In the United States, a tip isn't a gesture: it's part of the wage. The federal minimum wage for a tipped server is $2.13 an hour, and although states like Florida or California pay much more, the custom is still that the customer makes up the income of the person serving them. That's why the 15% that might be generous back home reads as a complaint here, and why the screen at the coffee shop offers you 20, 25 and 30% for a cup handed to you over the counter. This guide explains how much to tip in each situation in 2026, how to tip by card, when you don't tip at all and what changed with the "no tax on tips" law. Last checked September 7, 2026.
How much to tip, in one list
- Sit-down restaurant: 18 to 20% of the pre-tax subtotal. 20% is standard in 2026; 15% signals poor service.
- Bar: $1 to $2 per drink, or 15 to 20% of the tab.
- Uber, Lyft and taxis: 10 to 15%, added in the app after the ride. A dollar or two per bag if they help.
- Hotel: $3 to $5 per night for housekeeping, left in the room each day; $1 to $2 per bag for the bellhop; $2 to $5 for the valet when they bring your car.
- Counter service, cafés and fast food: nothing or a dollar. The screen asks for 20%; tapping "No tip" is perfectly fine.
- Tours and guides: $5 to $10 per person for a half day, $10 to $20 for a full day.
Why people tip so much
In most states, restaurants can pay servers less than the general minimum wage as long as tips make up the difference. The federal floor has been $2.13 an hour since 1991. Florida pays tipped workers $3.02 less than its general minimum; New York, Illinois and Nevada have similar setups, and California is the exception: it pays the full $16.90 minimum and people still tip 18 to 20%. In practice, the server who looked after you in Miami lives on what the tables leave, and in many places the tip is shared with bussers and the bar. That context explains what sounds excessive to a visitor: you're not rewarding anyone, you're paying for the part of the service the menu price doesn't include.
How to tip by card
At a restaurant, the server brings the check, takes your card and returns with two receipts. The one marked "Merchant copy" has three lines: Tip (write the tip amount), Total (add it up and write the total) and your signature. That receipt stays on the table; the "Customer copy" is yours. The final charge that shows up on your card days later will be the total including the tip; it's normal at first to see only the pre-tip amount or a preauthorization for 20% more. More and more restaurants bring a handheld terminal to the table with percentage buttons: pick one or tap "Custom" to enter your own amount. If you pay cash, leave the money in the check folder.
Two details that save money. First, the percentage is calculated on the subtotal before tax: on a $100 bill with $9 in tax, 20% is $20, not $21.80. Second, check whether the bill already has a "Service charge" or "Gratuity" line: for groups of six or more, 18 to 20% is almost always added automatically, and in Miami Beach, along Ocean Drive and at many tourist restaurants in Orlando and Las Vegas, it's added to every table. If it's already included, you don't leave anything more, even if the receipt has a blank "Additional tip" line.
How much to tip in each situation
| Situation | How much | How |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant with table service | 18 to 20% of the subtotal | "Tip" line on the receipt or terminal |
| Buffet | 10% | For clearing plates and bringing drinks |
| Bar | $1 to $2 per drink, or 15 to 20% | When you close the tab |
| Café, fast food, food truck | $0 to $1 | "No tip" is acceptable |
| Delivery (Uber Eats, DoorDash) | 15 to 20%, at least $3 | In the app; the delivery fee is not a tip |
| Uber, Lyft, taxi | 10 to 15% | In the app when rating; cash in a taxi |
| Hotel housekeeping | $3 to $5 per night | Cash on the pillow or desk, every day |
| Bellhop | $1 to $2 per bag | Cash on delivery |
| Valet parking | $2 to $5 | When you get the car back |
| Concierge | $5 to $20 | Only if they got you something hard to get |
| Tour guide | $5 to $10 per person (half day) | Cash at the end |
| Hair salon, spa, massage | 15 to 20% | When you pay |
| Shared shuttle transfer | $2 to $5 | Cash to the driver |
When you don't tip
You don't tip at supermarkets, stores, pharmacies, gas stations, movie theaters, airlines or the hotel front desk. Nor at self-checkout kiosks, even if the screen asks (some chains' self-checkouts do, one of the reasons for the "tip fatigue" the media talk about in 2026). You don't tip at an Airbnb; the cleaning fee is already in the price. For takeout from a restaurant, zero or a dollar. And if the service was truly bad, leaving 10% and saying why is more useful than leaving nothing, because the server might think you simply forgot the line.
The screen asking for 30%
Since 2023, swivel payment terminals have become the norm in cafés, ice cream shops and counters, with three buttons that often start at 18 or 20% and go up to 30. A 2026 Popmenu survey found that 78% of Americans consider current tipping practices excessive and 59% feel pressured when they see the percentages on screen. The rule is simple: at a counter where you ordered, paid and picked up yourself, tapping "No tip" or "Custom" and entering a dollar is what locals do. The high percentages are for table service. Some restaurants, such as Dirt Candy in New York, have eliminated tipping and raised prices by 20 to 23% to pay fixed wages: if the menu says "no tipping" or "service included," don't leave anything.
What changed with the 2026 tip law
The tax law passed in July 2025 (the one the press calls "No Tax on Tips") lets workers deduct up to $25,000 a year in tips from their federal income tax between 2025 and 2028, and in April 2026 the IRS published the list of 71 qualifying occupations: servers, bartenders, hairdressers, taxi drivers, bellhops, guides. For you as a customer, one thing changes: only voluntary tips count; automatic service charges don't. That's why many restaurants that used to add a fixed 18% have gone back to leaving the tip line blank, and why staff prefer a tip you write yourself to an included charge.
Budget: how much it adds up to on a trip
On a one-week trip for two people, with one restaurant dinner a day (about $80 subtotal), three Uber rides a day, a hotel with housekeeping and two tours, tips add up to between $180 and $230. It's worth budgeting for from the start and carrying $1 and $5 bills for the hotel, valet and guides; ATMs only dispense $20s. For how to pay for everything else, see how much money to bring to the US.
Frequently asked questions
Is tipping mandatory in the United States?
Legally, no, unless it appears on the bill as a "service charge" or "gratuity," which is mandatory. In practice, 18 to 20% is expected at a restaurant with table service, and not tipping is taken as an insult, because servers earn a very low base wage.
How much do you tip at restaurants in the US?
Between 18 and 20% of the pre-tax subtotal. 15% is considered low in 2026; 22 to 25% is for excellent service.
Do you tip Uber drivers in the US?
Yes, 10 to 15% is expected, added in the app after you rate the ride. If the driver loaded your bags, add a dollar or two.
How much do you tip at hotels?
$3 to $5 per night for housekeeping, left in cash in the room each day; $1 to $2 per bag for the bellhop; $2 to $5 for the valet when you get your car. You don't tip the front desk.
Do you tip if the bill already includes a service charge?
No. An 18 or 20% service charge is the tip, even if the receipt has a blank line for an additional tip. It's common for groups of six or more, in Miami Beach and in tourist areas of Orlando and Las Vegas.
How do you leave a tip by card?
On the merchant copy, write the amount on the "Tip" line, add it up and write the "Total," then sign. On handheld terminals, choose a percentage or "Custom." The final charge on your card will include the tip a few days later.