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- Tim Urban, from the website Wait But Why, created a chart that explains tipping norms across an array of industries.
- The 2014 chart's data is based on interviews, personal accounts, and research from a tipping expert.
- The average tipper tips about 15% to 20%, regardless of the service or the industry.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
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Every service industry has its own tipping norm, which often causes customers to question how much to tip and when.
Tim Urban, from Wait But Why, a self-described "procrastination website," took it upon himself to shed light on tipping norms by asking over 100 service workers in New York City about their experiences.
The people he consulted included waiters, bartenders, barbers, doormen, valets, and more from different neighborhoods and different businesses. He then compared their feedback with accounts from his site's readers and industry research, particularly that of tipping expert Wm. Michael Lynn.
The findings are summarized in Wait But Why's comprehensive tipping chart below:
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You'll notice that average tippers across most industries give about 15% to 20%, and that it's always a good idea to tip more in extenuating circ*mstances — like if your food delivery person had to brave bad weather or if you've ordered an elaborate co*cktail that takes your bartender three times as long as it would to pour a beer.
Read more: 15 ways to make people respect you immediately
While most of us may try and tip 20% of our meal so as not to seem cheap, keep in mind that you should never tip under 15% in a restaurant or bar. If your service was terrible, take it up with the manager. Most servers rely heavily on tips as a major part of their salaries, so neglecting to tip means they may be working nearly for free. In many places, tips are shared among the staff, so stiffing a service person on a tip may do more than punish just that individual.
And if you aren't tipping, it's nicer to leave the line on your bill for the tip blank and fill in the total below. Putting a zero in the empty space apparently comes across as pointed and mean.
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Business Insider is looking for your personal finance stories. Are you paying off student debt, using a handy spreadsheet to manage your savings, or budgeting for a big splurge or early retirement? Share your stories, spreadsheets and tips with us here: lbrandt@businessinsider.com.
Executive Editor, Personal Finance Insider
Libby Kane, CFEI, is the Executive Editor for Personal Finance Insider, Business Insider's personal finance section that incorporates affiliate and commerce partnerships into the news, insights, and advice about money Insider readers already know and love. She holds the Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI) certification issued by the National Financial Educators Council.Previously at Business Insider, she oversaw teams including Strategy, Careers, and Executive Life.Her team at Insider has tackled projects including:• Women of Means, a series about women taking control of their finances• Inside the Racial Wealth Gap, an exploration of the causes, effects, and potential solutions of the racial wealth gap in the US (finalist, Drum Award, "Editorial Campaign of the Year," 2021)• Strings Attached, a series of essays from people who have left insulated communities and how that journey affected their relationship with money• Master Your Money, a year-long guide for millennials on how to take control of their finances (first runner up, Drum Award, "Best Use of Social Media," 2022)• The Road to Home, a comprehensive guide to buying your first house (silver award winner, National Association of Real Estate Editors, "Best Multi-Platform Package or Series – Real Estate," 2022)Personal Finance Insider also rates, explains, and recommends financial products and services.Outside of personal finance, she's written about everything from why Chinese children are so good at math to the business of dogs to hard truths about adulthood.In September 2016, she helped launch Business Insider Netherlands in Amsterdam.She also spent three years as a member of the Insider Committee, a cross-team focus group working on making Business Insider an even better place to work.She's always interested in research, charts, and people: new and interesting research, compelling charts and other visuals, and people who are willing to share the details of their impressive financial accomplishments and strategies.Before joining the company in March 2014, she was the associate editor at LearnVest, covering personal and behavioral finance.If you have something to share, please reach out to lkane@businessinsider.com.
Libertina Brandt is a real-estate reporter for Business Insider. She covers real-estate trends around the world from both a luxury and an affordability standpoint. Find her on twitter @BrandtLibertina or email her at Lbrandt@businessinsider.com.
