Tipping in the U.S.

It’s almost mid-October, which means WordCamp US 2018 is only six weeks away! Since we are expecting over 2,000 attendees from around the world, it’s important to know American tipping customs when eating at the many local restaurants and eateries Nashville has to offer.

Dining Alone

You can utilize this rule of thumb for tipping when dining alone: if the service is poor, a small tip should be left, signaling to the server that their service was subpar. If the service was average to above average, a 15% to 20% tip on the total before tax is standard for tipping. However, you can also tip more or less depending on the quality of service.

Going Out for Drinks

Going to a bar for drinks is different than sitting down for an entire meal, but tipping bartenders is still common practice. If you get a single drink, it’s standard to leave a $2 – $3 in tip. However, your expected tip amount will be more if you get a pricier cocktail as opposed to a simple beer. It’s like restaurants in the sense that you can tip however much you feel is appropriate.

Food Trucks

While not a sit-down establishment, tipping at food trucks is considered courteous when you think about the system of creating an elaborate meal in the confines of a truck. Many food trucks have tip jars on their counters, which leaves customers to tip however they feel is appropriate. For this, utilize the rule of thumb above: tip 10% or below if the service is poor, tip 15% if the service is fair, and 20% or more if the service is excellent.

(Pro-tip: food trucks can have longer wait times and lines than fast-food restaurants. Be patient and expect this when ordering from one.)

Tipping for Large Groups

When dining with a large party (typically six people or more), 15% – 20% can be automatically charged to the bill especially in metropolitan, touristy areas like Nashville. “Service charges” are automatically added to the bill, whereas tips are discretionary and up to the person paying for the meal.

This is a bit of a gray area, so you can always ask your server if you are confused if the tip was included in the bill or not. If not, the custom tipping amount for large parties is typically 18% for solid service. If you experience poor service when dining with a large party, you can stand by the 10% rule.

Some last-minute key points to remember:

• Fast-food restaurants typically have no tipping since there is no “table service” (when a server brings your food to your table).
• Tipping for carry-out orders is debated among Americans. While some online tipping guides advise to tip 10% on carry-out orders, others will only tip change or a few loose dollars when a tip jar is present. Whichever you feel comfortable with is fine.
• The information above can also be applied to taxi drivers, hotel bellman/maids, valet drivers and more. For these services, you can expect to tip $1-$3 depending on the service.
• There’s a reason why tipping is considered proper dining etiquette in America. Employers here often pay their employees lower wages in anticipation that tip income will provide a significant portion of the employees’ income. Therefore, while tipping is “optional,” it is an important custom in America that should not be overlooked.

Are you planning to join us in December? Get your ticket! They’re just $40 for three days of fun, education, and community.