Ever wonder how much you should tip the barista? What about the pizza guy? Or your hair stylist? You’re not alone! Tipping can be pretty awkward, and feeling that way doesn’t mean you aren’t a generous person. It probably just means you aren’t sure what the rules are. We’ve got a list of how to tip in every situation imaginable (or at least a whole lot of them!).
Server or Waiter When you go out to eat at a sit-down restaurant, you should tip 20%. And if you really want to be generous, go for the 25% mark. Remember: Most servers make around $2 per hour, so they’re counting on those tips to make ends meet. You should consider the tip part of the overall experience of dining out. Because if you can’t afford to tip your server, then you shouldn’t be eating out to begin with. Period! What should you do if you get really bad service? If you want to knock that 20% down to 15%, that’s okay, but you should never completely skip the tip.
Fast-Food Restaurants When it comes to fast food (or “fast casual”) restaurants, pay attention to the kind of service you receive. Do they bring the food to your table? Do they bus the table for you instead of making you tidy up and throw away your trash? If so, it would be nice to leave a few bucks if they’ve got a tip jar or something at the cash register and you’re feeling generous. If not, then it’s okay to bypass the tip—it’s not expected in those situations.
Buffet Restaurants Servers at a buffet may not bring food to your table, but they still refill your drinks and clear your plates. So. Many. Plates. Think about it: You’ve got to grab a new plate for every visit back to the buffet, so you’re making a lot of work for that person. Tip them! A good rule of thumb here is to tip at least 10%. Also, feel free to raise that if you get stellar service. Again, these servers make very little per hour. Think of it like this: If everyone tipped just one extra dollar, it would make a big difference for the server.
Takeout This one is iffy. You shouldn’t feel pressure to leave a tip when you pick up a takeout order, but it would be a nice gesture to leave the workers a little something-something. Assuming you’re just picking up one or two meals, rather than a massive order, a few bucks will show your appreciation.
Restaurant Delivery You should absolutely tip for restaurant delivery! After all, someone had to bring that delicious piping-hot pizza to your front door. Without them, you’d probably be eating cold mac and cheese leftovers and that salami that’s been sitting in the fridge for a month. Plus, you didn’t have to leave the house (or change out of your pajamas). Be generous and give them 10–20%.
Carhop Whether you’re a regular at Sonic or another mom-and-pop drive-in, tipping your carhop is up to you. Did they bring out your meal (and drinks) on roller skates with ease? Yup, that probably deserves a tip. Just like with other fast-food restaurants, a tip isn’t expected, but it’s always appreciated.
Coffee Barista You’ve seen the little tip jar on the counter when you pick up your morning cup of java. It usually has a cute phrase on it like “alms for the pour” or “thanks a latte for your tippaccino.” So, what do you do? When it comes to coffee, you’re not obligated to tip. But if you feel like being generous, or if that kind barista went out of their way for you, why not leave a tip? Put a dollar in that punny tip jar as a sign of thanks for the work they put in to help you perk up.
Bartender You should definitely tip bartenders, especially if the drink requires mixing, shaking or stirring. A dollar or two per drink is perfectly fine tipping etiquette here.
Restroom Attendant If you’re in an overly elegant establishment, a restroom attendant might be part of the ambience. If you’ve got a couple of bucks on you, feel free to offer it. If you don’t, just smile and say thanks.
Valet When you use convenience services like a valet, remember that convenience often costs money. So if you treat yourself to a valet service instead of parking your own car, you should absolutely tip a few dollars. And if the valet service itself is free, then definitely don’t skip the tip. Have you seen how fast those valets run to make sure you get in your car super quickly? The Flash couldn’t do better. It’s worth $5–10 (or more if you can afford it).
Grocery Store Bagger or Order Pickup Runner A lot of grocery stores ask you not to tip the people who bag or carry out your groceries. Some will even flat-out tell their employees to refuse tips. You don’t want to get them in trouble, so if the person is kind enough to carry your bags out to the car, show gratitude with some kind words. Look at their name tag (without making it creepy), and say their name as you say thank you. You’d be surprised how few people do this—and how much it could mean to the bagger. And the same goes for people who prepare your drive-up or pickup orders. Technically, they aren’t allowed to accept tips either—so again, don’t get them into trouble. Just offer a kind and heartfelt thank-you. These people are basically doing what’s now become a regular part of working at a grocery store.
Grocery Delivery Services When figuring out how to tip for grocery delivery, remember most of the gig workers at companies like Shipt and TaskRabbit rely on tips as part of their income. Once you factor in gasoline use, wear and tear on their car, and independent contractor taxes (not to mention time and energy spent doing the shopping for you), they really don’t have much base pay left. So be kind. A 15–20% tip is a good rule of thumb for someone who braved the store, shopped for the best produce, waited in line, fought traffic, and brought groceries right to your front door so you didn’t have to do any of that. The same goes for stores like Walmart and Kroger that offer in-house delivery services.
Hair Stylist or Barber Do you need to tip your hair guru or your barber? Yup—after all, you’re trusting these people with your hair! (Let’s face it, that’s one of the strongest levels of trust there is.) Tipping around 15–20% is standard depending on their profession and the service you received. But feel free to go higher, especially if you get a scalp massage or the best color job of your life.
Manicurist When it comes to nail services, tip like you’d tip your hair stylist. With 15–20%, you can’t go wrong!
Tattoo Artist It takes some pretty incredible skills for someone to draw permanent art on your body—and do it well. A good tattoo artist deserves a gratuity of 15–20%.
Next week, we will look at how to tip while traveling, other types of common services, how to tip during the holidays and how to calculate your tip.
(Partially reprinted from www.ramseysolutions.com)
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