How Much Do You Tip a Restaurant Server?

How much do you tip a restaurant server?

In the United States, the standard tip for a restaurant server providing table service is about 15 to 20 percent of the bill for good service, with 18 to 20 percent increasingly seen as the norm and 15 percent on the lower end. For truly exceptional service, tipping more than 20 percent is a generous and appreciated gesture, while for genuinely poor service you might tip less, though leaving something is customary since US servers rely heavily on tips as income. On a fifty dollar meal, for instance, a tip of around eight to ten dollars is typical. This applies to full-service, sit-down restaurants where a server waits on your table. Because servers in the US are often paid a lower base wage with the expectation that tips make up the rest, tipping in this range is an important part of dining out.

What should you tip on, and how?

In the US, the customary practice is to calculate your tip based on the pre-tax subtotal of the bill, before sales tax is added, though many people simply tip on the total for convenience, which is also fine and slightly more generous. You can leave the tip in cash on the table or add it to your card payment when the option is presented, writing in the tip amount and total on a paper receipt or selecting an amount on a payment screen. A quick way to estimate is to double the tax in areas where tax is around 8 to 10 percent, which lands near 16 to 20 percent, or use a tip calculator. For larger groups, be aware the tip may already be added. Tipping on the subtotal in cash or on the card is standard and straightforward.

When is a service charge or gratuity already included?

Sometimes a service charge or automatic gratuity is already added to your bill, in which case you do not need to tip the full amount again, so it is important to check. Many US restaurants automatically add a gratuity, often 18 to 20 percent, for large parties, typically groups of six or more, and this appears as a line on the bill. Some restaurants, and increasingly certain establishments, add a service charge to all bills. When such a charge is included, an additional tip is optional, though you may add a little extra for outstanding service. Always review your bill before adding a tip to avoid inadvertently tipping twice. Reading the itemized charges for wording like gratuity, service charge, or service included tells you whether the tip is already covered, which is especially common with big groups and at some venues.

How does restaurant tipping vary abroad?

Restaurant tipping varies dramatically around the world, and the US standard of 15 to 20 percent is unusually high by global standards. In many countries, service is included in the price or a modest service charge is added, so tipping is minimal, often just rounding up the bill or leaving a small amount, and in some places tipping is not expected at all. In others, a tip of around 5 to 10 percent is customary for good service, less than the US norm. A few countries even consider tipping unnecessary or unusual. Because of this wide variation, applying US-level tips everywhere is not appropriate and can be excessive. When dining abroad, check the local tipping customs and whether service is included on the bill, and consult a country tipping guide, so you tip appropriately for that destination rather than defaulting to US percentages.