Tipping Etiquette in the USA — A Complete Guide

Who you should tip, how much, and when it's actually optional. An honest guide to American tipping culture without the guilt trips.

7 min read · Updated

Why Tipping in America Is the Way It Is

American tipping culture is unusual by global standards. In most countries, service workers earn a full wage and tips are a small bonus for exceptional service. In the US, tipped workers in many states earn a lower base wage — the federal tipped minimum is just $2.13 per hour — with the expectation that tips make up the difference. Whether or not you agree with this system, it's the reality. Until it changes, tips are how these workers pay their rent.

That said, tipping culture has also expanded into areas where workers do earn full wages, and the pressure to tip in those situations is a different conversation entirely. This guide will be direct about the difference.

Who You Should Tip (And How Much)

Restaurant Servers — 15-20%

This is the most well-established tipping norm in America. Servers at sit-down restaurants rely on tips as their primary income. Tip 15% for adequate service, 18% as a solid default, and 20% or more for excellent service. See our detailed restaurant tipping guide for specifics on fine dining, counter service, and takeout.

Bartenders — $1-2 Per Drink or 15-20% on a Tab

For simple pours — a beer, a glass of wine, a basic mixed drink — $1 to $2 per drink is standard. If you're running a tab, especially one that involves craft cocktails that take time and skill to make, tip 15-20% on the total. If a bartender makes you an incredible Old Fashioned, that's worth more than the same tip you'd leave for a popped bottle cap. Our bar tipping guide covers this in detail.

Baristas — $0 to $1

Here's where we'll be direct: tipping at coffee shops is optional. Baristas typically earn at least full minimum wage (often more at chains like Starbucks). A $1 tip on a drip coffee is generous. A $1-2 tip on a complex specialty drink is a nice gesture. Tipping nothing is completely acceptable — the tablet screen spinning around to face you is a design choice, not a social obligation.

Food Delivery Drivers — 15-20% or $3-5 Minimum

Delivery drivers use their own vehicles, pay for their own gas, and often earn less per hour than you'd expect after expenses. Tip 15-20% or a $3-5 minimum, whichever is higher. Tip more in bad weather or for long distances. This applies to DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, pizza delivery, and any other food delivery. See our full delivery tipping guide.

Rideshare Drivers (Uber/Lyft) — 15-20% or $2-5

Rideshare tips were nonexistent when these services launched (Uber originally told customers not to tip). Now tipping is integrated into the apps, and drivers genuinely appreciate it. $2-5 for a standard ride, 15-20% for longer trips or when the driver was especially helpful — loading luggage, navigating difficult pickup spots, or providing a particularly clean and comfortable ride.

Hotel Housekeeping — $2-5 Per Night

This is the most frequently forgotten tip in America. Housekeepers clean your room, change your sheets, and scrub your bathroom. They work physically demanding jobs for modest pay. Leave $2-5 per night on the desk or nightstand with a note that it's for housekeeping (otherwise they may not take it). Leave it daily rather than at checkout, since different people may clean your room on different days.

Hotel Bellhops/Porters — $1-2 Per Bag

If someone carries your bags to your room, tip $1-2 per bag, with a minimum of $2-3 even for a single bag. If they show you around the room and explain amenities, bump it up a bit.

Hotel Concierge — $5-20

Tip a concierge when they do something genuinely useful — scoring hard-to-get reservations, arranging transportation, or providing insider recommendations that improved your trip. For basic directions or information, no tip is necessary.

Valet Parking — $2-5

Tip $2-5 when your car is returned to you, not when you drop it off. If the valet service charges a fee, you still tip on top of it — the fee goes to the company, not the attendant.

Hairdressers and Barbers — 15-20%

Tip 15-20% on the total service cost. If the salon owner is also your stylist, the old etiquette said you don't tip the owner. That convention has largely faded — most owners now accept and expect tips just like their employees.

Tattoo Artists — 15-20%

Same range as hairdressers. Tattooing is skilled, time-intensive work. For a long session, 20% is appropriate.

Movers — $20-50 Per Mover

For a full move, tip $20-40 per mover for a half-day job and $40-50+ per mover for a full day. These people are carrying your furniture up stairs. Be generous.

Spa Services (Massage, Nails, etc.) — 15-20%

Standard service industry tip. Nail technicians, massage therapists, estheticians — 15-20% on the service price.

When Tipping Is Genuinely Optional

Not every screen that asks for a tip represents a genuine social expectation. Tipping is optional in these situations:

The Truth About Tipping Pressure

Let's talk about the elephant in the room: tip creep and guilt tipping.

Payment technology has made it trivially easy for businesses to add tip prompts to every transaction. The suggested percentages have also crept upward — it's now common to see 18%, 22%, and 25% as the default options on tablets, with no easy "no tip" button visible.

This is a deliberate design choice. Businesses benefit from customers tipping their employees more because it offsets the wages the business would otherwise need to pay. The discomfort you feel when a cashier watches you select a tip amount on a screen is not accidental.

Here's what you should know:

A Practical Framework

If you want a simple mental model for tipping in America, here it is:

Use our tip calculator to get an appropriate amount for any situation. It takes the guesswork out and lets you move on without second-guessing yourself.