How much to tip

The customary US tip for thirty everyday services, grouped the way you meet them. Tap any row for situations, a preset calculator and the questions people argue about.

Food & drink

Service	Typical tip	In short
Restaurant server	15–20%	At a US sit-down restaurant, tip 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.
Bartender	15–20%	Tip a bartender $1–2 per beer or simple drink, or 15–20% of the tab when you run one.
Takeout	0–10%	Tipping on takeout is optional in the US.

Delivery

Service	Typical tip	In short
Delivery driver	15–20%	Tip a food delivery driver 15–20% of the order, and never less than $3–5 even on a small order.
Pizza delivery	15–20%	Tip the pizza delivery driver 15–20% of the order, with $3–5 as the floor.
DoorDash	15–20%	Tip a DoorDash Dasher 15–20% of the food subtotal, with a minimum of about $3–5.
Uber Eats	15–20%	Tip Uber Eats couriers 15–20% of the order, with $3–5 as a sensible floor.
Instacart shopper	10–20%	Tip an Instacart shopper 10–20% of the grocery total, and at least $5.
Grubhub	15–20%	Tip Grubhub drivers 15–20% of the food subtotal, with $3–5 as the minimum on small orders.

Beauty & body

Service	Typical tip	In short
Hairdresser	15–20%	Tip a hairdresser 15–20% of the service price, before any product purchases.
Barber	15–20%	Tip a barber 15–20% of the price.
Nail salon	15–20%	Tip nail technicians 15–20% of the service price for manicures, pedicures, gel and acrylics.
Massage therapist	15–20%	At a day spa or hotel spa, tip a massage therapist 15–20% of the undiscounted price.
Tattoo artist	15–25%	Tip a tattoo artist 15–25% of the price.
Dog groomer	15–20%	Tip a dog groomer 15–20% of the grooming price.
Esthetician / lash tech	15–20%	Tip estheticians 15–20% of the service price, the same as other salon services.

Travel & hotels

Service	Typical tip	In short
Hotel housekeeping	$2–5 per night	Tip hotel housekeeping $2–5 per night, and leave it daily rather than at checkout, since a different attendant may clean your room each day.
Bellhop	$1–5 per bag	Tip a bellhop $1–5 per bag, with about $5 as a minimum even for one bag.
Valet	$2–5 per retrieval	Tip the valet $2–5 when they bring your car back.
Uber / Lyft driver	15–20%	Tip an Uber or Lyft driver 15–20% of the fare, with $2–5 as a floor on short rides.
Taxi driver	15–20%	In the US and Canada, tip taxi drivers 15–20% of the metered fare, plus $1–2 per bag they handle.
Cruise staff	$16–20 per person per day	Most major cruise lines add an automatic daily gratuity of roughly $16–20 per person per day (more in suites) to your onboard account.
Tour guide	$5–10 per person (half day)	In the US, tip a group tour guide $5–10 per person for a half-day tour and $10–20 per person for a full day.
Shuttle driver	$2–5 per person	Tip airport and hotel shuttle drivers $2–5 per person, or about $1–2 per bag if they load your luggage.
Limo driver	15–20%	Tip a limo or chauffeured car driver 15–20% of the base fare.

Home & events

Service	Typical tip	In short
Movers	$20–40 per mover (half day)	Tip movers about $20–40 per mover for a half-day local move and $40–80 per mover for a full day.
Wedding vendors	10–20%	Wedding tipping varies by vendor: catering and bar staff 15–20% (unless a service charge covers it), hair and makeup 15–25%, delivery and setup crews $10–20 each, and a flat thank-you for photographers, DJs and musicians.
Holiday tips	$20–50 per person	End-of-year holiday tips are thank-yous for people who serve you all year.
House cleaner	15–20%	For a one-time or deep clean, tip house cleaners 15–20% of the price.
Furniture delivery	$10–20 per worker	Tip furniture or appliance delivery crews $10–20 per worker.
Caterer	15–20%	If the catering contract has no service charge or gratuity, tip 15–20% of the food and beverage bill, or $20–50 per server and $50–100 for the lead.
Handyman / contractor	$10–20 per worker	Tipping a handyman or contractor is not expected, especially when they own the business and set their price.

Three rules that cover most situations

Someone served you at your table or in your home? Tip 15–20%, more for heavy or skilled work.
You ordered at a counter? Tipping is optional; round up or leave a dollar for made-to-order items.
Hotel and travel staff? Small cash amounts per task: per bag, per night, per car.

Before tipping, scan the bill for "gratuity", "service charge" or "service included". For the reasoning behind these norms, including why US tips are so large, read our tipping etiquette guide. Heading abroad? See international tipping by country.

Want it on paper? Print the tip chart.

Questions people ask

What is the standard tip in the US?

18–20% for table service, 15–20% for most personal services and rides, and flat amounts for hotel staff and movers. Counter service is optional.

Who do you not need to tip?

Business owners who set their own prices (optional), professionals such as doctors or accountants, government workers like USPS carriers (cash is not allowed), and counter staff where tipping is optional.

Is tipping getting higher?

Suggested amounts on payment screens have crept up, but etiquette guides such as the Emily Post Institute still place table service at 15–20% and treat counter tips as optional.