Tipping In The USA - A Complete Guide
Quick Guide
🍽️ Restaurant - 18-20% on The Pre-Tax Total
🍔 Fast Food - Not Expected ($1-2 If Table Service)
🚙 Drive-Thru - Not Expected
🛵 Delivery Driver - 15-20%
☕️ Barista - $1-2 Total If More Complex Order
🍹 Bar - $1-2/Drink ($0 For Free Water)
👨✈️ Valet - $2-3 ($5-10 If Free)
🚕 Taxi - 10-15%
🛎️ Bellhop - $1-2/Bag
🛏️ Housekeeping - $3-5/Day
📸 Tour Guide - 10-15%
💈 Barber/Hairstylist - 15-20%
🚚 Movers - $10-30/Mover
Whilst tipping helps to ensure fair compensation for many American service industry employees, the widespread use of the “Suggested Tip” screen means you’ll now see it in many situations where a tip isn’t really called for.
Outside of the scenarios I’ve outlined (and detailed below), use your intuition to judge whether a tip is appropriate. Bottom line, don't tip in situations where no/minimal customer service is required.
Calculate a culturally appropriate tip for the USA using this calculator and read on for more detail on tipping in Restaurants, Fast Food, Deliveries, Bars, Taxis, Hotels, etc.
USA Tip Calculator
Good Price For The USA
Tip
$0.00
Total With Tip
$0.00
Split Bill By
0 Each
Tipping in Restaurants
When dining out, an 18-20% tip on the pre-tax total is expected for good service given servers rely on tips to supplement their typically low pay.
Tip in the 15-17% range if you’re unsatisfied but don’t go any lower than that. Voice your honest feedback before you pay if you’re unhappy. In some cases, they might offer you a free or discounted meal.
Servers here are generally hardworking, friendly and outgoing so a generous gratuity serves as a way to appreciate the usually excellent service.
Tipping For Fast Food & Drive-Thru
Even in the USA, tipping in fast food restaurants isn’t expected whether you’re sitting in or using the drive-thru.
It’s become more common for servers at the cash register to ask you to enter a tip on a “Suggested Tip” screen. Don’t feel pressured here. Remain calm and just hit “No Tip” or enter “0”.
Even better, pay with cash and there won’t be any screens involved.
You might consider leaving $1-2 in the tip jar if there’s busboy or table service but it isn’t mandatory.
Tipping Food or Grocery Delivery Drivers
Tip delivery drivers 15-20% whether that’s restaurant delivery (e.g. DoorDash, Uber Eats) or grocery delivery (e.g. Shipt, Instacard, Taskrabbit, Walmart).
Remember, they don’t get the delivery fees and if they’re a gig worker, they’re paying for their own gasoline and vehicle depreciation. Grocery delivery drivers have to make even more of an effort as they have to shop, pay and pack for you.
Tipping In Coffee Shops
If you’re ordering something simple like a black coffee, there’s no need to tip the Barista. However, if you order a lot of drinks or go for something that requires more effort, leave $1-2 on the counter or in the tip jar.
Tipping in Bars
The standard practice is to tip your bartender $1-2 per drink. That’s especially true if you order something a little more complex that requires mixing. If you want a free water, there’s no need to tip.
Tipping The Valet
If you pay for valet service, tip $2-3 if they’re prompt. If it’s “free”, tip $5-10.
Tipping Cab, Uber & Lyft Drivers
For Taxi, Uber or Lyft rides, a tip of 10-15% is customary for a safe ride (if it’s not safe, skip the tip). Tip on the higher end of that range if your driver goes the extra mile and helps you with your bags or opens your car door for you.
Tipping The Bellhop/Porter
When you check into a hotel and a bellhop assists you with your luggage, hand them a cash tip of $1-2 per bag. If you don’t, they’ll likely stand and wait until you do.
Tipping Housekeeping
Leave a daily tip of $3-5 for housekeeping to show your appreciation for the cleanliness and comfort they provide. Leave the tip on the bedside table with a note.
Tip daily, not at the beginning/end of your stay, in case you get a few different housekeepers.
Tipping Tour Guides
Tour guides in the USA work hard to make your experience memorable. Tipping them around 10-15% of the total tour cost is expected, especially if they demonstrate their knowledge and expertise and/or it’s a long tour.
Which Currency To Use
When tipping in the USA you'll only have one option to pay and tip and that’s the United States Dollar ($). Both credit card and cash tips are appreciated in a lot of different situations but since card tips will take a few days to process, use cash when you can.
Have a great trip! 🇺🇸 🦅🗽
Tipping In Spain - A Complete Guide
Quick Guide
🍽️ Restaurant - Not Expected - Can Tip 0-10%
🍹 Bar - Not Expected - Can Tip 0-10%
🚕 Taxi - Not Expected - Can Round Up
🛎️ Porter/Bellhop - €1/Bag Up To €5 Total
🛏️ Housekeeping - €1-2/Day
📸 Tour Guide - €5-20 Per Person/Day
🥘 Tapas - Not Expected - Can Round Up
Tipping in Spain is optional and uncommon. It’s not expected in a lot of situations but there are nuances.
Calculate a culturally appropriate tip for Spain using the calculator below and read on for more detail on tipping in Restaurants, Bars, Taxis, Hotels, Tapas Bars etc.
Spain Tip Calculator
Good Price For Spain
Tip
$0.00
Total With Tip
$0.00
Split Bill By
0 Each
Tipping in Restaurants
In Spain, tipping your server is not engrained in the culture. Spaniards generally only tip a very small amount, if anything. If service is included (“service incluido”), feel free to tip nothing or a few euros. If it isn’t included (“service no incluido”), consider leaving a tip in the 0-10% range depending on how satisfied you are.
Tipping in Bars
Tipping in Spanish bars isn’t customary but it can be a nice gesture if you’ve received good service. Leave a tip of 0-10% or just round up your bill to make it easy.
Tipping Taxi Drivers
Tipping your taxi or Uber driver in Spain is rare so they won’t be expecting a tip. If your driver has gone above and beyond by helping you with your luggage or opening your car door, you can round up your fare but it remains optional.
Tipping The Porter/Bellhop
If a porter assists you with your luggage in Spain (uncommon unless you’re in a 5-star establishment), it’s customary to tip around €1 per bag (no more than €5 total).
Tipping Housekeeping
Leaving a tip of €1-2 per day for housekeeping is a polite way to show gratitude for a clean and tidy room.
Tipping Tour Guides
When you’re on a guided tour in Spain, it’s common practice to tip your tour guide €5-20 per person per day. The exact tip depends on the tour length and quality but, in general, the smaller your group, the more you should tip per person.
Tipping For Tapas
If you’re enjoying Spain’s famous Tapas and ordering at the counter, tipping is entirely optional. Leave no tip or round up your bill to the nearest Euro to express your gratitude.
Which Currency To Use
When in Spain, you’ll be using the Euro (€). Credit cards are commonly used to pay for larger bills but they may not always be a suitable way to tip. Carry small bills and coins in your pocket for tipping in various situations.
¡Buen viaje! (Have a great trip!). 🇪🇸🍷☀️
Tipping In France - A Complete Guide
Quick Guide
🍽️ Restaurant - Service Fee + Optional Round Up
🍹 Bar - None or €1-2
🚕 Taxi - None or Round Up
🛎️ Porter/Bellhop - €1/Bag
🛏️ Housekeeping - €1/Day Left on Pillow
📸 Tour Guide - €2-5/Day
🎭 Theatre Usher - €1-2 Expected
Tipping in France is generally an optional, modest gesture so show your appreciation for good service. Just keep an eye out for signs reading “pourboire interdit” (or “tipping forbidden”) which you might see in some situations.
Calculate a culturally appropriate tip for France using the calculator below and read on for more detail on tipping in Restaurants, Bars, Taxis, Hotels, Theatres etc.
France Tip Calculator
Good Price For France
Tip
$0.00
Total With Tip
$0.00
Split Bill By
0 Each
Tipping in Restaurants
In France, you’ll often see “service compris” on your bill. This isn’t a tip, it’s just the part of your bill that pays for the staff. Tipping on top of this amount is optional given French servers get living-wage salaries, paid vacations and other benefits.
If you want to show your appreciation for a job well done, you can leave a tip or “pourboire” by rounding up your bill to the nearest 1 or 2 Euros. However, don’t be guilted into tipping if you’ve had bad or rude service.
Tipping in Bars
Unlike in some other countries, tipping at the bar isn’t as common in France. However, if your bartender has been particularly prompt or friendly, a small tip of €1-2 is considered a kind gesture.
Tipping Taxi Drivers
Tipping your taxi driver isn’t customary in France. However, if you want to express your gratitude for a safe and comfortable ride you can round up your fare to the nearest euro.
Tipping The Porter/Bellhop
If you’re staying in a hotel and a porter or bellhop assists you with your luggage, consider tipping around €1 per bag.
Tipping Housekeeping
Tipping your housekeeper €1 per day is a considerate way to show your gratitude if your room is kept clean and tidy throughout your stay. Just leave your tip on the pillow.
Tipping Tour Guides
When you’re on a guided tour in France, it’s common to tip the tour guide €2-5 per day, depending on the length/quality of the tour and the tour guide’s expertise.
Tipping Theatre Ushers
You’ll often find ushers in French theatres. Tipping them around €1-2 is a polite way to say thank you for good service.
Which Currency To Use
When in France, you’ll be using the Euro (€). Cash is still widely preferred, especially in smaller establishments. Larger restaurants and hotels will likely accept credit cards but it’s a good idea to have some cash on hand for tipping in various situations.
Bon Voyage! 🇫🇷 🥐🍷
5 Countries With Generous Tipping Cultures
Whilst tipping is a near-universal custom, it varies widely country-to-country. Whilst some nations have a minimal tipping culture, others expect generous tips even in cases of poor service. These five countries take tipping to a whole other level.
🇺🇸 United States of America
Probably the first country that will come to mind when you think ‘Generous Tipping Culture’ is the USA. Here, tipping isn’t just an acknowledgment of friendly or prompt service, a 15-20% tip on your restaurant bill is expected even in cases of poor service.
Tipping has become so deeply engrained in the American psyche that many professionals in the hospitality industry rely on tips to supplement their income.
That being said, tourists can often get caught out in the detail and over-tip in certain situations.
One common mistake is to tip on the post-tax total. It’s actually customary to tip on the pre-tax amount. This won’t save much, depending on the tax rate of the State you’re in, but it’s something.
Another is tipping at fast-food counters. You might find yourself talking to a chain of different employees at an assembly-line-style fast food counter or drive-thru. Decision-time comes when the final server calculates your bill and shows you a screen requesting your tip percentage, sometimes set at a default 20%.
Don’t feel pressured here. Even in the USA, tipping in fast-food establishments isn’t common. Feel free to tip but it’s not mandatory.
🇨🇦 Canada
Canada, America’s northern neighbour, shares many similarities with the USA due to geographic and cultural ties and that’s certainly true when it comes to tipping.
Suggested tip levels in Canada fall in the 15-20% range for restaurants, $2 per drink for bartenders,10-20% for Taxi or Uber drivers, $1-2 per bag for hotel porters, $2-3 per day for housekeepers and 10-15% for tour guides.
Whilst US and Canadian tipping practices are extremely similar, there are a few differences.
Whilst 15-20% is the expected tip level in both countries, Canadians veers closer to the 15% level and Americans generally expect closer to 20%. Service charges are also less widespread in Canada compared to the USA.
🇲🇨 Monaco
Monaco, a small sovereign city-state located on the French Riviera, has a generous tipping culture influenced by its status as a luxury tourist destination.
As Monaco grew to become an international hub for business, entertainment and leisure, it’s tipping practices evolved to incorporate those of its visitors and expatriates who were travelling from around the world.
A service-oriented culture, tipping is now an integral part of the service experience in Monaco. In restaurants or bars, a 15% tip is customary if a service charge or “service compris” hasn’t already been added to your bill.
Hotel porters tend to expect €1-2 per bag and housekeepers €1-3 per day. There’s a little more lenience with tour guides. Tip 10-15% but only if you’re satisfied and whilst tips aren’t mandatory in Taxis or Ubers, rounding up the fare is appreciated.
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
Like Monaco, the UAE has a reputation for luxury and opulence. Combine that with its thriving tourism and hospitality industries and you’ve got the recipe for high-tipping expectations.
A 10-15% tip is customary in restaurants here unless a service charge has already been added to the bill. 5-10 Dirhams are customary for taxi rides and porterage services. 20-30 Dirhams per day is the expected rate for housekeeping.
Tour Guides offer a little more lenience but tips are expected unless the experience is bad. Tip 0-20% depending on quality.
Like the USA, service providers in the UAE rely on tips to supplement their income so bear all of this in mind when you’re budgeting for a trip.
🇰🇾 Cayman Islands
You’re probably starting to see a pattern to this list. The Cayman Islands, like Monaco and the UAE, are a high-end destination for upscale tourism.
Due to it’s alignment with North American customs, generous tips are expected. The official island currency may be the Cayman Islands Dollar (KYD) but US Dollars are widely accepted with many businesses displaying prices in both currencies. Similarly, small denomination tips will be accepted in either currency.
Whilst many establishments in the Cayman Islands will automatically add a 15% service charge, some will leave the tip percentage to the discretion of the customer. If that’s the case, a 15-20% tip is expected and appreciated.
Tip the bartender $1 USD or 1 CI$/Drink and even if service charges are included in your hotel bill, tip porters $1-2 per bag and tip housekeeping $2 per day at the end of your stay. Tour guides will expect a $5-15 tip per person per day.
5 Countries Where Tipping Isn’t Customary
Whilst tipping is a common cultural practice in most countries around the world, it’s not universal. In some countries, tipping is considered unnecessary, confusing and even downright offensive. Let’s take a closer look at 5 countries which reject tipping culture and figure out the reasoning behind the rejection of this near-universal tradition.
🇯🇵 Japan
Expect exceptional service quality in Japan but don’t try to leave a tip in return for that hospitality. Part of Japanese work culture is the expectation that you will always over-deliver whatever your role.
As a result, leaving a tip can give the impression you’re judging the service level, causing awkardness and potential offense.
The only exception to this rule is if you’re staying in a Ryokan, a traditional Japanese Inn, with a Nakai-San, a personal attendant. Tipping still isn’t required in this scenario but you’re not likely to cause offense if you want to tip for exceptional service.
You still have to be aware of tipping etiquette though. To tip appropriately, place clean, flat bills in a prepared envelope and hand it over to the recipient directly using both hands.
🇰🇷 South Korea
South Korea and Japan share similar cultural attitudes to tipping. Like in Japan, South Korean workers are always expected to provide excellent service. The tip, effectively, is already included in your bill.
Like Japan, tipping in South Korea can be considered rude and may cause awkwardness or confusion. If you try to tip as a tourist in South Korea, your waiter might just hand your notes back to you thinking you misunderstood the bill.
Taxi’s and Tour Guides are the only scenarios in South Korea where tipping is less likely to cause offense. If you happen to find a taxi which still handles cash (an ever-decreasing pool), you can tell your driver to keep the change but don’t tip any more than that. Rounding up isn’t expected but it is appreciated.
You don’t need to tip your Tour Guide but as these workers have more experience with tourists, they’re more understanding and will usually accept a tip if offered. If you do decide to tip your tour guide, place clean, flat bills in an envelope and hand it over directly to the recipient with both hands.
🇳🇿 New Zealand
Tipping in New Zealand is not expected in most scenarios but unlike in Japan or South Korea, leaving a tip won’t cause offense. On the contrary, tipping will be viewed as a rare and unexpected surprise.
A 10% tip would be considered extremely generous and should be reserved for situations in which you’ve received truly exceptional service.
Just be aware that tips in New Zealand are usually collected in a pool or tip jar for even distribution amongst all the staff on a weekly basis. That means the staff member that offered you excellent service will likely only get a fraction of your tip.
Tipping is also less likely to cause surprise if you’re in an area frequented by tourists. Some of the more international hotels in Auckland, for example, might have a tip line on the bill. Tips added here should be distributed amongst all the staff including bellboys and housekeepers.
Like in South Korea, tour guides around New Zealand are used to getting tips from tourists. Whilst it’s completely optional, feel free to tip your tour guide NZ$5 to 5% of the tour cost if you really enjoyed your experience.
🇫🇯 Fiji
Whilst tipping has become more common in Fiji due to the influx of International tourists over the years, it’s still not customary to tip. Fijian workers place a strong emphasis on hospitality and they don’t expect a tip in return for friendly service.
Hotels and resorts are a bit of an exception to this rule. If your resort doesn’t include a service charge, which would cover all your tips for porterage, housekeeping and so on, you may find a staff tip box in reception.
Tips still aren’t expected but feel free to leave a 0-10% tip in the shared staff tip box if you received exceptional service. Alternatively, if you want to thank one staff member in particular, consider leaving a thank-you note or a small gift. In Fiji, that can be more meaningful than a cash tip.
🇫🇮 Finland
Like New Zealand, tipping isn’t part of the Finnish culture so you aren’t expected to leave a tip. But, you’re unlikely to hear an objection if you do.
In a way, tips are already built into restaurant and hotel bills as service charges are a common practice.
You can tip your porter or bellhop but since this service is uncommon in Finnish hotels, it’s unlikely you’ll have the chance.
Taxi fares are usually based on a meter and in this scenario it can be considered polite to round up but it’s not expected.
As they’re used to meeting tourists from various cultural backgrounds, tour guides are more used to tips but bear in mind a 10% tip would be considered extremely generous and so should be reserved for outstanding service.