How Much to Tip in Common Situations

The check arrives after a $74 dinner, and suddenly three people are doing mental arithmetic while the server waits. Tipping feels awkward when the custom is unclear, the payment screen offers surprising options, or several workers helped along the way. A simple baseline, adjusted for the kind of service and local norms, is more useful than chasing one perfect percentage.

Sit-down restaurants and bars

In the United States, 18% to 20% of the pre-tax restaurant bill is a common starting range for table service. On a $74 bill, 18% is $13.32 and 20% is $14.80. Strong, attentive service may justify 22% or more. If service had problems beyond the server’s control, such as a backed-up kitchen, consider the worker’s effort rather than judging only the wait.

Check the receipt before adding anything. Restaurants sometimes include an automatic gratuity for large parties, commonly 18% or 20%. You can add more for exceptional service, but you don’t need to tip the same amount twice. The Tip Calculator shows the tip, total, and equal per-person share without passing a phone around for arithmetic.

At a bar, $1 to $2 per standard drink is a workable rule, while 18% to 20% suits a larger tab or cocktails that take time and skill. If you run one tab all evening, tip on the full total when closing it.

Takeout and food delivery

Takeout conventions are flexible. For a straightforward counter pickup, a tip is appreciated but generally smaller than table-service gratuity; 5% to 10% or a few dollars is reasonable when staff package a complex order. Catering-size orders, curbside service, and careful handling of many modifications warrant more.

Delivery involves distance, weather, traffic, stairs, and time, none of which necessarily track the food price. Fifteen to 20% is common, but set a sensible floor of roughly $3 to $5. For a $16 order driven four miles through heavy rain, 20% is only $3.20, so a $5 or $6 tip better reflects the trip. Delivery fees don’t always go to the driver; the app or restaurant should explain when they do.

Salons, spas, and personal care

For haircuts, coloring, nails, massages, and similar personal services, 15% to 20% is a familiar range. A $65 haircut would mean $9.75 at 15% or $13 at 20%. More can make sense when a stylist fits you into a packed schedule, corrects difficult work, or spends extra time teaching you how to maintain the result.

If several people contribute, ask whether tips are pooled. Otherwise, you can divide the gratuity among the main provider and assistants. Cash can be convenient when a salon’s checkout system can’t split tips, but it’s fine to ask what the team prefers.

Hotels, rides, and home services

Hotel tipping is usually based on tasks rather than room price. Consider $2 to $5 per bag for a bell attendant and $2 to $5 per night for housekeeping, left daily because staff may change. A concierge who secures a difficult reservation or solves a complicated problem might receive $10 to $20; simple directions don’t require a tip.

For taxis and rideshares, 15% to 20% is common in the US, with extra for luggage help, a long wait, or an unusually messy group. Use the Percentage Calculator when you need a custom rate. On a $37 ride, 18% is $6.66, so rounding to $7 is easy and generous.

Movers are often tipped by time and difficulty rather than a strict percentage. Roughly $20 to $40 per mover for a half day, or $40 to $80 for a full day, can be suitable when the crew handles belongings carefully. Stairs, heavy furniture, heat, and a long carry are reasons to choose the higher end. Offer water as well.

When the screen starts at 25%

Tablet prompts are suggestions, not rules. Notice whether the percentages use the pre-tax or after-tax total, and choose “custom” when the presets don’t fit. It’s also reasonable not to tip for a purely retail transaction where no added service occurred.

Customs vary sharply by country. In Japan, a tip may be refused; in parts of Europe, service may already be included and rounding up is enough. Check local guidance when traveling, and use the Currency Converter to understand what a cash amount means in your home currency. The best habit is straightforward: verify included charges, match the amount to the actual work, and give what you intend without letting a glowing screen make the decision.