Sick of tipping culture? These are the states where people tip the most

Depending on where you go in the world, there are different tipping customs that you are supposed to stick to. In the United Kingdom, for instance, leaving 10% of your bill is standard across the board for table service. Meanwhile, tips aren’t expected in Spain (but they are appreciated). In the United States, on the other hand, gratuities are a standard part of the dining out experience.

How much does the average American tip?

Traditionally, tips of 15-20% have been considered the norm in the U.S., although statistics show Americans are less willing to dig deep into their pockets than we believe.

According to a study carried out by LendingTree, which looked at dining out habits stateside in 2023, people in the States spent $77.6 billion on tips across the year, but left an average tip of “only” 12.65%.

The figures were calculated by taking into account tips for tips for full-service restaurants, limited-service restaurants and drinking establishments, “among others,” the study claims.

The United States’ best tippers

If we take 15% as the minimum “normal” tip, diners in New Hampshire are the only ones to hit that mark (16.07%). Indeed, in only four locations does the average tip get into double figures, with Washington D.C. (12.65%), South Carolina (11.17%) and Minnesota (10.11%) completing the ‘best tippers top 5’.

At the other end of the spectrum, the average gratuity was less than 5% in two states - Mississippi (4.91%) and Utah (4.09%), where comfortably the worst tippers reside.

Do the results mean Utahns are particularly tight-fisted? Not necessarily, according to LendingTree Chief Consumer Financial Analyst Matt Schulz: “If people in one state tend to dine at full-service restaurants far more often than those in another state, it stands to reason their overall percentage spent on tips would be higher.”

Americans spending more money on dining out

The study also shows that Americans spent approximately 56% of their food budget on dining out, an increase of 13% in the last 25 years.

The residents of Washington D.C. were by far the biggest spenders, with an average of $10,291 per capita, more than $3,500 more than the second state on the list (Nevada, $6,752). West Virginians spent the least on eating out, only $2,597 per head.

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