Tipping etiquette
US tipping in one page: the usual rates, when nothing is owed, and the few rules that keep you from overpaying or stiffing someone by accident.
Last checked September 2026
For most tipped service, 15 to 20% is the band and 20% is the safe default. Flat jobs like a valet or a bellhop have their own small amounts. When a service charge is already on the bill, or the business does not allow tips, the honest answer is $0.
The usual rates
- Sit-down restaurant, bar tab, delivery, rideshare, hairdresser, massage: 15 to 20% of the bill.
- Valet, bellhop, housekeeping: a few flat dollars per car, bag, or night.
- Roadside, car wash, tow: cash by the difficulty, not a percentage.
- Owners who set their own price, like many photographers: a tip is optional, not expected.
Every job has its own page with a calculator. Browse all services to get the exact number.
When $0 is the honest answer
A tip is not always owed, and we would rather say so than nudge you to pay anyway.
- An auto-gratuity or service charge is already on the bill.
- The business posts that it does not accept tips.
- You already tipped in the app, so cash on top would be double.
- It is curbside pickup or a touchless machine with no one to tip.
Cash or card
Either is fine where the business pays tips out fairly. Cash reaches the worker fastest and is the safe choice for anyone who might not see a card tip, like a hotel housekeeper or a nail tech. Keep a few small bills for exactly that.
Do not tip twice
The most common mistake is stacking a cash tip on top of an automatic gratuity, or adding cash after tipping in an app. Read the bill first. If the words tip and gratuity are confusing you, see tip vs gratuity.
More on the numbers
- Tip percentage chart, and the mental math.
- Tip before or after tax.
- Tipping in the UK and how it differs from the US.
- How we set our numbers.
These are US customary habits and guidance, not obligations. Local norms and posted policies take precedence.