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WhatTheTip

Tipping in United States

Tipping expectedUSD ($)Tips: card or cash

Here's the tip.

Tipping is expected and forms part of the wage.

The US is the one place where tipping is genuinely not optional. Under federal law an employer may pay a tipped worker a cash wage as low as $2.13 an hour and count tips toward the $7.25 minimum, though seven states, including California, Washington, Oregon and Nevada, require the full state minimum to be paid before any tips. Either way, not tipping for table service is read as a complaint rather than a saving.

At a glance

Card tipping. Card tipping is universal, receipts have a tip line and terminals prompt with preset percentages. Cash is still welcomed but never required.

  • Sales tax is added at the register and is not a service charge. Tip on the pre-tax total if you want to be precise; most people just use the final figure.
  • Large groups (usually six or more) often have an automatic 18–20% gratuity added. Check before adding more.
  • Some restaurants now use a 'service fee' or 'kitchen appreciation' line. Ask whether it replaces the tip.
  • Wage rules vary by state. In California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Alaska, Minnesota and Montana, tipped staff receive the full state minimum wage before tips, but tipping is still expected at the same rates.

Tip calculator

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20%
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UNITED STATES

The tipping cheat sheet

  • Restaurants18–20%
  • Cafés$1, or 10–15%
  • Bars$1–2 per drink, or 20% on a tab
  • Taxis15–20%
  • Hotel porters$2–3 per bag
  • Housekeeping$3–5 per night

WhatTheTipwhatthetip.com/united-states

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Common questions

Do you tip in United States?
Tipping is expected and forms part of the wage. The US is the one place where tipping is genuinely not optional. Under federal law an employer may pay a tipped worker a cash wage as low as $2.13 an hour and count tips toward the $7.25 minimum, though seven states, including California, Washington, Oregon and Nevada, require the full state minimum to be paid before any tips. Either way, not tipping for table service is read as a complaint rather than a saving.
How much do you tip at a restaurant in United States?
18–20%. 18–20% for table service. 15% signals a problem. Twenty percent is the working default in cities and 18% is the floor for acceptable service. Anything under 15% reads as deliberate criticism. Counter service, takeaway and coffee shops are far looser. The tablet tip prompt is optional and 10% or a dollar is fine.
Can you tip by card in United States?
Card tipping is universal, receipts have a tip line and terminals prompt with preset percentages. Cash is still welcomed but never required.

Reviewed by Greg Kockott on 3 September 2026.

Compiled from widely reported guidance for United States. Source citations are in progress.

Sources