Tipping culture in the USA: what you need to know

Unless you’ve received substandard service, 20% is the expected amount to leave as a tip in a restaurant or café. Rates have been rising over recent years, so 18% is now the minimum expected tip, while anything over 20% is generally considered good.

Restaurants and cafes will normally break down the amounts on your bill, with 18%, 20% and 22% listed, although it’s more common to see 20%, 22% and 25% given as the options. You’re not obligated to follow those suggestions but it does save working out the percentage of the pre-tax cost in your head.

If you do have a problem with your meal, you’ll be expected to raise it with your server (or their manager if necessary) to allow the restaurant or café to make amends, rather than leaving a smaller tip. Waiters are often paid less than the minimum wage as tips make up the difference, so leaving a small (or no) tip has a bigger impact than in Europe.

Cash is usually preferred as it goes straight to your server, but adding the tip to a card is far better than not tipping at all. Service charges aren’t normally added to the bill automatically unless you’re visiting as part of a large group; in this case, they should be clearly marked, although you may still be encouraged to leave an additional tip.

Unlike in Europe, you’re also expected to tip bartenders, whose wages also tend to be under the minimum, and applies when you go up to the bar to order and carry your own drinks back to your seat. Allow around $1 per drink, more if you’re ordering a complicated cocktail or a particularly pricy glass of wine or spirit. If you’re hoping to have more than one drink in a bar, the amount you tip may well impact the service you receive on your second visit.

It’s also expected to tip some hotel staff, although not concierges or those on reception. For housekeeping per night, we normally recommend leaving $4 per night. It’s best to leave the tip daily (either on your pillow, or somewhere visible with a note saying ‘thank you’) but you can leave one large tip at the end of your stay if you prefer. Porterage is included in our escorted tours, so you won’t be expected to tip anyone for carrying your bags.

A great guide and tour manager can make all the difference to your holiday, and it’s standard to tip in the US, as in most countries. We’d suggest a tip of £4-6 per day for our tour managers, around $5-7 for drivers, and $3-5 for guides. We recommend tipping tour managers in pounds, but all other tips in US dollars.

Tipping taxi drivers is also expected in the US and making up the total to the nearest round number is definitely not enough. Around 15% is usually the minimum for the journey, while 20% is standard for a drive with a smile or some polite chat. If you’ve had help with bags, or a particularly complicated journey, expect to pay more than 20%. Cash is fine, although with many taxis using card payment, you’ll often find the options for different tip amounts presented automatically, as in restaurants.

It can seem like there are few occasions in the US where you aren’t expected to tip, and as a rule of thumb, you do need to add a tip anywhere you’re given a service or anywhere you sit down to eat and drink. The exceptions tend to be if you receive counter service, such as buying fast food or getting a drink/snack at one of the chain coffee shops. It’s common to be given the option to add a tip even for a takeaway coffee, with the usual three percentage options, but it’s not obligatory. You may still find tip jars in coffee shops if you prefer to put a dollar or some change in here, and tips are of course always welcome for particularly good service.

Explore our range of escorted tours to the USA