U.S. tipping guide
In the U.S., tip 15%–20% of the bill at restaurants, salons, tattoo studios and in rideshares, and $2–$5 per bag, night or car for hotel and moving help. Coffee and takeout counters stay optional.
Based on: The Emily Post Institute, NerdWallet
Tipping now turns up in more places than it did a few years ago. In a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, 72% of U.S. adults said tipping is expected in more places than five years earlier, and only about a third found it easy to know whether to tip (34%) or how much (33%).
Suggested amounts aren't popular either: 40% opposed businesses suggesting a tip, against 24% in favor.
In a 2025 Bankrate online survey run by YouGov, 38% said pre-entered tip screens annoy them.
That is the gap this guide is for: the usual range, what moves it, and nothing preselected.
See the numbers behind this: fifteen facts about tipping in America
Sources: Pew Research Center · Bankrate
15%–20%
of the bill
$2–$5
per bag, night or car
$0–$1
when you feel like it
Percentage tipping is used where a service scales with a bill — a restaurant meal, a haircut, a tattoo. Flat-amount tipping is used where the work doesn’t scale with a price: cleaning a hotel room, returning a car, carrying a bag. A few situations sit in between. Movers, for example, are tipped either way — pick whichever method is easier for you to work out.
Restaurant tipping is a well-established U.S. tipping custom. Percentage of the pre-tax bill is the usual method at full service; counter-style situations are more flexible.
At a full-service U.S. restaurant, 15%–20% of the pre-tax bill is the common tipping range, with many diners now treating 18%–20% as the reference for good service.
Goes higher for: Service that stands out can go above 20%. For genuinely poor service, some diners tip less or speak with a manager instead. Buffet service is commonly tipped around 10% because the server does less.
Sources: Emily Post · Kiplinger
At a U.S. bar, $1–$2 per drink is common, or 15%–20% of the tab when you run one.
Goes higher for: Complicated cocktails, a long stay at the bar, or exceptional attention often push people toward the higher end or a bigger share of the tab.
Sources: Emily Post · Kiplinger
Tipping a barista is optional in the U.S. When people do tip, $1 or loose change per drink is common.
Goes higher for: Large or complicated orders, a barista who remembers your usual, or a regular spot you value are common reasons people leave a little.
There is no obligation to tip at a coffee counter.
Sources: Emily Post · Kiplinger
Tipping on takeout pickup is optional in the U.S. For large or complicated orders, around 10% is a common gesture.
Goes higher for: Curbside hand-off, special packaging requests, or a big family order are common reasons people add a tip.
For a simple counter pickup, no tip is expected.
Sources: Emily Post
Tipping food delivery drivers is customary in the U.S. A common range is 10%–15% of the bill, with a $2–$5 minimum for small orders.
Goes higher for: Long distances, bad weather, stairs, and heavy grocery orders are common reasons to tip toward or above the top of the range. This differs from furniture or appliance drop-offs, where tipping is optional (see Home & services).
Sources: Emily Post · Kiplinger
At counter-service spots — fast casual, bakeries, food trucks — tipping is optional. Tip jars and checkout screens are discretionary.
Goes higher for: Some people leave $1 or round up when the staff did something beyond handing over food.
Tipping at a counter is genuinely optional; nothing is owed.
Sources: Emily Post · Kiplinger
In the U.S., wedding and event staff — bartenders, catering staff, hair and makeup artists — are commonly tipped 15%–20% of the service fee when gratuity isn't already included.
Goes higher for: Long events, difficult weather at outdoor venues, staff who handled last-minute changes, or a much larger guest count than planned.
In the U.S., tipping at a food cart or food truck is optional — a dollar or two per order is the usual gesture, with up to 10% for a big or complicated order.
Goes higher for: A large or custom order, a long wait handled well, a hot day at the window, or a cook who accommodated an allergy or substitution.
Sources: The Emily Post Institute · Tasting Table
In the U.S., tipping at a drive-thru or fast-food counter is optional — most orders carry no tip, with a dollar or two for extra care or a large, custom order.
Goes higher for: A large order for a group, a custom or allergy-adjusted order, a busy window or holiday shift handled well, or a barista who nailed a complicated drink.
Sources: The Emily Post Institute · Tasting Table · AAA Club Alliance
Hotel and travel tips are usually flat amounts per service, per bag, or per night — not percentages. Daily tipping matters for housekeeping because staff can change during your stay.
Common U.S. guidance for hotel housekeeping is $2–$5 per room per day at standard hotels. Higher-service and luxury stays can reasonably reach $5–$10 per room per day.
Goes higher for: Tip daily when possible, since the person cleaning your room can change mid-stay and a daily tip reaches the right person. Consider more when the room needed extra work, you had multiple guests or special requests, or the hotel is luxury-level.
Sources: Emily Post · NerdWallet · Travel + Leisure
For U.S. valet parking, $2–$5 per retrieval is a common source-backed range, with $5 a useful reference point. The tip is usually given when your car is returned, not at drop-off.
Goes higher for: Upscale venues, events, bad-weather pickups, and extra effort can justify an optional higher amount. Tip each pickup if you come and go multiple times. Valet tipping is customary but discretionary.
Sources: Emily Post · Kiplinger
Common U.S. bellhop guidance is $2–$5 per bag, with $2 as a source-backed starting reference.
Goes higher for: The amount changes with the number of bags, weight, distance carried to the room, a room tour, or extra errands and help.
Sources: Emily Post · AFAR
Tipping a concierge is not expected for simple questions. For hard-to-get reservations or special arrangements, $5–$20 is common.
Goes higher for: The more effort involved — sold-out restaurants, event tickets, complex itineraries — the more people tend to give.
Directions and basic questions carry no tipping expectation.
Sources: Emily Post · AFAR
For U.S. taxis and rideshares, 15%–20% of the fare is a common tipping range.
Goes higher for: Help with luggage, a smooth ride in bad traffic or weather, and late-night pickups are common reasons people tip toward the top.
Sources: Emily Post · NerdWallet · Kiplinger
U.S. golf caddies are commonly tipped a minimum of 20% of the caddie fee — described as the same rule of thumb used for restaurant service.
Goes higher for: Private clubs and resort courses often run higher: caddie programs describe about 30% for solid basic service and 40% or more for a caddie who read putts and helped with club selection. At a private club, ask your host or the caddie master about local custom.
Sources: GOLF.com · The Caddie Network
U.S. tour guide tips are usually figured per person: about $5–$10 per person for short tours of a couple hours or less, and $10–$20 per person for full-day tours.
Goes higher for: A private or customized tour, or a guide who goes well beyond the basics, are common reasons to tip toward the top of the range.
Sources: ExperienceFirst · TourScoop
In the U.S., $2–$5 per pickup is a common tipping range at attended garages, with $2 a useful reference point; monthly parkers usually add a year-end thank-you of $10–$30 or more per attendant.
Goes higher for: A stacked or tandem garage where other cars had to move, a fast retrieval during a rush, bad weather, help loading bags, or an attendant who looks after your car all year.
Sources: The Emily Post Institute · Brick Underground · The Emily Post Institute
In the U.S., tipping a gas station attendant is optional — $2–$3 where you chose full service over pumping yourself, or a dollar or two when they checked the oil, cleaned the windshield or helped in bad weather.
Goes higher for: Bad weather, an oil, tire or windshield check, directions or a jump-start, or an attendant who handled a queue of cars without cutting corners.
Sources: Consumer Reports · State of New Jersey · State of Oregon · Oregon Public Broadcasting
In the U.S., $1–$2 per bag is a common tipping range for a shuttle driver who handles your luggage, with $2 per bag a useful reference point.
Goes higher for: Several bags, a long route, late-night or early-morning pickups, or a driver who helped beyond loading.
Sources: The Emily Post Institute · Signature Transportations
In the U.S., $1–$5 is the common tipping range for a street performer or artist, with more expected if you take a photo with them or request a song.
Goes higher for: A full set you stayed for, a photo or interaction, a specific request, or an act that drew a crowd you were part of.
Sources: FeelingVegas · NPR
Salon, spa, grooming, and tattoo tipping is usually a percentage of the service total. These are one-on-one services, so the tip goes directly to the person who did the work.
At U.S. salons and barbershops, 15%–20% of the service total is the common tipping range, with 20% a frequent choice for a stylist you return to.
Goes higher for: Big color jobs, fixes, and holiday appointments often push people higher. When several people work on your hair, some guests split the tip between them.
Sources: Emily Post · NerdWallet
For U.S. nail salons, 15%–20% of the service total is the common tipping range.
Goes higher for: Intricate nail art, repairs, and long appointments are common reasons to tip toward the higher end.
Sources: Emily Post
For U.S. spa and massage services, 15%–20% of the treatment price is the common tipping range.
Goes higher for: Check whether a service charge or gratuity is already included — resort spas sometimes add one automatically.
Sources: Emily Post · Kiplinger
For U.S. tattoo artists, 15%–25% of the session price is the commonly mentioned range, with 20% a frequent single choice.
Goes higher for: Long sessions, custom design work, and free touch-ups often push people toward the higher end. For multi-session pieces, some tip per session.
In the U.S., 15%–20% of the service price is the standard tipping range for a makeup artist, with 20% a common default.
Goes higher for: Bridal and event work, early call times, travel to your location, or touch-ups later in the day.
Sources: The Emily Post Institute · NerdWallet
In the U.S., 15%–20% of the service price is the standard tipping range for hair coloring, with 20% common for more involved color work.
Goes higher for: Colour corrections, full highlights or balayage, multi-step processes, or an appointment that ran hours long.
Sources: The Emily Post Institute · NerdWallet
In the U.S., 15%–20% of the service price is the standard tipping range for hair extensions, with 20% common given how much a full install typically costs.
Goes higher for: Full-head installs, colour-matched blends, long appointments, or corrective work on someone else's install.
Sources: The Emily Post Institute · NerdWallet
In the U.S., 15%–20% of the service price is the standard tipping range for a facial or skincare treatment, with 20% a common default.
Goes higher for: Extended or advanced treatments, extractions, or an esthetician who adjusted the plan for sensitive skin.
Sources: Spa Industry Association · NerdWallet
In the U.S., 15%–20% of the service price is the standard tipping range for lash services, with 20% common for a new full set.
Goes higher for: New full sets, volume or specialty techniques, long appointments, or repairs to a previous set.
Sources: The Emily Post Institute · NerdWallet
In the U.S., 15%–20% of the service price is the standard tipping range for waxing services, with 20% common for a larger-area or detailed session.
Goes higher for: Larger or multiple areas, sensitive skin handled carefully, or an appointment fitted in at short notice.
Sources: The Emily Post Institute · NerdWallet
In the U.S., 15%–20% of the service price is the standard tipping range for brow services, with 20% common for microblading or microshading.
Goes higher for: Microblading and microshading, correcting uneven or previous work, or a lengthy mapping and shaping session.
Sources: The Emily Post Institute · NerdWallet
For home services, tipping shifts between a percentage of a big bill and a flat amount per worker. Large crews are usually tipped per person, not per job.
Published U.S. mover guidance supports several methods: $4–$15 per mover per hour, $20–$50 or more per mover per working day, or 10%–20% of the move cost when using a percentage.
Goes higher for: Stairs, heavy items, long carries, and long-distance jobs can push people higher. No single method is universally better; use the one that makes the work clearest for you.
Sources: NerdWallet · Forbes Home
Tipping a dog groomer is optional in the U.S., but common. When people tip, 15%–20% of the grooming bill is the usual range.
Goes higher for: Difficult coats, anxious dogs, and mobile grooming that comes to you often push people toward the higher end.
Grooming tips are a common courtesy, not an obligation.
Sources: NerdWallet · Diane Gottsman
No tip is expected for a fully automated or self-service wash. Around $2 is a practical reference for light attendant help; around 20% is a reference for hand washing or detailing.
Goes higher for: Interior detailing, pet hair, and extra-dirty vehicles are common reasons to give more.
Sources: Southern Living
Tipping furniture and appliance delivery crews is optional. For a difficult delivery or installation, $10–$20 per worker is a practical reference when company policy permits tips.
Goes higher for: Stairs, assembly, haul-away of old items, and careful handling in bad weather are common reasons people tip.
A simple doorstep drop-off carries no tipping expectation.
Sources: NerdWallet
In the U.S., 10%–20% of the walk cost is a common tipping range for a dog walker, with 15% a useful reference point, or about $5 per walk for routine recurring service.
Goes higher for: Extreme weather, a last-minute or emergency walk, extra time with a difficult dog, or holiday coverage.
In the U.S., 10%–20% of the sitting fee is a common tipping range for a dog sitter, with the tip trending higher for longer or overnight stays.
Goes higher for: Extended stays, medication or medical needs, multiple pets, or a sitter who sent regular updates and left the place tidy.
In the U.S., tipping a babysitter isn't required, but 10%–20% of the session pay (or roughly an extra hour's pay) is a common gesture for a special occasion or late night.
Goes higher for: New Year's Eve and other holidays, a much later finish than agreed, extra children, or a short-notice booking.
Sources: Sittercity · KidSit
In the U.S., tipping camp counselors is optional and depends on the camp: many don't allow cash tips at all, and where they do, families commonly give about $20–$60 per counselor for the session, with a note or small gift as the alternative.
Goes higher for: A full summer rather than a two-week session, two counselors sharing the group, or a counselor who handled something hard — homesickness, an injury, a first time away.
Sources: The Emily Post Institute · American Camp Association, New York and New Jersey · Arrowhead Day Camp · Salon
In the U.S., gardener and landscaping crews are commonly tipped $5–$50 per crew member, depending on whether it's a routine visit, a one-time job, or a larger project.
Goes higher for: Large cleanups, hardscaping or installation projects, extreme heat, or a crew that worked around difficult access.
Sources: LawnStarter · Ridgewell Colorado
In the U.S., tipping trash and recycling collectors is optional and most common as an annual holiday gesture — commonly $10–$30 per crew member. Check first whether your collectors are private or municipal workers: some cities bar public sanitation workers from accepting tips at all.
Goes higher for: The same crew has served your route for years, they've been especially careful or friendly, or they kept up your pickups through a rough winter.
Sources: Bankrate · The Emily Post Institute · AARP
In the U.S., tipping a pool cleaner is optional — when people do, $20–$50 as a holiday or end-of-season thank-you is the common range, rather than a tip at every visit.
Goes higher for: A green-to-clean recovery, an equipment repair that saved a bigger bill, work through a heatwave, or a technician who fit you in before a party.
Sources: AARP · Etiquette School of America (Maralee McKee) · Pool Pro Answers
In the U.S., tipping a plumber, electrician, handyman or repair technician is optional and usually not expected — a standard job isn't tipped, a tip starting around $20 is reserved for exceptional or unusually difficult work, and a regular handyman's holiday thank-you is a separate $15–$40.
Goes higher for: An emergency or after-hours call, a filthy or dangerous job, extreme heat or cold, a technician who stayed late to finish, or one who saved you a bigger bill.
Sources: Money · Bob Vila · The Emily Post Institute
The ranges above describe common U.S. practice. When you want to see what a percentage or flat amount works out to in dollars for your nights, bags, cars or session price, a calculator does the math with nothing preselected.
Last reviewed: September 3, 2026
The benchmarks on this page come from U.S. etiquette authorities, hospitality-industry guidance, and established consumer and travel publications. Where credible sources disagree, the guide shows the range rather than a single number. Each calculator cites its own references on its page.
U.S. etiquette authority. Supports restaurant 15%–20%, buffet around 10%, bartenders $1–$2 per drink or 15%–20% of the tab, food delivery 10%–15%, housekeeping $2–$5 per day, salon and spa 15%–20%, taxi 15%–20%, and optional takeout and counter tipping.
Consumer finance publication; service-by-service U.S. tipping guidance built around a 15%–20% general range.
Covers daily housekeeping tipping practice and typical per-room amounts.
Provides current housekeeping context for standard and higher-service hotel stays.
Provides current U.S. guidance for valet and other service situations.
Current travel guidance for bellhops and other hotel staff.
Undated guide; supports tattoo and beauty-service percentage guidance.
Undated guide; supports the 15%–25% tattoo range and 20% reference point.
Supports a 15%–20% range when someone chooses to tip a groomer.
Provides etiquette context for grooming tips and extra-care situations.
Supports hourly and per-day approaches for mover tips.
Supports a 10%–20% percentage methodology and per-mover alternatives.
Supports the 15%–20% salon range and 20% reference point.
Distinguishes automated or self-service washing, light attendant help, and full hand washing or detailing.
Puts the caddie tip at a minimum of 20% of the base fee and, at private clubs, says to ask your host or the caddie master (May 2023).
About 30% of the fee for solid basic service and 40%–50% for a caddie who read putts and helped with club selection (July 2019).
Supports $5-$10 per person for short tours and $10-$20 per person for full-day tours.
Supports $10 per person as the most widely recommended single reference amount.
Attitudes to tipping in the U.S. in 2023: where tipping is expected, how easy it is to know what to tip, and views on suggested amounts.
2025 online survey (YouGov panel, 2,277 U.S. adults) on annoyance with pre-entered tip screens.
Brick Underground's annual New York guide puts garage attendants at $25–$75 for the holidays, within a broad $25–$100 range that depends on the building and the service (December 2025).
Lists garage attendants at $10–$30 or a small gift for the holidays, scaled to your budget and how often you use the service.
$2–$3 for a full-service attendant, only where there is a choice between self- and full-service (December 2018).
New Jersey's statute and regulations: only an attendant may dispense fuel at a retail gas station.
The state fire marshal's current rules: under HB 2426 stations may offer self-serve at up to half their pumps, and 20 rural counties are fully self-serve.
Oregon's HB 2426, signed in 2023, allowed self-service statewide and ended the other long-standing attendant requirement (July 2023).
Provides grooming-industry context for optional tips and extra effort.
Supports a 10%–15% dog walker tipping range as a percentage of the service cost.
Supports a $5 flat tip as common for a standard recurring walk, and 25%–30% for extreme weather or emergencies.
Supports a 15%–20% day-spa tipping range from an industry association.
Supports a 15%–20% range, with 20% called out as the generous default.
Cites the American Hotel & Lodging Association's $5–$10 per service guideline, more for difficult requests.
Supports 10%–15% as the standard detailer tip, with 20% for exceptional work (2021).
Supports $1–$2 per bag for airport and hotel shuttle drivers who help with luggage.
Supports $2–$5 for a short ride and $5–$10 for a longer one, more when bags pile up.
Supports an extra 10%–20% on top of the hourly rate for special occasions and holidays.
Supports 10%–20% of the total or roughly an extra hour's pay as a common range.
Advises checking with the camp because most counselors aren't permitted to accept tips, and suggests a small gift from your child instead.
Each camp sets its own policy; ask for the suggested range and who is included (counselors, bus staff, group leaders); longer sessions warrant more within the range.
A day camp's published guidance: tipping optional; about $2 a day for senior counselors and drivers, $1 a day for junior counselors, bus counselors and CITs.
Reports day-camp suggestions of roughly $40–$60 per counselor, $25 for bus or van drivers, $20–$40 for bus counselors and $20 for instructors.
Supports a $29–$65 end-of-season tip for recurring service and roughly $7 for a one-time job.
Supports $5–$10 per worker per visit, $20–$50 per crew member seasonally, and 5%–10% of the cost for larger projects.
Found about 21% of households that use trash or recycling collection planned to tip their crew this holiday season, typically $10–$30 per crew member with a 2025 median of $25 — more likely with a regular crew or especially helpful service.
Suggests $20 per collector, and notes that in some cities and counties trash and recycling workers are government employees who are prohibited from accepting tips.
$20–$30 each for pool service and similar weekly home help, or about one week's service cost when they come weekly.
A former pool professional: tipping isn't expected; about $20 for a one-off repair, $50 for a full day, and $100 or more as a yearly thank-you for regular service (2020).
Says not to tip plumbers, electricians, handymen or appliance repair people as a rule, only ever employees rather than owners, and suggests a holiday gift instead (updated February 2024).
Plumbers don't expect tips; for exceptional or especially difficult work, tips start around $20 for smaller tasks and about 10% for difficult repairs (October 2021).
Supports 15%–20% for bartenders and catering staff, and 15%–25% for hair and makeup artists.
Supports $20–$50 per bartender or 10%–20% of the alcohol bill, and 15–20% for catering staff.
Calls tip jars and take-out discretionary — loose change or a dollar or two — with up to 10% for a large or complex order.
Puts a normal food truck tip at an extra dollar or two, calls 10% generous, and notes that skipping the tip at a truck is far more accepted than skipping a server (November 2023).
Tips aren't necessary at fast-food counters and drive-thrus; round up, a couple of dollars, or 5%–15% for a large or complex order (December 2024).
Etiquette expert quoted: no obligation for counter service; $1–$2 for a custom drink or extra care (October 2025).
Supports a $1–$5 average tip for street performers, tipping more for a photo, and no upper limit.
Supports a splash of change when walking by, a couple of dollars if you stop and watch, and $5 when a band passes a tip jar (2015).
Tipping in the U.S. is generally discretionary. Customs vary by region and establishment, and service quality and local norms can affect amounts. Nothing on this page is a requirement — the final tip is always your decision.
