For millions of workers, tips aren't a bonus; they're the paycheck. That makes tipping one of the most frequent, direct forms of generosity most of us practice. Here are typical ranges, the rules that sit behind them, and a sane approach to the screen that flips around at the coffee counter.
Why tipping is a generosity question
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, an employer can pay a tipped worker as little as $2.13 an hour in cash and count up to $5.12 an hour of the worker's tips toward the $7.25 federal minimum wage. The employer has to make up any shortfall, and many states require a higher cash wage or ban the tip credit entirely. Still, in much of the country, a server's take-home pay depends heavily on how generous strangers feel that night.
That's why a good tip is more than etiquette. It's a small, immediate transfer to someone doing physical, often thankless work. It's also one of the few forms of giving where you see the person you're giving to.
How much to tip: typical ranges
These ranges come from the Emily Post Institute's general tipping guide, a widely used US etiquette reference. They're customs, not laws; round up when service is great, the order is complicated, or the weather is awful.
| Service | Typical tip | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant server | 15–20% of the pre-tax bill | The core of tipped income for many servers |
| Buffet | 10% pre-tax | Staff still clear and refill |
| Bartender | $1–$2 per drink, or 15–20% of the tab | |
| Food delivery | 10–15% of the bill; $2–$5 for pizza | More for big orders or bad weather |
| Takeout | Not required; about 10% for extra service | e.g. curbside or a large, complex order |
| Counter service / tip jar | Optional | Tip occasionally, or when you're a regular or got something extra |
| Hotel housekeeper | $2–$5 per day | Leave it daily, with a note, since staff may change |
| Bellhop | $2 first bag, $1 each additional | |
| Valet | $2–$5 | When the car is returned |
| Taxi driver | 15–20% of the fare | Plus help with bags |
| Hair stylist, manicurist, massage | 15–20% | Can be split among the people who served you |
Real-world behavior is a bit stingier than the etiquette books. In Pew's August 2023 survey of nearly 12,000 adults, 57% said they'd leave 15% or less for an average sit-down meal, and about a quarter said 20% or more. If you're aiming to be generous, 20% at a full-service restaurant puts you in the top quarter.
Tipflation and the checkout screen
Most people feel the ground has shifted. Pew found 72% say tipping is expected in more places than five years ago, and only about a third find it very easy to know whether to tip (34%) or how much (33%). On suggested-tip screens, 40% oppose them, 24% favor them and the rest are neutral. Automatic service charges are even less popular: 72% oppose them.
A calm, generous approach:
- Decide before the screen turns. Know your defaults (for example: 20% sit-down, $1 per coffee drink, nothing required for a bottled soda).
- Tip people, not screens. If someone made your drink, packed a big order or carried something, a tip is kind. If you grabbed a packaged item yourself, "no tip" is fine.
- Look for service charges. If a bill already includes an automatic gratuity, you don't need to tip twice. Ask how the charge is distributed if you care where it goes.
- Use "custom" freely. Preset buttons are suggestions. A flat dollar amount is perfectly polite.
- Cash is still king for many workers. It reaches them immediately, with no processing deduction.
- Be extra generous when it's hardest. Holidays, storms, big groups, kids who made a mess.
Where does the tip go? Tip pools, briefly
Many restaurants pool tips. Under Department of Labor rules:
- If the employer takes a tip credit, a mandatory pool may include only workers who customarily and regularly receive tips — servers, bussers, service bartenders, counter staff — not cooks or dishwashers.
- If the employer pays everyone at least the full minimum wage in cash, the pool can include back-of-house staff like cooks and dishwashers.
- Employers, managers and supervisors can never keep any portion of employees' tips, whether or not a tip credit is taken.
- An employer may subtract the actual credit card processing fee on a card tip, but not more, and not below minimum wage.
If you manage a team and need to split a pool by hours or points, a free tool like the tip pool calculator on allthingsn.com divides a night's tips to the cent and keeps managers out of the pool. Servers who want to track their own earnings can use TipVault, a free tip tracker for servers.
A 2025 tax change for tipped workers
Under the 2025 law the IRS calls the One, Big, Beautiful Bill, eligible workers can deduct up to $25,000 of qualified tips per year for tax years 2025 through 2028, whether or not they itemize. The deduction phases down for modified adjusted gross income above $150,000 ($300,000 for joint filers), applies only to voluntary tips in occupations the IRS lists as customarily tipped, and requires a valid Social Security number and, for married couples, a joint return. It reduces federal income tax on tips; it doesn't make tips disappear from income reporting. This is general information, not tax advice.
Tipping fairly in a group
Group dinners are where tips quietly shrink: everyone rounds their share down and the server absorbs the difference. Calculate the tip on the full pre-tax total first, then split. A bill splitter such as Splitcheck, a free restaurant bill splitter, does the math per person so the tip stays whole.
Quick take: If tipping feels confusing, simplify: be generous where someone's wage depends on it, be relaxed where it doesn't, and never punish a worker for a policy they didn't set.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I tip at a restaurant in 2026?
The Emily Post Institute recommends 15–20% of the pre-tax bill for sit-down service. Twenty percent is a generous, common choice.
Do I have to tip when a screen asks me to?
No. For counter service the Emily Post Institute calls tipping optional. A screen prompt isn't an obligation; tip when someone provided real service, and choose "custom" or "no tip" without guilt otherwise.
Why are tipped workers paid $2.13 an hour?
Federal law lets employers pay a $2.13 cash wage and count tips toward the $7.25 minimum, as long as total pay reaches the minimum. Many states set higher cash wages.
Can my manager take part of the tip pool?
No. The Department of Labor says employers, managers and supervisors may not keep employees' tips, including through a tip pool. A manager may keep tips received directly for service they alone provided.
How much do I tip hotel housekeeping?
Emily Post suggests $2–$5 per day, left daily with a note so it reaches the right person.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — Fact Sheet #15: Tipped Employees Under the FLSA
- Pew Research Center — Tipping Culture in America: Public Sees a Changed Landscape (Nov 2023)
- Emily Post Institute — General Tipping Guide
- IRS — One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act: Tax deductions for working Americans and seniors