Never Overthink
a Tip Again.
Everything you need to know about tipping — how much, when, and where. From US restaurants to tipping customs around the world.
Featured
All articles →Holiday Tipping Guide
Who to tip, how much, and the federal rule that means your mail carrier cannot accept cash from you at all.
New rulesNo Tax on Tips: What the Rules Actually Say
A $25,000 deduction, not an exemption — and payroll tax is untouched.
ExplainerService Charge vs Tip
An automatic gratuity you cannot decline usually is not a tip, and that now costs money.
Tipping Guides
How much should you tip? We break it down by service.
Restaurants
15–20% for sit-down dining
Read guide
Valet Parking
$2–5 when your car is returned
Read guide
Hotels
$2–5 per night for housekeeping
Read guide
Delivery & Takeout
15–20% for delivery drivers
Read guide
Taxi & Rideshare
15–20% for drivers
Read guide
Hair & Beauty
15–20% for stylists & barbers
Read guide
Movers
$20–50 per mover for a full day
Read guide
Bars & Cafés
$1–2 per drink or 15–20%
Read guideTipping Around US Cities
The percentage is the same nearly everywhere — 18–20% at a sit-down restaurant. What changes by city is everything else. One thing worth knowing in each:
New York / New Jersey
Double the 8.875% tax on the bill for a quick 18% tip
Los Angeles
A 3–4% “health surcharge” on the bill is not a tip
San Francisco / Bay Area
No tip credit here — servers earn the full $16.90/hr before tips
Chicago
Downtown restaurant tax is steep — tip on the pre-tax subtotal
Washington, DC
A service charge on the bill is not a tip — read it before adding 20%
Las Vegas
Dealers, cocktail servers, bellhops — carry $1s and $5s, always
Miami
Auto-gratuity is usually already on the bill — don’t tip twice
Boston
Tipped staff earn $6.75/hr in cash here — triple the federal floor
Seattle
Card tipping is normal everywhere; market stalls don’t expect one
Philadelphia
Cheesesteak counters don’t expect a tip — BYOB dinners still do
New Orleans
Street musicians are working — $1–5 if you stopped to listen
Atlanta
Georgia keeps the $2.13/hr tipped wage — tips are the paycheck
Dallas
A valet town — upscale spots are often valet-only. $3–5 at pick-up
Houston
The world’s largest medical centre — hospital valet has its own rules
Kansas City
The legendary BBQ joints are counter service — no tip expected
Where a card mentions an hourly wage, that is the cash wage an employer may pay a tipped worker before tips, set at state level — from the US Department of Labor. See all 51 jurisdictions.
Tipping Around the World
Tipping customs vary wildly. Know before you go.
Common Questions
Is 20% a good tip?
Do I tip on the subtotal or the total?
Should I tip for takeout?
What if the service was bad?
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