USA Tipping Guide

Tip 15–20% of the pre-tax bill for table service. 18% for good service, 20% for great.

Poor

10%

OK

15%

Good

18%

Great

20%

• 15–20% is the standard range; 18% is typical for good service and 20% for great service.
• 10% or less signals that something was wrong with the service.
• Tip on the pre-tax subtotal, not the post-tax total.
• Some tourist-heavy restaurants (parts of Miami Beach, NYC, and Las Vegas) auto-add 18–20% to every bill regardless of party size - scan the check before tipping on top.

$1–2 per drink, or 15–20% on a tab. Tip a bit more on the first round to get good service.

Poor

10%

OK

15%

Good

18%

Great

20%

• $1–2 per drink for pay-as-you-go, or 15–20% if running a tab.
• Tipping on the first round often improves service for the rest of the night.
• Free drinks ("buybacks") should still be tipped at least $1–2.

$2–5 per night, left daily. Housekeeping staff rotate shifts, so tip each day.

Poor

-

OK

2

Good

3

Great

5

• $2–5 per night - leave it daily rather than at the end of your stay.
• Place cash in an envelope or with a short note marked "housekeeping" so it is clearly a tip.
• Staff rotate, so a single end-of-stay tip may not reach the people who cleaned your room.

$1–2 per bag, minimum $3–5 total, when bags are delivered to your room.

Poor

-

OK

1

Good

2

Great

2

• $1–2 per bag, with a $3–5 minimum for a short trip.
• Tip when bags are delivered to your room, and again if stored/retrieved.
• Dismiss the bellhop politely if you prefer to carry your own bags - no tip needed.

$5–20 for services rendered (reservations, tickets), not just for a simple question.

Poor

-

OK

5

Good

10

Great

20

• Tip for services rendered - booking hard-to-get reservations, tickets, or special arrangements.
• No tip needed for a simple question or directions.
• $5 for a small favor, $10–20 for something that took real effort.

$2–5 each time your car is returned. Tip on retrieval, not drop-off.

Poor

-

OK

2

Good

3

Great

5

• $2–5 each time the car is brought back to you - not when you hand over the keys.
• Have cash ready so you are not fumbling when the car arrives.
• Some hotels add a valet parking fee; that fee does not go to the valet as a tip.

15–20% unless a service charge or gratuity is already on the bill.

Poor

10%

OK

15%

Good

18%

Great

20%

• 15–20% of the order, the same as a restaurant.
• Check the bill - many hotels add an 18% "service charge" or gratuity plus a delivery fee.
• If the service charge is already there and it goes to the server, an extra $1–2 is plenty.

10–15%, rounded up to the nearest dollar. Add $1–2 for help with bags.

Poor

10%

OK

12%

Good

15%

Great

18%

• 10–15% of the fare, rounding up to the nearest dollar.
• Add $1–2 per bag if the driver helps with luggage.
• No tip expected (but appreciated) for very short hops.

10–20%, tipped in the app after the ride. Not required, but standard for good service.

Poor

10%

OK

15%

Good

18%

Great

20%

• 10–20%, added through the app after the ride ends.
• Tipping is not required (drivers are paid a base fare) but is standard for good service.
• Consider more for help with bags, longer waits, or extra stops.

$1–2 per bag if the driver handles luggage, or $2–5 flat for a free shuttle.

Poor

-

OK

2

Good

3

Great

5

• $1–2 per bag if the driver loads and unloads your luggage.
• $2–5 flat for a free airport or hotel shuttle where bags are self-handled.
• No tip needed for a public-transit-style shuttle with no luggage help.

$2–5 each time an attendant retrieves your car. No tip for self-park.

Poor

-

OK

2

Good

3

Great

5

• $2–5 each time an attendant brings your car out - tip on retrieval, not drop-off.
• $1–2 is a courteous minimum; $5 is generous for fast, careful service.
• No tip needed for self-park garages where you keep your keys.
• For monthly parking, a year-end holiday tip of $50–100 per regular attendant is customary.

15–20% or at least $3-$5, whichever is more. Tip more in bad weather or for large orders.

Poor

10%

OK

15%

Good

18%

Great

20%

• 15–20% of the order, with a $3-$5 minimum for small orders.
• Bump it up in bad weather, for heavy/large orders, or long distances.
• Check the app - some add a "delivery fee" that does not go to the driver.

10–20% of the grocery subtotal, with a $5 minimum. More for heavy or large orders.

Poor

10%

OK

15%

Good

18%

Great

20%

• 10–20% of the grocery subtotal, with a $5 minimum even for small orders.
• Bump it up for heavy loads, stairs, many bags, or long distances.
• Some apps (e.g. Instacart in NYC) now default the tip to 0% - add it manually.

$10–20 per person for standard delivery; $20–40+ for stairs, assembly, or white-glove service.

Poor

-

OK

10

Good

20

Great

40

• $10–20 per delivery person for a standard in-home drop.
• $20–40+ per person for stairs, heavy items, assembly, or haul-away.
• Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory - about half of customers tip. Have cash ready.

$20–50 per mover for a half-day move; $50–100 per mover for a full day. Tip each mover individually in cash.

Poor

-

OK

20

Good

40

Great

80

• $20–30 per mover for a half-day (≈4 hr) local move.
• $40–60 per mover for a full-day (8+ hr) move; up to $80–100 for an all-day or difficult move.
• Tip each mover individually in cash - do not hand one lump sum to the foreman.
• For long-distance moves, 10–20% of the total bill split across the crew is also common, and you may tip the pickup and delivery crews separately.

10–20% of the tour price. Half-day tours toward the low end, full-day toward the high.

Poor

10%

OK

15%

Good

18%

Great

20%

• 10–20% of the tour cost.
• Half-day tours: ~15%. Full-day or private tours: ~18–20%.
• For free tours (tip-based), $10–20 per person is typical for a good guide.

15–20% of the charter cost, split between captain and crew. Don’t penalize them for the fish not biting.

Poor

15%

OK

15%

Good

18%

Great

20%

• 15–20% of the total charter cost is the standard.
• On a crewed charter, the deckhand/first mate does most of the hands-on work (baiting, netting, filleting) and relies on tips as a big part of their income - make sure they get a substantial share, often the bulk.
• If the captain owns the boat and works alone, the full tip goes to them.
• Do not reduce the tip for not catching fish unless the crew was clearly at fault - weather and luck are out of their control.

15–20% for hair, nails, spa, and massage. Tip the individual provider directly.

Poor

10%

OK

15%

Good

18%

Great

20%

• 15–20% for haircuts, color, nails, massages, and spa services.
• Tip the individual provider directly (in cash if possible) rather than at the front desk.
• Spas sometimes add an automatic 18–20% gratuity - check before adding more.

15–25% for tattoos (20% is standard). $5–20 flat for piercings.

Poor

15%

OK

18%

Good

20%

Great

25%

• 15–25% for tattoos; 20% is the standard, similar to restaurant tipping.
• For piercings, a flat $5–20 is typical rather than a percentage.
• Tips help offset the commission the shop takes from the artist.
• For very expensive, multi-session pieces, some clients negotiate a slightly lower percentage - but 20% remains the social norm.

15–20% of the grooming cost (up to 25% for difficult or large breeds). A flat $10–20 is also common.

Poor

10%

OK

15%

Good

18%

Great

20%

• 15–20% of the grooming total; up to 25% for outstanding work or difficult-to-groom pets.
• A flat $10–20 is a perfectly acceptable alternative to calculating a percentage.
• Cash is preferred, though many salons now offer digital tipping.
• A holiday bonus equal to one grooming session is a nice gesture for a regular groomer.

$5–10 flat for a basic wash; 10–20% for detailing (15% is standard).

Poor

10%

OK

12%

Good

15%

Great

20%

• Basic full-service wash: a flat $5–10 is typical (not a percentage).
• Automatic wash with a hand-dry attendant: $2–5 flat. The low end is fine for a quick towel-dry; bump toward $5 if they also vacuumed, cleaned the windows, or spent extra time on a very dirty vehicle.
• Auto detailing: 10–20% of the service cost; 15% is the standard for good work.
• Bump it up for large vehicles, SUVs/trucks, or extra services like clay bar or ceramic coating.

Optional - $1 or round up, or leave more for a complicated custom drink.

Poor

-

OK

1

Good

1

Great

2

• Tipping at coffee shops and bakeries is optional, not expected.
• $1 or rounding up is common for a simple order.
• Consider $1–2 for a complex custom drink or large order.

$1 per coat, or $2 for premium venues. No extra tip if there is already a coat-check fee.

Poor

-

OK

1

Good

1

Great

2

• $1 per coat is the standard.
• $2 per coat at upscale venues, theaters, or events is generous.
• If the coat check charges a fee, an additional tip is not necessary.

$1–2 for basic service (a towel, gum, cologne). Optional, but polite in upscale venues.

Poor

-

OK

1

Good

1

Great

2

• $1 for basic service (handing you a towel).
• $2 in upscale venues, casinos, clubs, or stadiums - or if you use several amenities.
• Tipping is optional; a polite nod is acceptable if you do not use any of the offered items.

$1–5 per winning hand at table games; $1 per pot won in poker. Tip 5–10% of large slot jackpots.

Poor

-

OK

1

Good

2

Great

5

• Table games (blackjack, etc.): $1–5 per winning hand, often placed as a side bet for the dealer.
• Poker cash games: $1 per pot won is the standard; $2–3 for large pots.
• Poker tournaments: 1–3% of winnings, or $5–10 for a small-stakes min-cash.
• Slot attendants for hand-pays: 5–10% of the jackpot, or a few dollars for smaller wins.

$50–100 per bag for a forecaddie; $100–200 per bag for a walking caddie. Higher at premium courses.

Poor

-

OK

50

Good

100

Great

150

• Forecaddie (one caddie for the group): $50–100 per bag.
• Walking caddie (carrying your bag): $100–200 per bag; $100 is the floor at most courses.
• Double caddie (one caddie, two bags): $75+ per bag.
• A rough rule: ~20% of the caddie fee, or 40–50% of the green fee.