Tipping Etiquette: A Comprehensive Guide for US Diners

Politics and religion are widely regarded as topics to be avoided to keep a conversation more civil. If you've ever witnessed a heated debate over how much to tip, you know that the subject of tipping etiquette can give them a run for their money. In the United States, tipping is a regular part of life.

Most people have a set idea of how much to tip at a restaurant (although amounts vary, I go with 20% personally), but where people can really get confused and flustered are all those less common and more ambiguous situations where tips are expected. Read on for a few suggestions from our research.

Tipping guides

If you're interested in a tipping guide that covers the most common scenarios, here are a few to help you out:

• Business Insider — How Much to Tip for Every Service

• CNN — How Much to Tip

• Denver Post — Tips on Tipping

• Refinery29 — The Savvy Girl's Guide to Tipping Etiquette

Knowing the standard amount to tip for different types of services doesn't cover every tipping scenario. There are still plenty of situations where tipping etiquette is unclear enough to cause awkwardness and confusion.

How much to tip in tricky tipping scenarios

In most of these situations, there's no one right answer for how much to tip. When faced with a confusing tipping situation, it's nonetheless helpful to know what other people tend to do to make the best decision for yourself.

Tricky tipping scenario suggestions

The suggestions below are the result of a (highly unscientific) survey of the habits of the Kasasa blog team. See how our results compare to your tipping habits and please share any additional input you have in the comments!

• You order food to be delivered and have already paid a delivery fee.
  Tipping suggestion: A couple of bucks. The answers were the same across the board on this one, so you can feel pretty confident you're providing a decent amount.

• When you call in a to-go order and pick it up yourself.
  Tipping suggestion: A buck or two. Not everybody in our survey leaves a tip in this scenario, but enough do that it's probably best to leave a little something to show your appreciation for the people who put your order together.

• When the barista at your coffee shop makes you an espresso drink.
  Tipping suggestion: A dollar seems to be the consensus, potentially going up to a dollar a drink if you order multiple (although this seems to be fairly rare for trips to the coffee shop).

• When you encounter one of the various scenarios where you can only tip with cash. Examples include: when you're at an open bar, when the valet at the hotel hails you a cab, for the hotel cleaning lady. (Note: this one's mostly tricky for those of us who don't regularly carry cash.)

• Tipping suggestion: If you know you're going to encounter one of these scenarios, do try to get a hold of some ones in advance. If you find yourself in one of these situations without cash, just try to be extra friendly and don't beat yourself up too much over it.

• When you order an expensive cocktail or bottle of wine somewhere without table service.
  Tipping suggestion: There was less consensus on this one, with some people still tipping the 15-20% they would at any restaurant, but the most common answer was to tip a dollar a drink or a bit more for a bottle of wine.

• When you visit a salon or spa for a haircut or massage.
  Tipping suggestion: The standard here seems to be pretty similar to what people do at a restaurant – 20% in general, but a bit more if the service is exceptional or a bit less if you're unhappy with the results.