A tip (gratuity) supplements wages for service workers. In the US, tipping is customary and often expected as servers earn a lower base wage ($2.13/hr federal tipped minimum).
Standard Tip Ranges (US)
- 15%: Adequate service
- 18–20%: Good service (most common)
- 25%+: Excellent / above-and-beyond service
- 10% or less: Poor service (still typically expected)
Quick Math
For 20%: Move the decimal point one place left (= 10%), then double it. Bill = $47.50 → 10% = $4.75 → 20% = $9.50.
Tipping Norms Vary by Country
U.S. tipping culture (15–25% expected at sit-down restaurants) is unusually high by global standards — in much of Europe, a service charge is often already included in the bill and additional tipping is modest (rounding up or 5–10%); in Japan, tipping can even be considered impolite. Assuming U.S. norms apply everywhere is a common mistake for international travelers.
Tipping on Tax
Etiquette guides generally suggest calculating tip on the pre-tax subtotal, not the total including sales tax — though in practice, many people simplify by tipping on the full receipt total, which usually only adds a small percentage difference to the final tip amount.