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The Complete Guide to United States Tipping Etiquette (2026)

Tip 20% for good service in the United States. That is the number for sit-down restaurants, and 15 to 20% covers most other services, from delivery drivers to barbers. This guide gives the rate for every common service, the math behind it, and the edge cases people ask about most, including pre-tax versus post-tax tipping and auto-gratuity.

Servers, bartenders, barbers, and drivers earn a large share of their income from gratuities. The federal tipped minimum wage is $2.13 an hour (US Department of Labor), which is why the tip is part of their pay, not a bonus on top of it.

How much should you tip at a restaurant?

Tip 20% of the pre-tax bill for good service at a sit-down restaurant. Fifteen percent is the floor for adequate service, and 22 to 25% says the service stood out. On a $60 check, 20% is $12, and the total becomes $72.

Buffets run lower, 10 to 15%, because you serve yourself. Takeout you pick up yourself needs 0 to 10%, a few dollars on a large order is kind but not required. Counter tip screens ask for more these days, but a tip at a counter where you order, carry, and bus your own food is optional, not expected. At the bar, $1 to $2 per drink is the norm, or 15 to 20% if you run a tab. Servers often tip out part of what you leave to bartenders, bussers, and food runners, so your 20% reaches more than one person. One more thing people miss: if the menu says a service charge is included, that charge is not always the tip, so check before you add more. Run your check through the restaurant tip calculator to get the exact tip and split.

Should you tip on the pre-tax or post-tax total?

Tip on the pre-tax subtotal. That is the long-standing custom, because sales tax is not part of the service you received. In practice the difference is small, often a dollar or two on a dinner check, so tipping on the full total is also fine and nobody will mind.

Here is the math on a $100 bill with 8% tax. A 20% tip on the pre-tax $100 is $20. The same tip on the $108 post-tax total is $21.60. The gap is $1.60. Our calculator uses whatever amount you enter, so enter the pre-tax subtotal if you want to follow the standard custom exactly.

How much should you tip delivery drivers?

Tip food delivery drivers 15 to 20% of the order total, with a $4 to $5 minimum on small orders. Add a few dollars for bad weather, long distances, or stairs. Delivery and service fees usually do not reach the driver, so the tip is the main part of their pay.

Pizza delivery follows the same rule: $3 to $5 minimum, 15 to 20% on bigger orders. Grocery delivery through Instacart and similar services runs 10 to 15%, with more for heavy orders and bad weather. Tip in the app before delivery if you want the fastest pickup, since drivers see the offered tip before they accept the order. The delivery tip calculator applies the same rates to your order total.

How much should you tip a barber or hair stylist?

Tip 15 to 20% of the service price. On a $50 haircut, that is $7.50 to $10. If someone else washes your hair, give them $3 to $5 separately. For color, balayage, or extensions that take hours, 20% or more fits the skill and time involved.

The old rule about never tipping the shop owner is mostly gone. If the owner cuts your hair, tip them like anyone else. Cash is preferred when you can manage it, since it goes straight to the stylist instead of sitting in a payment system. The hair salon tip calculator works out the tip on any service price.

What is auto-gratuity, and when does it apply?

Auto-gratuity is a service charge, usually 18 to 20%, that restaurants add automatically for large parties, typically 6 to 8 or more guests. It replaces the voluntary tip. Check your check before adding more, but you can always add extra for standout service.

The IRS treats automatic service charges as wages, not tips (Revenue Ruling 2012-18), so the restaurant decides how the money is shared. If the service was poor, talk to the manager instead of quietly tipping twice or not at all. And if the charge is labeled a service fee rather than a gratuity, ask where it goes.

Every service, every rate: the quick table

One table, the whole picture. Rates below are the standard US ranges for 2026. When in doubt, tip the higher end of the range. For housekeeping, leave the tip daily: different staff may clean your room each day, so a daily tip reaches the person who did the work.