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How Much to Tip in Every Situation
The standard restaurant tip in the U.S. is 15% to 20% of the pre-tax bill. But restaurants are just one situation where tipping is expected. Here is what to tip in every common scenario, plus how to calculate it in your head.
Standard tipping percentages by situation
| Situation | Typical tip |
|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant | 15%–20% of pre-tax bill |
| Buffet | 10% |
| Food delivery | 15%–20%, minimum $3–5 |
| Coffee shop (counter service) | $1–2 per drink |
| Hair salon / barber | 15%–20% |
| Hotel housekeeping | $2–5 per night |
| Hotel bellhop | $1–2 per bag |
| Rideshare (Uber, Lyft) | 15%–20% |
| Taxi | 15%–20% |
| Valet parking | $2–5 when car is returned |
| Movers | $20–50 per mover, or 5%–10% of the total bill |
| Grocery delivery | 10%–15%, minimum $5 |
For sit-down restaurants, 20% is now common in most U.S. cities. 15% signals adequate service. Below 15% signals a problem.
How to calculate a tip in your head
The mental math approach starts with finding 10%, which is just moving the decimal one place to the left. 10% of $67.50 is $6.75. From there, double it for 20% ($13.50), or add half to get 15% ($6.75 + $3.38 = $10.13). For 18%, start with 20% and subtract a small amount, which gives roughly $12.15. This is the same percentage shortcut that works for any percentage calculation. The tip calculator does this instantly if you prefer.
Worked example: $67.50 restaurant bill
Your pre-tax bill is $67.50.
| Tip percentage | Tip amount | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 15% | $10.13 | $77.63 |
| 18% | $12.15 | $79.65 |
| 20% | $13.50 | $81.00 |
Most people round up to a clean number, so a $13.50 tip becomes $14 for a total of $81.50. If you are splitting the bill with others, the split bill calculator divides the total evenly.
Second example: $124 dinner for two
On a $124 pre-tax tab, 10% is $12.40. Double that for 20%: $24.80. For 15%, add half of 10% to itself: $12.40 + $6.20 = $18.60. Most people would round the 20% tip to $25 for a total of $149, which is a clean number to write on a receipt. At higher bill amounts, rounding to the nearest dollar matters less as a percentage of the total, so it is fine to round in whichever direction feels right.
Pre-tax vs. post-tax: which amount do you tip on?
The standard practice is to tip on the pre-tax subtotal. Sales tax goes to the government, not the restaurant, so tipping on the post-tax total means you are tipping on the tax itself. That said, the difference is usually small. On a $67.50 bill with 8% sales tax, the post-tax total is $72.90. A 20% tip on pre-tax is $13.50, while 20% on post-tax is $14.58. The $1.08 difference is minor, and some people tip on the post-tax amount for simplicity.
The gap becomes more noticeable in cities with high combined tax rates. In Chicago, where food tax can reach about 11%, a $200 pre-tax dinner becomes $222 after tax. Tipping 20% on the pre-tax amount is $40, while 20% on the post-tax amount is $44.40. That is $4.40 more. Neither approach is wrong, but knowing which number you are tipping on helps you stay consistent.
When to tip more
Tip above 20% for large party service (some restaurants add an automatic 18% gratuity for groups of 6 or more), complex orders, special accommodations, or when weather makes delivery difficult. For delivery in rain or snow, consider $5 minimum regardless of order size. Delivery drivers use their own gas and vehicle in most cases.
Holiday tipping is another situation where going above the standard rate is common. For services you use regularly, such as a house cleaner, barber, or mail carrier, many people give the equivalent of one session’s payment or a flat gift around the end of the year. A barber you pay $30 per visit might receive an extra $30 in December.
Tipping on takeout and counter service
Takeout tipping has changed since 2020. Many restaurants now present a tip screen for pickup orders. While tipping on takeout is not required, 10% is a reasonable amount if the order involved substantial preparation, large quantities, or special requests. For a standard pickup of one or two items, no tip or a dollar or two in a jar is typical.
Counter-service coffee shops and fast-casual restaurants often prompt for 15%, 18%, or 20% on a card reader. These prompts can feel like pressure, but the social norm for counter service has not shifted to restaurant-level tipping. A dollar per drink or a flat $1 to $2 per order is common.
When tipping is not expected
Tipping is generally not expected at fast-food counters, retail stores, or medical offices. Some newer point-of-sale systems prompt for tips at places where tipping was never traditional. You are not obligated to tip in those situations.
Business owners who provide a service directly (a plumber who owns the plumbing company, for example) traditionally do not receive tips. The logic is that they set their own prices and keep the full amount, unlike employees who receive a portion of the revenue. This convention is fading in some industries, but it remains the general norm.