Restaurants · United States
Do you tip at restaurants in United States?
Short answer
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. Lonely Planet now puts the range at 18–25%, which reflects real upward drift since the pandemic rather than a different custom. Rough Guides is more conservative, putting the floor at 15% and 20% for very good service, which was the norm before the pandemic. Anything under 15% now 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.
In practice
- A $80 dinner → tip $16
- A $145 dinner for four → tip $29
Tip calculator
- 18%
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- 20%
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Common questions
- How much should you tip at restaurants in United States?
- 18–20% for table service. 15% signals a problem.
- 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.
More on tipping in United States
Tipping at restaurants elsewhere
Full tipping guide for United States
Reviewed by Greg Kockott on 3 September 2026.
Figures checked against the sources below on 4 September 2026.
Sources
- Rough Guides, “USA travel tips: tipping” (consulted 2026-09-04)
- Lonely Planet, “Everything You Need to Know About Tipping in North and South America” (consulted 2026-09-04)
- US Department of Labor, Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees (consulted 2026-09-03)