These are the customary US ranges for everyday services. They're conventions, not rules: tip toward the top for service that made your day, toward the bottom when it was just fine, and know that customs shift the moment you cross a border.
| Service | Customary tip |
|---|---|
| Restaurant (table service) | 15 to 20% |
| Food delivery | 10 to 15% |
| Bartender | 15 to 20%, or a dollar or two per drink |
| Hair and beauty services | 15 to 20% |
| Taxi or rideshare | 10 to 15% |
| Hotel housekeeping | A few dollars per night, left daily |
Percentages beat flat amounts for most of these because they scale with the work: a $200 dinner takes more coordination than a $20 lunch, and the tip follows along. The two flat-amount rows (bar drinks, housekeeping) are the exceptions where the effort doesn't grow with the price.
Once you've picked a percent, the tip calculator handles the rest: it splits the bill across your table and can round each person's share up to a clean dollar.
Tipping FAQ
Do you tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount?
Convention says tip on the pre-tax subtotal, but plenty of people tip on the final total because it's the number staring back at them. The difference is small, and tipping on the total is always a safe, slightly generous choice.
Should you tip on takeout?
It's not expected the way table service tipping is. For big, complicated or carefully packed orders, around 10 percent is a kind gesture the staff will notice.
How do you figure a 20 percent tip in your head?
Move the decimal one place left to get 10 percent, then double it. A $64 bill becomes $6.40, doubled to $12.80. For 15 percent, take the 10 percent figure and add half of it again. Or skip the mental gymnastics and let the calculator do it while you reach for your card.
All of these amounts are suggestions shaped by US custom; the disclaimer has the fine print.