Tipping in the US has quietly shifted in the last decade. The old “15% is standard, 20% is generous” rule is gone — 20% is now the expected baseline at sit-down restaurants, and touchscreen prompts ask you to tip for a takeout coffee. Here is what customary tipping actually looks like in 2026, service by service.
Restaurants (sit-down)
The baseline is 20% of the pre-tax total. 15% signals dissatisfaction; 18% is the floor many servers consider acceptable for average service; 22-25% is for genuinely good service. Tip on the pre-tax subtotal — tipping on the total means you are tipping on sales tax, which serves no one.
For large parties (typically 6+ people), many restaurants add an automatic gratuity of 18-20%. This should be disclosed on the menu and itemized on the check. If it is added, you do not tip again — unless service was exceptional and you want to round up.
Restaurants (counter service and fast casual)
When you order at a counter and carry your own food, tipping has become expected but the amount is lower. 0-10% on the total is reasonable. Zero is not rude at a true fast-food counter. At Chipotle-style places where someone builds your order in front of you, a dollar or two or a 10% tip is typical.
The iPad prompts that suggest 18%, 22%, and 25% for a coffee you grabbed from a bakery counter are aggressive. You are not obligated. Many people tip flat $1-2 on small orders and nothing on pure retail purchases.
Food delivery
15-20% of the order subtotal, with a $5 minimum. Delivery is more physically demanding than table service (driving, weather, climbing stairs) and the driver is paying for gas. A $40 order at 18% is $7.20; that is about right. A $14 lunch at 20% is $2.80 — round up to $5. Never use the delivery fee as a reason not to tip. That fee generally goes to the restaurant or the app, not the driver.
Rideshare (Uber, Lyft)
15-20%, in-app, same logic as a taxi. A long quiet ride at 15% is fine; short city rides with help handling luggage warrant 20%. Cash tips are not expected and may complicate the driver’s accounting.
Taxis
15-20%, rounded up to a convenient dollar. $18.50 fare → $22. Drivers appreciate cash because credit card tips are processed with delays and sometimes fees.
Bartender
$1-2 per drink, or 20% of the tab, whichever is higher. For complicated craft cocktails, lean toward 20%. For a single beer at a dive bar, $1 is fine. If you start a tab and close it at the end, tip 20% on the total.
Hotel housekeeping
$3-5 per night, left in an envelope or clearly marked on the pillow each morning (not at the end of the stay — you may have different staff each day). Higher-end hotels and more demanding stays (family with young children, long stay with heavy housekeeping) push toward $5-10 per night. This is one of the most-skipped tips in America and one of the lowest-paid hotel roles.
Hotel valet
$3-5 when the car is returned to you. A simple pull-up does not need a tip on drop-off. If someone rushes to get your car in bad weather or you need special handling, $10 is appropriate.
Hotel bellhop / porter
$2-3 per bag, minimum $5. A cart with six bags rolled up three floors is worth $15.
Concierge
No tip for basic directions or a restaurant recommendation. $10-20 for securing a hard-to-get reservation, arranging transportation, or handling a special request. $50+ for something extraordinary like last-minute event tickets.
Hair salon / barber
15-20% of the service total. Tip each person separately if different people shampooed, colored, and cut (stylist gets the largest share). If the owner cuts your hair, tipping is optional in some regions, but most Americans still tip the owner 15-20%.
Nail salon / spa services
15-20%. Same logic as hair salon — tip the individual service provider. For a full spa package with multiple providers (facial, massage, mani-pedi), 18-20% is standard.
Massage therapist
15-20% at commercial spas. At a private or medical practice (physiotherapy, injury recovery), tipping is not expected — these are treated as medical services. When in doubt, ask the front desk.
Movers
$20-40 per mover for a half-day job, $40-60 for a full day, $60-100 for a heavy full day. Cash is strongly preferred. A provided lunch or cold drinks in addition is appreciated. Do not tip the company; tip each individual mover directly.
Furniture / appliance delivery
$5-10 per person for straightforward delivery; $10-20 per person if they carry items up multiple flights, assemble, or remove old furniture. If the product arrives damaged or they damage your home, you can tip less or nothing — but handle the damage claim through the retailer.
House cleaner
10-15% of the bill, or one week’s payment as a holiday bonus for regular weekly service. For a one-time deep clean through a service, the tip is optional but appreciated — $20-40.
Dog groomer, dog walker, pet sitter
15-20% per service. Holiday tip for regular providers equal to one session’s payment is customary.
Where you do NOT tip (in the US)
- Flight attendants — never (unless it is a charter)
- Government employees (TSA, DMV, postal workers) — prohibited
- Mechanics, plumbers, electricians — not expected; a cold drink on a hot day is nice
- Contractors and tradespeople on major projects — not expected; referrals and reviews mean more
- Doctors, dentists, lawyers, accountants — absolutely not
- Retail cashiers — no; the iPad prompt notwithstanding
Holiday tipping (December)
For recurring service providers, many Americans tip extra in December:
- Regular hairstylist: one service fee
- Housekeeper: one week’s pay
- Doorman: $25-150 depending on building and tenure
- Mail carrier: under $20 in non-cash gift (USPS rules limit cash)
- Newspaper carrier: $10-30
- Babysitter/nanny: one to two weeks’ pay plus a small gift
- Teachers: group gift to classroom, not cash (ethics rules)
Splitting the check
When splitting evenly, multiply the total (including tax) by 1.20, then divide by the number of people. When splitting by what each person ordered, tip is usually divided proportionally to each person’s share of the pre-tax subtotal. Most tip calculators handle both — ours lets you enter the bill, tip percentage, and number of people and returns everything in one step.
The most common questions
“Do I tip on tax?” No. Tip on the pre-tax subtotal. Some people tip on the total for simplicity, which is generous but not required.
“Do I tip if there is an automatic service charge?” If the check says “gratuity included” or “service charge 18%,” you are done. If it is a separate line called a “service fee” but does not mention gratuity, the money may not go to the server — check with the restaurant or tip on top.
“What about bad service?” Leave 10-15% and consider a quiet word with the manager. Leaving nothing is rarely the right answer — it might just be a bad night for the server, not their personality.
For any of the above, plug the numbers into our tip calculator to get the exact amount and per-person split without second-guessing the mental math at the table.