If it feels like you’re being asked to tip more often these days, you aren’t alone. A study from Pew Research shows that 72% of people say they are being asked to tip more often today than five years ago.
Between modern technology making it easier to ask for tips and pandemic-driven changes in how we buy things, tipping has reached previously unseen levels.
Which raises an important question…
Is tipping culture out of control?
Many people think so.
It seems that every time you pay for something, there’s a tip screen waiting for you. And while tipping is meant to reward good service, it also allows companies to pay their staff less and let tips make up the difference.
Technology has made this easier than ever. The first time I was asked for a tip at a fast food restaurant was when the old cash register was replaced with a tablet. The cashier turned the screen toward me, offering the option to leave a tip (I didn’t).
Ordering through apps has only added to this. Even when there’s no human interaction, you’re often still prompted to leave a tip.
During the pandemic, it made sense to tip frontline service workers, as they were exposed to risk while working through stressful, confusing times. But the practice has continued, leaving many wondering if it’s just too much.
And tipping is no longer limited to traditional service businesses such as restaurants, hair salons, or hotels. In the Subreddit r/tipping, there are many threads of people being asked to top at bike shops, mechanics, and other services that never traditionally involved tipping.
Another subreddit, r/endtipping, advocates for the end of tipping culture and believes that all businesses should have transparent pricing.
So, how much should you tip?
Let’s break it down.
How much should you tip your hairdresser?
According to Cosmopolitan, 20% is the standard if you are happy with your service. You might consider tipping more if you asked for extras, like a last-minute appointment. They also suggested tipping more for additional services, such as highlights. But since you are already paying an additional fee for more services, the 20% should cover you.
How much should you tip an Uber driver?
AAA suggests tipping 10% to 20% of the cost of your ride. Base your tip on the car’s cleanliness, how comfortable the driver made you feel, and any other perks offered, such as water or a phone charger.
Both AAA and Reader’s Digest suggest tipping extra in bad weather. But keep in mind that inclement weather can make drivers less available, which can push up the price. If that’s happened, then 20% of a higher fare is still a larger-than-normal tip, and there is no need to tip extra on top of that.
How much should you tip a massage therapist?
According to Spa Theory, you should tip 15% to 20% of the service cost. It suggests tipping extra for longer or specialized massages. But again, a longer or specialized massage is more expensive, so it will automatically come with a higher tip without having to adjust the percentage.
How much should you tip at a sit-down restaurant?
Food and Wine says that you should tip at least 18% at a sit-down, full-service restaurant and that 20% - 22% is standard.
This matters because servers usually only make minimum wage and are required to tip out support staff, such as bussers, bartenders, and kitchen staff. This means a percentage of their sales is automatically deducted from their tips and divided among the support staff. So if you don’t tip, you may actually cost the server money to wait on you.
How much should you tip at a restaurant with counter service?
Restaurants where you order at a counter are now asking for tips, even though that wasn’t the custom in the past. Toast explains that tipping is not expected, but is appreciated, at these types of establishments. In other words: optional, but not mandatory.
How much should you tip for delivery?
Delish recommends tipping 20% for food delivery, including apps such as Uber Eats and DoorDash.
Tip more if:
- You live in an apartment (due to stairs or elevator)
- There were restaurant delays
- The delivery was unusually difficult
These factors are not accounted for when the order is priced, so a higher percentage may be warranted. The same rules apply to grocery delivery. Tip about 20% of the order cost, and add extra if the situation warrants it.
Should you tip on takeout?
Pre-pandemic, it was rare to order takeout from a full-service restaurant, but now, it’s a tough question to answer.
You know the servers are not making a fair hourly wage, but they also didn’t wait on you, so what exactly are you tipping for? In r/tipping, the consensus seems to be that people are generally not tipping. But that is likely a biased sample, so it’s hard to say what is happening in actual practice.
If the restaurant requires tip sharing, it may be a net negative to the server who put together your order if you don’t tip. But opponents of tipping on takeout say it is a practice that needs to stop, and continuing to tip will only encourage restaurants to keep this unfair practice.
The bottom line is that you have to do what you feel comfortable with. If tipping 20% on takeout seems like too much but you feel guilty about not tipping at all, you can split the difference with 10%.
Or if tipping for takeout seems ridiculous, don’t tip; you aren’t the only one who feels that way.
How can Lunch Money help you account for tipping in your budget?
There are two ways to include tipping in your Lunch Money budget. One is to just think of the tip as part of the price of whatever you are buying, and don’t create a separate line item for it.
For example, let’s say you’ve set aside $300 in your ‘Restaurant’ budget category. You would categorize the entire bill, including the tip, under that budget.
Another way would be to create a dedicated Lunch Money category for tips and split any transaction that includes a tip. So, if you dine out, you’d put the actual bill, say $40, into the restaurant category and the tip, say $10, into the tip category.
The Bottom Line on Tipping in 2026
When in doubt, tip 20%; that will cover any expected tip in just about every situation. It can get tricky when you don’t feel a tip is warranted, but don’t want to be rude.
At the end of the day, you have to do what you think is right. If you are tired of being asked for tips at every interaction, continuing to tip against your will won’t change the system. You can choose to give a small tip, or none at all.
On the other hand, there are times when not tipping, say, at a sit-down restaurant where tipping is expected, is probably best avoided if you aren’t prepared to tip.
