
Drivers generally prefer cash tips because they receive the full amount immediately with no tax withholding questions. That said, app tips are fine - drivers do receive them.
Grocery delivery
Instacart, Amazon Fresh, and similar services involve someone shopping for you, loading their car, driving to your home, and carrying bags to your door. This is more labor-intensive than restaurant delivery. 15–20% is appropriate, with a $5 minimum.
Personal Services
Hair salons and barbershops
Tip 15–20% on the total service cost. If multiple people work on you (colorist, stylist, assistant), tip each person separately. If the owner cuts your hair, tipping is traditionally optional - but increasingly expected.
Spa and massage
Tip 15–20% on the service price. Check whether gratuity is already included (common at resort spas). At most standalone spas, it isn’t.
Nail salons
Tip 15–20% of the total. If different technicians did your manicure and pedicure, tip each one. Hand cash directly to the person who served you rather than putting it on the card - some salon owners don’t pass card tips through fully.
Hotel Tipping
Housekeeping
This is the most under-tipped service. Leave $2–5 per night in an envelope or with a note that says “housekeeping” so they know it’s intended for them. Leave it each day, not just at checkout, because different people may clean your room on different days.
Bellhop/porter
$1–2 per bag is standard. If they spend time showing you room features or going above and beyond, $5 total is appropriate.
Room service
Check the bill - a service charge or gratuity is almost always included (typically 18–22%). If it is, you don’t need to add more. If it isn’t, tip 18–20% as you would at a restaurant.
When You Don’t Need to Tip
Tipping has expanded to places where it doesn’t traditionally belong. You are not expected to tip:
- Fast food counter service - even if the screen asks
- Retail store employees - including personal shoppers at department stores
- Self-checkout - should be obvious, but some kiosks still prompt
- Business owners who personally serve you - traditional etiquette says no, though this norm is changing
- Medical professionals - doctors, dentists, nurses, therapists
- Government employees - postal carriers (holiday gift is OK, but cash tips are technically prohibited)
The “Tip Creep” Problem
Since 2020, tipping prompts have appeared at an ever-growing number of businesses - self-serve yogurt shops, auto repair counters, takeout windows. This is called tip creep or tipflation.
The driver: point-of-sale systems like Square and Toast include tipping prompts by default. Business owners often enable them because it costs nothing and might generate extra income for staff (or themselves - tip pooling policies vary).
You are not obligated to tip at counter-service establishments where no table service is provided. The prompt is a request, not an expectation. Don’t feel guilty hitting “No tip” when you ordered at a counter, picked up your own food, and bused your own table.
Cultural Context: Tipping Outside the US
Canada: Similar to the US, 15–20% at restaurants. Slightly lower expectations for other services.
UK: 10–12.5% at restaurants. Often included as a “service charge.” No tipping at pubs for drinks. Minimal tipping for other services.
Europe (Continental): Rounding up or 5–10% at restaurants. Servers earn living wages. Large tips can seem ostentatious.
Japan: No tipping. It can be considered rude - it implies the person needs charity.
Australia: No tipping culture. Workers earn high minimum wages ($23+ AUD/hour).
Southeast Asia: No tipping expected at local establishments. At tourist-oriented or Western-style restaurants, 10% is appreciated but not required.
One Simple Rule
If someone’s income depends significantly on tips (servers, delivery drivers, hair stylists), tip 18–20%. If you’re being prompted by a screen at a place where tipping wasn’t traditional five years ago, do what you’re comfortable with - including nothing.
Try the calculator: tip calculator