How often do Americans tip?

By Talker Staff

Tipping for services has always presented challenges unique to American culture, where low minimum wages allow businesses to offload some of the cost of employment to their customers.

As the cost of living has increased and effective wages have plummeted, it seems like the places and amounts we’re expected to tip keep expanding. Are consumers keeping up with expectations? Are new digital tipping options and peer-to-peer services using POS systems adding confusion or convenience?

Forbes' 2023 Digital Tipping Culture Survey attempts to answer some of these questions and understand where Americans’ tipping habits stand in 2023.

How Do Americans Tip in 2023?

In general, customers aren’t leaving service workers hanging. Most people reported always tipping, and 95% of people report tipping at least sometimes.

People aged 59 and older were the most likely to report that they always tip. Over 60% of people aged 59 to 77 reported always tipping, compared to only 33% of respondents aged 27 to 42.

However, respondents 27 to 42 were the most likely of any age group to report tipping more than 25%.

Male respondents were slightly more likely to report always tipping—45% compared with 39% of female respondents. (Nearly 40% of respondents who identified as “other” gender report always tipping.)

Americans tip 16% on average

Over half (57%) of respondents reported tipping an average between 11% and 20% of the price of a service, with a minority tipping more or less than that.

Respondents between ages 27 and 42 were most likely to report tipping more than 25% on average, though that amount is rare among all age groups.

Men are about twice as likely as women to tip between 21% and 25%, while women are most likely to tip between 11% and 20%.

Services People Are Most Likely To Tip For

Across ages and genders, respondents were most likely to report tipping servers when they eat at a sit-down restaurant and least likely to report tipping movers (though the survey didn’t specify whether they use these services and don’t tip or simply don’t use the services).

Men were more likely to report tipping for every service compared with women, except salons and spas.

Survey methodology:

To understand the average American tipping culture and habits, Forbes Advisor commissioned a survey of 2,000 Americans by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. The margin of error is +/- 2.2 points with 95% confidence. The OnePoll research team is a member of the MRS and has corporate membership with the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR).

Editorial Note: This story was originally published on Forbes Advisor.