When (And how) Should You Tip in the United States?
Tipping is customary in the United States in a variety of service industries, including:
- Restaurants: The standard tip for table service in a restaurant is 15-20% of the bill, before tax.
- Bars: Bartenders typically receive a tip of 10-15% of the bill.
- Hair salons and spas: The standard tip for hair stylists and estheticians is 15-20% of the service fee.
- Cabs and Uber/Lyft: The standard tip for cab drivers is 15% of the fare. For Uber and Lyft drivers, the standard tip is $2-3 per ride.
- Hotel staff: You can tip bellhops $1-2 per bag, housekeepers $1-2 per day, and concierges $5-10 for providing assistance.
Here are some tips for tipping in the United States:
- Tip in cash. This is the most appreciated way to tip, as it ensures that the server or other service worker actually receives the tip.
- Tip based on the total bill, before tax. This is the standard practice in the United States.
- Tip based on the quality of service. If you receive exceptional service, you can tip more than the standard amount.
- Don’t tip if you’re not satisfied with the service. If your server is rude or inattentive, you don’t have to tip them.
Here are some additional tips for tipping in the United States:
- If a service charge is automatically added to your bill, you do not need to tip on top of it.
- If you are unsure how much to tip, you can always ask your server.
- Tipping is not expected in all service industries. For example, you do not typically tip grocery store clerks or gas station attendants.
Tipping is a way to show appreciation for good service in the United States. By following these tips, you can make sure that you’re tipping appropriately and that your servers and other service workers are compensated fairly.
Bullet points:
- Tipping is customary in the United States in a variety of service industries.
- The standard tip for table service in a restaurant is 15-20% of the bill, before tax.
- Bartenders typically receive a tip of 10-15% of the bill.
- Hair stylists and estheticians typically receive a tip of 15-20% of the service fee.
- Cab drivers typically receive a tip of 15% of the fare.
- Uber and Lyft drivers typically receive a tip of $2-3 per ride.
- Hotel staff can be tipped as follows: bellhops $1-2 per bag, housekeepers $1-2 per day, and concierges $5-10 for providing assistance.
- You should tip in cash.
- You should tip based on the total bill, before tax.
- You should tip based on the quality of service.
- You do not have to tip if you are not satisfied with the service.
- A service charge automatically added to your bill means you do not need to tip on top of it.
- Tipping is not expected in all service industries.
There are a few reasons why people tip more in the United States than in other countries.
- The tipping culture in the United States is different than in other countries. In the United States, tipping is expected in many service industries, such as restaurants, bars, and taxis. In other countries, tipping is not as common, or it is not expected as much.
- The minimum wage for tipped employees in the United States is lower than the minimum wage for non-tipped employees. This means that tipped employees in the United States rely on tips to make up the difference between their hourly wage and the minimum wage.
- Tipping is seen as a way to show appreciation for good service in the United States. In other countries, tipping is not seen as a way to show appreciation, and it is not as common.
As a result of these factors, people in the United States tend to tip more than people in other countries. The standard tip for table service in a restaurant in the United States is 15-20% of the bill, before tax. In other countries, the standard tip is often lower, such as 10% or 12%.
It is important to note that tipping is not mandatory in the United States. However, it is considered to be good etiquette to tip, and it is a way to show appreciation for good service. If you are not satisfied with the service, you do not have to tip.