Tipping

Winilyme · 06-12-2025, 10:00 PM

Interesting study on which states tip the most as a percentage of spending on food to be consumed away from home. NH ranks #1.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-tipp...ng-tree-study/

Keep in mind the percentages overall seem very low until you remember that the denominator is the sum of all food purchased for consumption outside of the home. It's atypical (or should I write 'atipical') to tip in some of those establishments.

Perhaps NH is more dine-in versus fast food centric as opposed to other states where there seems to be a McDonalds, Burger King or Subway on every corner (my guess only). Also, I'm sure the wealth of the east coast weighs into the noted disparity against the south and west.

NH also ranks fairly high (#9) on annual per capita spending for food to be consumed away from home.

Mr. V · 06-13-2025, 01:03 PM

Any stats on what the average tip is, state by state, when dining out at a sit down restaurant?

John Mercier · 06-13-2025, 02:19 PM

"People in the U.S. capital on average tip 12.65% when eating out."

John Mercier · 06-13-2025, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winilyme

Interesting study on which states tip the most as a percentage of spending on food to be consumed away from home. NH ranks #1.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-tipp...ng-tree-study/

Keep in mind the percentages overall seem very low until you remember that the denominator is the sum of all food purchased for consumption outside of the home. It's atypical (or should I write 'atipical') to tip in some of those establishments.

Perhaps NH is more dine-in versus fast food centric as opposed to other states where there seems to be a McDonalds, Burger King or Subway on every corner (my guess only). Also, I'm sure the wealth of the east coast weighs into the noted disparity against the south and west.

NH also ranks fairly high (#9) on annual per capita spending for food to be consumed away from home.

Maybe.
But while some diners take the time to figure 15%.
Some may just double the Meals Tax as a tip or use the $1 for every $5 methods.

That would bring it above the 15%

Descant · 06-13-2025, 05:21 PM

It appears the numbers are not calibrated for restaurants where you normally tip vs places where you normally don't tip, food trucks, ice cream stands, coffee shops, drive thru and the like. Individual service vs. a jar by the window.

John Mercier · 06-13-2025, 05:51 PM

I'm betting it was more of a survey of bills and the tips provided rather than some large data set.

ITD · 06-14-2025, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Mercier

I'm betting it was more of a survey of bills and the tips provided rather than some large data set.

And it seems low, I'm thinking it includes many places that don't provide table service.

John Mercier · 06-14-2025, 10:05 AM

16% doesn't seem that low.

Biggd · 06-14-2025, 10:57 AM

When you tip a percentage and the price keeps going up, there's an automatic increase in the tip. I remember when a tip was 12%, then 15%, then 18%, now 20%.
Now they hand you a tablet with your tab and the options are 20, 25, and 30%!

bigdog · 06-14-2025, 12:56 PM

Tipping is getting out of hand, normally I tip 20% makes the math easier.

BTW, Trump is making 'tax on tips' obsolete, that said that will all be FREE money !

As it should be !

Mr. V · 06-14-2025, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdog

Tipping is getting out of hand, normally I tip 20% makes the math easier.

BTW, Trump is making 'tax on tips' obsolete, that said that will all be FREE money !

As it should be !

Great, so now we can tip LESS and the server cannot really complain about receiving less.

FlyingScot · 06-14-2025, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Mercier

16% doesn't seem that low.

If we're talking sit down meal it's too low to be the average--keep in mind that half the tips would be below that amount, lots of people tip 20% or so, and pretty much nobody tips less than 15%

John Mercier · 06-14-2025, 02:05 PM

We can't really know how many are doing the 15% (or less) to bring the average down.

But I am guessing it to be just a survey and less than deep dive into data that may not readily be available.
So the number is probably skewed.

We also have to remember that we are biased by the Lakes Region.

Descant · 06-15-2025, 06:48 PM

Place I stayed once in Nantucket, on the menu: "Breakfast is included in your room fee. We print (heavily inflated) prices to give you guidance in tipping your servers".

retired · 06-16-2025, 08:59 AM

When I worked in a local restaurant, back in 1980, I recall the Canadiens being very bad tippers. They tipped like the Europeans, leaving loose change from the bill on the table. Nobody wanted to wait on them. Has that changed? Does anyone have first-hand knowledge?

06-13-2025, 01:03 PM	#2
Mr. V Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: the left coast (Portland)and West Alton Posts: 1,409 Thanks: 65 Thanked 259 Times in 177 Posts	Any stats on what the average tip is, state by state, when dining out at a sit down restaurant? __________________ basking in the benign indifference of the universe

06-12-2025, 10:00 PM	#1
Winilyme Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Ice in = CT / Ice out = Winnipesaukee Posts: 494 Thanks: 135 Thanked 295 Times in 159 Posts	Tipping Interesting study on which states tip the most as a percentage of spending on food to be consumed away from home. NH ranks #1. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-tipp...ng-tree-study/ Keep in mind the percentages overall seem very low until you remember that the denominator is the sum of all food purchased for consumption outside of the home. It's atypical (or should I write 'atipical') to tip in some of those establishments. Perhaps NH is more dine-in versus fast food centric as opposed to other states where there seems to be a McDonalds, Burger King or Subway on every corner (my guess only). Also, I'm sure the wealth of the east coast weighs into the noted disparity against the south and west. NH also ranks fairly high (#9) on annual per capita spending for food to be consumed away from home.

06-13-2025, 02:19 PM	#3
John Mercier Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 3,412 Thanks: 3 Thanked 599 Times in 495 Posts	"People in the U.S. capital on average tip 12.65% when eating out."

06-13-2025, 05:21 PM	#5
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,373 Thanks: 1,352 Thanked 1,625 Times in 1,057 Posts	It appears the numbers are not calibrated for restaurants where you normally tip vs places where you normally don't tip, food trucks, ice cream stands, coffee shops, drive thru and the like. Individual service vs. a jar by the window.

The Following User Says Thank You to Descant For This Useful Post:
FlyingScot (06-14-2025)

06-13-2025, 05:51 PM	#6
John Mercier Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 3,412 Thanks: 3 Thanked 599 Times in 495 Posts	I'm betting it was more of a survey of bills and the tips provided rather than some large data set.

06-14-2025, 10:05 AM	#8
John Mercier Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 3,412 Thanks: 3 Thanked 599 Times in 495 Posts	16% doesn't seem that low.

06-14-2025, 10:57 AM	#9
Biggd Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Waltham Ma./Meredith NH Posts: 4,150 Thanks: 2,238 Thanked 1,196 Times in 762 Posts	When you tip a percentage and the price keeps going up, there's an automatic increase in the tip. I remember when a tip was 12%, then 15%, then 18%, now 20%. Now they hand you a tablet with your tab and the options are 20, 25, and 30%!

06-14-2025, 12:56 PM	#10
bigdog Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Central MA-Gilford Posts: 1,450 Thanks: 345 Thanked 121 Times in 97 Posts	Tipping is getting out of hand, normally I tip 20% makes the math easier. BTW, Trump is making 'tax on tips' obsolete, that said that will all be FREE money ! As it should be !

06-14-2025, 02:05 PM	#13
John Mercier Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 3,412 Thanks: 3 Thanked 599 Times in 495 Posts	We can't really know how many are doing the 15% (or less) to bring the average down. But I am guessing it to be just a survey and less than deep dive into data that may not readily be available. So the number is probably skewed. We also have to remember that we are biased by the Lakes Region.

06-15-2025, 06:48 PM	#14
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,373 Thanks: 1,352 Thanked 1,625 Times in 1,057 Posts	Place I stayed once in Nantucket, on the menu: "Breakfast is included in your room fee. We print (heavily inflated) prices to give you guidance in tipping your servers".

06-16-2025, 08:59 AM	#15
retired Senior Member Join Date: May 2020 Location: Belmont, NH Posts: 128 Thanks: 1 Thanked 59 Times in 34 Posts	When I worked in a local restaurant, back in 1980, I recall the Canadiens being very bad tippers. They tipped like the Europeans, leaving loose change from the bill on the table. Nobody wanted to wait on them. Has that changed? Does anyone have first-hand knowledge?