Tipping in the US is customary, not optional theater - for servers, delivery drivers, and stylists, tips are a structural part of income (federal law still allows a tipped minimum wage as low as $2.13 an hour in some states). But the rules are unwritten, the screens keep suggesting bigger numbers, and nobody wants to do percentage math at the table. Here is the current standard for each situation, and our Tip Calculator handles the math and the bill split when you would rather not.
The Standard Rates, by Situation
| Situation | Standard tip | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant | 18-20% | 20% for good service; check for auto-gratuity on groups |
| Food delivery | 15-20%, min $3-5 | More in bad weather or for long distances |
| Bar | $1-2 per drink or 18-20% of tab | $2+ for cocktails that take real work |
| Hair / salon / barber | 15-20% | Tip on the pre-discount price if using a coupon |
| Taxi / rideshare | 10-20% | More for luggage help; in-app tipping goes to the driver |
| Hotel housekeeping | $3-5 per night | Leave daily with a note - staff often rotate rooms |
Pre-Tax or Post-Tax?
Traditional etiquette: tip on the pre-tax subtotal, because the tip rewards service and the tax is not service. On a $60 dinner with 9% tax ($65.40 total), 20% pre-tax is $12.00 and 20% post-tax is $13.08 - a difference of about a dollar. Tipping on the total is common, slightly generous, and never wrong; tipping on the subtotal is the defensible standard. Whether tax should be added or backed out of a price is its own small art, covered in our sales tax guide.
The Tablet Question, Handled Calmly
Checkout screens now suggest 18-25% for a coffee handed across a counter, and reasonable people disagree about it. The fair reading of current norms: tipping for table service is expected; tipping at a counter is genuinely optional - a reward for made-to-order effort or a place you frequent, not an obligation. Nobody behind the counter sees the screen choice as a moral referendum. Pick a personal policy (say, $1 on made-to-order counter items and nothing on grab-and-go) and apply it without ceremony. The "custom amount" button exists for a reason.
Split the Bill Without the Argument
Tip percentage, total, and per-person share in one tap - works offline at the table
Open the Tip Calculator →Mental Math: Two Tricks That Cover Everything
- Double the tax. In cities where sales tax runs 8-10% (New York City is 8.875%), doubling the tax line lands at 16-20%. A $62 bill with $5.50 of tax → double it → an $11 tip, which is 17.7%. Zero division required. Just know your local rate - doubling a 6% tax leaves a skimpy 12%.
- 10% plus half. Move the decimal one place left for 10%, then add half of that for 15%, or double it for 20%. On $62: 10% is $6.20, so 15% is $9.30 and 20% is $12.40. This is the same 10%-anchor trick from our percentage guide, and it works on any bill.
Tipping Abroad: Leave the 20% Habit at Home
US-style tipping does not export. In most of Europe, a service charge is included or servers earn full wages - rounding up or leaving 5-10% for good service is generous. In Japan (and much of East Asia), tipping is not practiced and can cause genuine confusion; excellent service is simply the standard. When traveling, a 30-second search for the local norm beats defaulting to American percentages - over-tipping can be as awkward as under-tipping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount?▼
Etiquette guides say pre-tax - the tip rewards service, and tax is not a service. In practice most people tip on the total because that is the number staring at them. On a $60 bill with 9% tax, 20% pre-tax is $12.00 and post-tax is $13.08 - about a dollar. Either is acceptable; pre-tax is the defensible minimum.
Do I have to tip at a counter when the tablet asks?▼
No - tips are for service, and a screen flip is not service. For counter pickup, no tip or the change is fine. That said, many people add $1 or 10% at places they visit often or where staff prepare something to order. The polite move is deciding your own policy calmly rather than being guilted by the default buttons.
Is 15% still an acceptable restaurant tip?▼
It reads as "service was below average" in most US cities today. 18% is the current baseline for adequate sit-down service and 20% for good service - and 20% is easier to calculate anyway. For genuinely poor service, tipping less and briefly telling the manager why is more useful than silently leaving 10%.
Should I tip if a service charge or gratuity is already included?▼
Check the receipt line. An "auto-gratuity" (common for parties of 6+) is the tip - you owe nothing more, though rounding up for great service is welcome. A "service fee" or "kitchen fee" may not go to your server at all; you are within norms to ask, or to tip a reduced amount on top.
How do I split a bill and tip fairly in a group?▼
Add the tip to the total first, then divide by the number of people - splitting the bill and letting everyone tip separately reliably under-tips because of rounding. A $150 bill plus 20% is $180, or $45 each among four. A tip calculator with a split function does this in one step.
Tip Math in One Tap
Pick a percentage, split among any number of people, and see per-person totals instantly - free and entirely in your browser.
Try the Tip Calculator →