--- title: "3. Services Americans do and don’t tip for – and how much" description: "The largest share of Americans (49%) say the decision about whether to tip or not depends on the situation. To explore this sentiment further, we asked Americans whether they’d leave a tip in seven specific scenarios that are common in daily life. Americans report tipping at sit-down restaurants more regularly than in any other scenario […]" date: "2023-11-09" authors: - name: "Drew DeSilver" job_title: "Senior Writer/Editor" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/drew-desilver/" - name: "Jordan Lippert" job_title: "Research Analyst" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/jordan-lippert/" url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/2023/11/09/services-americans-do-and-dont-tip-for-and-how-much/" categories: - "Business & Workplace" - "Gig & Sharing Economies" - "Income & Wages" - "Lifestyle" - "Personal Finances" --- # 3. Services Americans do and don’t tip for – and how much The [largest share of Americans (49%)](https://www.pewresearch.org/2023/11/09/how-americans-feel-about-the-basics-of-tipping/#is-tipping-more-a-choice-or-an-obligation) say the decision about whether to tip or not depends on the situation. To explore this sentiment further, we asked Americans whether they’d leave a tip in seven specific scenarios that are common in daily life. [![](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/04/SR_23.11.09_tipping-culture_03_01.png?w=840)](https://www.pewresearch.org/2023/11/09/services-americans-do-and-dont-tip-for-and-how-much/sr_23-11-09_tipping-culture_03_01/) Americans report tipping at sit-down restaurants more regularly than in any other scenario we asked about. Some 92% of U.S. adults who dine at sit-down restaurants – that is, one where a server takes their order – say they always or often tip in this situation. That includes 81% who say they *always* tip in this situation. Roughly eight-in-ten Americans who get haircuts (78%) say they always or often tip when doing so. A similar share of Americans who have food delivered (76%) report always or often tipping in this situation. ***Related: ****[Do You Tip More or Less Than the Average American?](https://www.pewresearch.org/2023/11/28/do-you-tip-more-or-less-often-than-the-average-american/)* Seven-in-ten U.S. adults who buy drinks at bars say they always or often leave a tip when doing so. And about six-in-ten adults who use taxi or rideshare services (61%) always or often leave a tip. Tipping is much less common in two other scenarios we asked about. Only a quarter of Americans who buy coffee or other beverages at a coffee shop say they always or often tip in this situation. And just 12% of those who dine at fast casual restaurants – that is, restaurants where there are no servers – always or often leave a tip. The public’s tipping habits, among those who use each service, vary somewhat by demographic group: - **In most scenarios, upper-income Americans are more likely than those with middle or lower incomes to tip always or often.** An exception: Respondents with lower incomes are most likely to report tipping at fast casual restaurants. Even so, only 16% say they always or often do this. - **Americans with at least a bachelor’s degree are more likely to say they always or often tip in nearly all scenarios asked about. **But similar shares of those with and without college degrees say they usually tip at coffee shops and fast casual restaurants. **Tipping rates over time** What constitutes an acceptable tip has risen over time, much like the prices of goods and services generally. According to the [first (1922) edition of Emily Post’s etiquette book](https://www.gutenberg.org/files/14314/14314-h/14314-h.htm), the rule was 10% for a meal in a “first class hotel,” with a 25-cent minimum. “Tipping is undoubtedly a bad system, but it happens to be in force,” Post wrote, “and that being the case, travelers have to pay their share of it – if they like the way made smooth and comfortable.” By the latter part of the 20th century, a typical restaurant tip in the U.S. was 15%, according to a [historical sketch by economist Ofer Azar](https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/26913191.pdf). The 1997 edition of Post’s book, cited by Azar, stated, “It wasn’t long ago that 15 percent of the bill, excluding tax, was considered a generous tip in elegant restaurants. Now the figure is moving toward 20 percent for excellent service. In ordinary family-style restaurants 15 percent is still the norm.” We consulted more than three dozen tipping guides – from food and travel publications to etiquette experts, personal-finance sites and other sources – to get a sense of the current guidance. While specific recommendations vary, [15% is widely deemed the minimum acceptable tip](https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/14/how-much-you-should-be-tipping-restaurant-workers.html) for restaurant service, and 18% to 20% or beyond is frequently advised. One guide, for example, says a tip of [15% to 20% is the norm in sit-down restaurants](https://www.bankrate.com/personal-finance/how-much-to-tip/), but isn’t required at fast-food eateries. Another says [the “standard expectation” is 20%](https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/tipping-etiquette-101) at sit-down restaurants and that “10% is now the norm” for quick-service restaurants. A guide on tipping in the U.S. from the [Australian airline Qantas](https://www.qantas.com/travelinsider/en/travel-tips/gratuities-and-tipping-in-america.html) advises 20% to 25% in restaurants and 10% for quick-service, except fast-food chains. The airline adds: “In Australia, where workers are paid a fair minimum wage, a tip is just that – a bonus for great service. Paying extra on top of the bill at a restaurant may seem unnecessary to us but … [t]aking a seat at a restaurant in the US means you’re entering a social contract with your waiter – you can’t apply Australian standards here.” ### How much do people tip for a sit-down meal? [![Bar chart showing that a 57% majority of U.S. adults say they would tip 15% or less for an average meal at a sit-down restaurant.](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/11/SR_23.11.09_tipping-culture_03_02.png?w=640)](https://www.pewresearch.org/2023/11/09/services-americans-do-and-dont-tip-for-and-how-much/sr_23-11-09_tipping-culture_03_02-png/) Since a large majority of Americans say they usually tip when eating at a sit-down restaurant, we also wanted to know *how much* of a tip they’d leave. So, we gave our respondents a hypothetical scenario in which they went to a restaurant and had average – but not exceptional – food and service. In this situation, a majority of Americans (57%) say they would tip 15% or less, including 2% who wouldn’t leave a tip at all. Another 12% of adults say they would leave a tip of 18%, while a quarter say they would tip 20% or more. Tip amounts vary by income, age and other factors: - **Americans with upper incomes tend to tip more.** Upper-income adults are more likely than middle- and lower-income adults to tip 18% or 20% for an average dining experience at a sit-down restaurant. Conversely, those with middle or lower incomes are more likely than upper-income adults to tip 15% or less in this situation. - **Older Americans are slightly more likely than younger adults to tip 15% or less.** Among those 65 and older, 61% would leave a tip of 15% or less. That compares with 54% of adults under 30. --- **Next:** [4. Factors affecting whether and how much Americans tip](https://www.pewresearch.org/2023/11/09/factors-affecting-whether-and-how-much-americans-tip.md)