THE COUNTRY FIELD GUIDE

Tipping in the United States

USD · US dollars / Last reviewed September 17, 2026 / View sources ↗

DO I NEED TO TIP?

Yes. Plan to tip for service.

Tipping is customary in restaurants, taxis and many hotel services. For a sit-down meal, budget 15–20% before tax, unless gratuity is already included. Counter-service tips are optional.

15–20%Restaurant tip

USD $Keep small bills handy

THE ANSWER, AT A GLANCE

Your US tipping cheat sheet

Amounts are in US dollars. Open a service for payment details and exceptions.

RestaurantsCustomary · table service15–20%

When & how: Cash or card, when paying. Calculate on the pre-tax subtotal; 20% is a useful planning benchmark.

Keep in mind: Check for included gratuity before adding more. A $50 pre-tax meal means a $7.50–$10 tip.

Sources: NerdWallet · Intrepid Travel

BarsCustomary$1–2 / drink

When & how: Cash per round, or 15–20% when closing a card tab.

Keep in mind: Use the percentage for a larger tab. Don’t tip both ways on the same drinks.

Sources: Emily Post Institute

Cafés & takeoutOptionalYour choice

When & how: Use the jar or card prompt if you wish.

Keep in mind: No obligation for ordinary pickup; consider 10% for a large, complicated order or curbside help.

Sources: Emily Post

TaxisCustomary15–20%

When & how: Add it on the payment terminal or hand over cash at the end of the ride.

Keep in mind: A $40 fare means $6–$8. Choose a custom amount if the screen’s presets don’t suit you.

Sources: Emily Post Institute

RideshareApp-optional · appreciated15–20%

When & how: A useful service tip; add it in the app after the ride or give cash directly.

Keep in mind: Uber says tipping is optional and takes no fee from tips. You don’t need to tip twice.

Sources: NerdWallet · Uber

Airport transfersCheck your bookingCheck inclusion

When & how: For a taxi, use the taxi rate. For a booked car or van, inspect the payment details first; tip via booking or cash at drop-off.

Keep in mind: SuperShuttle, for example, commonly adds an editable 18% default; some markets include gratuity automatically. Operator policies differ.

Sources: SuperShuttle

Hotel courtesy shuttleCustomary for service$1–2 / person

When & how: Cash at drop-off; AHLA suggests $4–5 for a party.

Keep in mind: This is for a hotel’s courtesy shuttle, not a paid private airport transfer.

Sources: American Hotel & Lodging Association

Bellhop & luggage helpCustomary$2 + $1 / bag

When & how: Cash after help: $2 for the first bag, $1 for each additional bag.

Keep in mind: AHLA gives a wider $1–5 per bag range; consider more for heavy luggage or extra assistance.

Sources: Emily Post Institute · American Hotel & Lodging Association

HousekeepingCustomary$2–5 / day

When & how: Leave cash daily with a note identifying it as a housekeeping tip.

Keep in mind: Tip when the room is serviced, so the person cleaning that day receives it.

Sources: Emily Post Institute · Emily Post

ConciergeFor help beyond the basics$5–10+

When & how: Cash after a booking or special arrangement; more for an unusually difficult request.

Keep in mind: No tip needed for directions or a simple question.

Sources: American Hotel & Lodging Association · Emily Post Institute

Room serviceCheck for included gratuity15–20%

When & how: If gratuity is absent, add a tip to the signed bill or give cash on delivery.

Keep in mind: Ask whether a service or delivery charge covers gratuity before adding another payment.

Sources: American Hotel & Lodging Association · US Department of Labor

Valet & hotel door staffFor personal assistance$2–5 valet

When & how: Give the valet cash when your car returns; $1–2 for door staff hailing a taxi.

Keep in mind: A smile and thanks are enough for simply opening a door.

Sources: Emily Post Institute · American Hotel & Lodging Association

Tour guidesAppreciated · varies by tourTour-specific

When & how: Cash at the end is practical; check if the operator supports a digital tip. Emily Post suggests a broad $5–50 for a short tour, depending on the experience and your group.

Keep in mind: This is not a per-person national rate. Ask the operator before a private, full-day or multi-day tour. Budget for pay-what-you-wish walks too.

Sources: Emily Post

Tour driversCheck the operator’s guidanceTrip-specific

When & how: Check your trip documents. As an operator example, Cosmos suggests $5–7 per person per day for the driver, given in an envelope when their service ends.

Keep in mind: This is not a national rate. Cosmos suggests a separate $5–7 for its tour director. Other operators may include or prepay gratuities; ask before tipping by card.

Sources: Cosmos · Globus

Food deliveryCustomary · app-optional15% or $5+

When & how: Our practical starting point: 15%, with a $5 minimum. Add in the app or give cash on delivery; consider more for a difficult trip.

Keep in mind: Published advice varies: Emily Post suggests around 10% or $5+, while NerdWallet’s expert recommends at least 15%. This figure is our synthesis, not a mandatory fee.

Sources: Emily Post · NerdWallet · Uber Eats

Spas & salonsCustomary15–20%

When & how: At checkout, use cash or card if accepted; ask how to allocate it among staff.

Keep in mind: Check whether a resort treatment already includes gratuity.

Sources: Emily Post · Emily Post Institute

These are customary ranges, not fixed fees. Included gratuity and an individual business’s policy take priority.

FROM ARRIVAL TO THE LAST BILL

A little context for your journey

01 / Arriving & getting around

Before your airport pickup, check the booking confirmation for a gratuity line. A prepaid fare can already contain a tip. SuperShuttle’s stated default is one example of why it pays to read the breakdown. For a hotel courtesy shuttle, a small cash tip is a different convention from a percentage on a private transfer. SuperShuttle · American Hotel & Lodging Association.

On Uber, you can finish the journey and add a tip in the app, or hand it directly to the driver. The platform makes tipping optional. The percentage in our cheat sheet is etiquette guidance, not an app requirement. Uber.

02 / Checking in & settling into your hotel

Keep a few $1 and $5 bills accessible for small services. Hand a luggage tip to the person who helped you. Leave housekeeping’s tip clearly labeled rather than among your belongings. Staff can change, so leave it each service day instead of saving it all until checkout. American Hotel & Lodging Association · Emily Post.

Pay for the help actually provided: routine directions are different from a concierge securing a difficult reservation. AHLA does not recommend tipping for repairs or for bringing an item that was missing from the room. American Hotel & Lodging Association.

03 / Eating, drinking & paying the bill

For table service, 20% is an easy planning figure: double 10% of the pre-tax subtotal. On a $60 meal, that is $12. Read any automatic gratuity first. If the receipt still has a blank tip line, that alone doesn’t mean a second full tip is expected. Intrepid Travel · NerdWallet.

If you are paying by card, you may encounter an on-screen tip choice or a gratuity line on a receipt. Check the total before completing payment. With cash, be clear about the amount you want returned. If you have already tipped in cash, avoid adding the same amount again on the card. NerdWallet.

04 / Tours, treatments & the end of your stay

A walking tour, a private excursion and a week-long coach trip should not share one tipping formula. Ask your operator for its recommendation before departure: is it per person, per day, and for the guide, driver or both? A prepaid gratuity package may cover some staff and leave others out. Globus · Emily Post.

At a spa, check the treatment bill for included gratuity. For a salon visit involving several staff, ask the front desk how to divide your tip. A quick, quiet thank-you is enough; there is no need to make a ceremony of it. Emily Post · Emily Post Institute.

CHECK BEFORE YOU ADD

Service charge or tip?

A compulsory service charge and a voluntary tip are different. The US Department of Labor distinguishes the two under federal wage rules; the words on a bill do not tell you everything about how the business distributes the money. US Department of Labor.

The useful question to ask

“Does this charge cover gratuity, or is a tip separate?”

If a gratuity is already included for your service, adding more is your choice. If the charge is described as a delivery fee, administration fee or staff-benefits surcharge, ask what it covers. Do not automatically assume every percentage is a tip—or add a second 20% without checking.

Before or after tax? The conventional restaurant range in this guide uses the pre-tax subtotal. That is why a $50 meal has a $10 tip at 20%, whatever the local sales tax. Suggested amounts on payment screens may use a different base. Emily Post Institute.

THE LITTLE THINGS YOU WONDER

Common questions

Do I have to tip every time a screen asks?

No. A prompt is an option, not proof of a tipping custom. For ordinary counter service or pickup, you can decline. Table service is a different social expectation. See the individual categories above.

Should I tip in cash or on my card?

Either can work when the business supports it. Cash in small US-dollar bills is practical for hotel staff. Card or app tips are convenient for restaurants and rides. If a tour or treatment is prepaid, ask how staff can receive a tip.

What if the service was poor?

Raise the specific problem politely with the manager or operator. Emily Post recommends speaking to the manager while still leaving a restaurant tip. A tip does not replace reporting a service concern. Emily Post.

Are these amounts the same everywhere in the US?

They are useful national starting points. The property, service, group size and local expectations can change the amount. We avoid claiming that one exact rate applies in every city. For an organized tour or resort stay, check its written guidance.

Is 20% always required?

No. It is a common restaurant planning benchmark, not a universal requirement. The usual pre-tax table-service range here is 15–20%; included gratuity, optional counter-service tips and operator policies change the answer.

RESEARCH YOU CAN FOLLOW

Sources & review notes

Last reviewed September 17, 2026 by World Tipping Guide. This prototype combines published etiquette guidance with first-party service policies. It has not been independently field-tested in every US city.

Where advice differs, we show a range and explain the choice. For example, AHLA’s older hotel guidance suggests $1–5 for housekeeping; this guide uses Emily Post’s $2–5. Tour advice is too dependent on the trip to present one national rate. Provider examples are labeled as examples.

Emily Post Institute — General Tipping Guide ↗Etiquette guidance for bars, counter service, luggage assistance, housekeeping and salons. Undated; checked September 17, 2026.
NerdWallet — How Much to Tip Just About Everyone ↗Interviews with etiquette specialists; restaurants, drivers, delivery and payment methods. Updated September 17, 2025; checked September 17, 2026.
American Hotel & Lodging Association — Gratuity Guide ↗Industry guidance for hotel staff and courtesy shuttles. PDF copyright 2014; used for service mechanics and cross-checked against Emily Post for amounts. Checked September 17, 2026.
Uber — How to Tip Your Driver ↗First-party policy on optional tips, cash and app payments. Undated; checked September 17, 2026.
SuperShuttle — Chicago service FAQs ↗Provider example: default 18% and market-specific inclusive gratuities. Not a national tipping rule. Checked September 17, 2026.
Uber Eats — How do I tip my delivery person? ↗First-party cash and in-app tipping process. Undated; checked September 17, 2026.
Emily Post — Etiquette Today: Travel Tipping ↗Tour-specific guidance and advance budgeting. Checked September 17, 2026.
Globus — Travel FAQs ↗Operator-specific prepaid gratuities and separate local-guide coverage. Checked September 17, 2026.
US Department of Labor — Service charges ↗Distinguishes compulsory service charges from voluntary tips under federal wage rules. Checked September 17, 2026.
Intrepid Travel — USA travel FAQs ↗Travel operator guidance on US tipping culture and a 20% restaurant benchmark. Checked September 17, 2026.
Emily Post Institute — Finer Points of Tipping ↗Etiquette for handling service concerns and unfamiliar situations. Undated; checked September 17, 2026.
Emily Post — Etiquette Today: Everyday Tipping ↗Published October 2, 2025; personal services, delivery, takeaway and service concerns. Checked September 17, 2026.
Cosmos — Know Before You Go: North America ↗Operator example, page 8: $5–7 per traveler per day for the driver, with the same range separately for the tour director. Undated PDF; trip documents may override. Checked September 17, 2026.

Next scheduled editorial review: March 2027, or sooner if a cited policy changes. Review dates reflect the research check, not a source’s original publication date.