How Much to Tip: The Quick Reference Guide

"How much should I tip?" depends entirely on what you're tipping for — the honest answer is never one flat number. This page rounds up the standard for every situation people search for most, with links to a longer guide wherever the topic deserves more detail than a single line.

Restaurants and bars

20% of the pre-tax bill is the standard in the US for full table service; 15% is the historic floor and increasingly read as a comment on the service rather than a neutral minimum. Counter service and casual bars are more forgiving — round up or add 10%. Outside North America this changes fast: plenty of countries either fold service into the price by law or don't tip at restaurants at all, so check the country guide for wherever you're actually eating.

Delivery and rideshare

15–20% of the order subtotal, with a $3–5 floor regardless of how small the order is — see the full food delivery guide for why the minimum matters more than the percentage. Rideshare drivers follow the same logic as taxis: 15–20% is standard where tipping culture applies.

Personal care: hair, spa, nails

20% is the most commonly cited number across the hair and beauty industry, with 15% treated as a minimum rather than a default. Multiple people working on you (colorist plus stylist, say) usually means splitting or tipping each separately — the full salon and spa guide covers how to handle that at checkout.

Hotels

Housekeeping: $2–5 per night, left daily rather than as one lump sum at checkout, since the staff member changes. Bellhops: $1–2 per bag. Concierge: only for something that took real effort, like scoring a hard-to-get reservation — $5–20 depending on what they pulled off.

Cruises

Most mainstream lines add an automatic daily service charge per person that covers your room steward and dining staff — it can usually be prepaid or adjusted at guest services. Bar tabs, spa treatments and specialty dining typically add their own 15–20% on top. The full cruise tipping guide breaks down what's already covered versus what still needs cash.

Movers

$5–10 per mover per hour, or 15–20% of the total job cost, is the standard range — more for a crew that handles stairs, heavy furniture or a piano without complaint. Full detail, including local versus long-distance moves, is in the movers guide.

Weddings

This is the one category where tipping isn't a percentage at all — it's a per-vendor flat amount, and it's easy to miss a line item in the chaos of planning. The wedding vendor guide lists photographer, DJ, caterer, hair and makeup, officiant and delivery staff separately, since the norm is genuinely different for each.

When tipping isn't the norm at all

A large part of the world doesn't tip the way North America does — sometimes because service is legally included in the price, sometimes because it's considered mildly awkward to offer. Japan, South Korea, much of continental Europe and several other countries each have their own real answer, not just "less than the US." That's exactly what the 51 country-specific guides are for.

FAQ

Is 15% or 20% the real standard for restaurant tipping?

In the US, 20% is now the more commonly cited default for full table service, with 15% increasingly read as a comment on the service rather than a neutral baseline. Counter service and casual settings are more forgiving.

Do I tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount?

Pre-tax. Tipping on the total after tax is a small, common overpay — restaurants and delivery apps calculate suggested tips off the subtotal for the same reason.

Does this apply outside the US?

Only partly. This page reflects US-centric norms, which travel reasonably well to Canada and a handful of other tipping-heavy cultures, but plenty of countries work completely differently — see the country guides for wherever you're actually headed.