🧮 Calculators · Updated October 8, 2026 · 7 min read

What Is the Standard Tip in the US? Rates by Service

The standard tip in the US for full sit-down restaurant service is about 18 to 20 percent of the pre-tax bill, with 15 percent seen as the low end and more for exceptional service. Other services follow their own customs: roughly $1 to $2 per drink at a bar, 15 to 20 percent for haircuts and delivery, a few dollars a night for hotel housekeeping, and often nothing at all at a fast-food register. This guide lays out those norms service by service, explains why tipping carries so much weight in the US, and covers the newer questions people ask, such as whether to tip on a counter tablet or when a service charge replaces the tip. These are common guidelines rather than rules, and local customs vary.

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Custom 22 percent tip on a $65 salon bill: $14.30 tip, $79.30 total — The whole calculation on one screen.

💡 Why tips matter so much in the US

Under federal law, employers may pay tipped workers a cash wage as low as $2.13 an hour, as long as tips bring them up to at least the $7.25 federal minimum; if tips fall short, the employer must make up the difference. Many states set a higher tipped wage, and several, including California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Minnesota, Montana and Alaska, require the full state minimum wage before tips. Even so, in much of the country tips are a large share of a server's or bartender's income, which is why skipping the tip is seen as unfair to the worker rather than a message to the business. Visitors from countries where service is built into prices are often surprised by this, so it helps to budget tips as part of the real cost of eating out.

Standard tip rates at restaurants and bars

These are the ranges most US etiquette guides give. Use the pre-tax amount as the base unless you prefer the total.

Full-service restaurant: 18 to 20 percent for good service, 15 percent if it fell short, 25 percent or more for exceptional care.
Bartender: about $1 to $2 per beer or simple drink, a little more for crafted cocktails, or 18 to 20 percent of a tab.
Buffet: around 10 percent, since staff clear plates and refill drinks but do not take a full order.
Sommelier: a tip is sometimes given separately, often a portion of the wine cost, though many diners simply include wine in the overall tip.

Tip a little more when a server handles a large or complicated order, a special occasion, or a party with small children, and remember that 20 percent of a $30 lunch is still only $6.

Delivery, rides and travel services

Outside restaurants, customs lean toward either a percentage or a small flat amount.

Food delivery: 15 to 20 percent, with a few dollars as a minimum for small orders, long distances or bad weather. A delivery fee usually does not go to the driver.
Taxi or rideshare: about 15 to 20 percent of the fare, more if the driver helps with heavy bags.
Hotel housekeeping: commonly $2 to $5 per night, left daily with a note, since staff can change during your stay.
Bellhop or porter: about $1 to $2 per bag. Valet: $2 to $5 when your car is returned. Airport skycap: similar per-bag amounts.

For app-based services, check whether the app shows the tip before or after delivery. You can usually adjust it later, which lets you reward a driver who handled a tricky address or a long walk-up.

Personal care, home services and holidays

For appointments and home visits, the standard tip depends on whether the person owns the business and how often you see them.

Hair stylist, barber, nail technician or massage therapist: 15 to 20 percent of the service price.
Movers: often $20 to $50 per person for a local move, more for long days or many stairs.
Food or grocery delivery in a snowstorm or heat wave: a few extra dollars above the usual amount is a kind gesture.
Year-end tips for regulars, such as a building doorman or a house cleaner, are often a week's pay or a set cash gift. Mail carriers are a special case: federal rules limit them to small non-cash gifts.

When in doubt about any service, asking the business what is customary is perfectly polite, and many salons and moving companies will tell you directly.

Counter screens, service charges and when a tip is optional

Tip prompts now appear on tablets at coffee shops, bakeries and self-serve kiosks. They are optional, and there is no single standard.

Counter service or takeout: tipping is optional. Many people round up or leave $1 to $2 for complex orders; choosing No Tip is acceptable.
Automatic gratuity: often 18 to 20 percent for parties of six or more. When it appears, an extra tip is optional.
Service charge vs gratuity: some restaurants add a service or wellness fee that may not go to the server. If unsure, ask how it is distributed.
Fast food at a register, professional fees and government services carry no tipping expectation.

If a screen appears when you pay for something that involved no service, such as a bottled drink from a fridge, tapping No Tip is normal. Save your tip for people who prepared, carried or delivered something for you.

Using a coupon before you tip? This guide to stacked discounts explains why the order matters, and the percentage formula covers the arithmetic.

Step-by-step

1Identify the type of service and recall its usual range or flat amount.

Tip calculator with a $65.00 salon service bill for one person — Enter the bill and how many people are paying.

2Read the bottom of the receipt for any gratuity or service charge already included.

Custom tip of 22 percent typed into the Custom % box instead of a preset — Tap a tip rate or type your own percentage.

3Pick a rate within the range that reflects the quality of service, adjusting up for extra effort.

Result cards for a 22% tip on $65: $14.30 tip and a $79.30 total — Tip, total and each person's share update instantly.

4Enter the pre-tax amount in the Tip Calculator, tap the matching preset or a custom percentage, and split the total if needed.

Common mistakes to avoid

⚠️Assuming a delivery fee or service fee is a tip for the worker, when it often goes to the platform or restaurant.

⚠️Leaving housekeeping one tip on the last morning, when different staff may have cleaned the room on other days.

⚠️Tipping full restaurant rates on every counter tablet out of social pressure, then feeling resentful about it.

⚠️Skipping the tip to protest low wages, which penalizes the worker rather than the employer.

Pro tips

✓Treat 20 percent as your restaurant default and adjust down or up from there based on service.

✓Carry a few $1 and $5 bills when traveling for bellhops, valets and housekeeping.

✓At a counter screen, it is fine to tap Custom or No Tip; tip where someone made or carried something for you.

✓Ask whether a service charge goes to staff before deciding whether to add a separate tip.

✓When traveling abroad, look up local norms; many countries include service in prices and expect much less.

Frequently asked questions

What is the standard restaurant tip in the US?

For full sit-down service, about 18 to 20 percent of the pre-tax bill is the common guideline. Fifteen percent is the low end for service that fell short, and 25 percent or more is generous for exceptional service.

Do I have to tip at a coffee shop counter?

No. Tips on counter tablets are optional. Many people leave $1 or round up for a handmade drink or a large order, and choosing no tip for a simple purchase is acceptable.

How much do you tip hotel housekeeping?

A common guideline is $2 to $5 per night, left each day rather than at the end, since different staff may clean your room during your stay.

Why is tipping expected in the US?

Federal law lets employers pay tipped workers a cash wage as low as $2.13 an hour, with tips counted toward the minimum wage. Tips therefore make up much of many service workers' income, although several states require the full minimum wage before tips.

Does the GrabCast Tip Calculator know local tipping rules?

No. It turns any percentage into exact dollars and splits the total evenly, with presets from 10 to 25 percent and a custom box. You choose the rate; the calculator does the math in your browser.

📌 Bottom line

The standard tip in the US for sit-down dining is 18 to 20 percent of the pre-tax bill, with per-drink tips at bars, 15 to 20 percent for delivery, rides and salons, and small flat amounts for hotel and valet staff. Counter-screen tips are optional, automatic gratuity replaces the tip, and service fees may not reach the worker. Pick the rate, then let the Tip Calculator turn it into exact dollars.

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