Guide Rankings Economy Updated June 22, 2026

Average Tip by State

Restaurant bill with a pen and tip line filled in, representing tipping culture in America

Average Tip by State

Ranking - Economy

Delaware leads all states at an average tip of 21.5%. California ranks last at 17.3%. The national average is 19.4%, but state-by-state variation spans more than 4 percentage points.

Quick Answer

Average Tip by State

  1. 1

    Delaware has the highest average tip percentage at 21.5%, followed by West Virginia at 20.5%. Indiana and New Hampshire both average 20.4% at ranks 3 and 4. Kentucky, Ohio, and Wyoming all average 20.3%.

  2. 2

    California has the lowest average tip at 17.3%, the only state below 18.0%. Washington ranks 49th at 17.8% and Nevada ranks 48th at 18.1%. Florida and Louisiana round out the bottom five at 18.2% and 18.4%.

  3. 3

    The national average tip is 19.4%. About 72% of Americans oppose automatic service charges added to bills. Delaware's average is 4.2 percentage points higher than California's.

Map

Average Tip Percentage by State Map

Avg Tip %
No data
Delaware, West Virginia, and Indiana are the most generous tipping states. California, Washington, and Nevada are the least generous. The Midwest and South tip above average; the West Coast tips below.
Average Tip Percentage by State Map
Rank State Avg Tip %
1 Delaware 21.5
2 West Virginia 20.5
3 Indiana 20.4
4 New Hampshire 20.4
5 Kentucky 20.3
6 Ohio 20.3
7 Wyoming 20.3
8 Rhode Island 20
9 South Carolina 20
10 Wisconsin 20
11 Michigan 19.9
12 Missouri 19.9
13 Montana 19.9
14 Iowa 19.8
15 Kansas 19.8
16 Pennsylvania 19.8
17 Maine 19.7
18 Nebraska 19.7
19 Colorado 19.5
20 Idaho 19.5
21 North Carolina 19.4
22 South Dakota 19.4
23 Vermont 19.4
24 Maryland 19.3
25 Massachusetts 19.3
26 North Dakota 19.3
27 Tennessee 19.2
28 Alabama 19.1
29 Arizona 19.1
30 Connecticut 19.1
31 Virginia 19.1
32 Illinois 19
33 Minnesota 19
34 Oklahoma 19
35 Oregon 19
36 New Mexico 18.9
37 Alaska 18.8
38 Georgia 18.8
39 Mississippi 18.7
40 New Jersey 18.7
41 New York 18.7
42 Texas 18.7
43 Utah 18.7
44 Arkansas 18.5
45 Hawaii 18.5
46 Louisiana 18.4
47 Florida 18.2
48 Nevada 18.1
49 Washington 17.8
50 California 17.3

Delaware, West Virginia, and Indiana are the most generous tipping states. California, Washington, and Nevada are the least generous. The Midwest and South tip above average; the West Coast tips below.

Average Tip by State Table

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Print-ready table — Average Tip by State

Most and Least Generous Tipping States

Highest

21.5
Delaware flag
Delaware #1

Lowest

17.3
California flag
California #50

Top 10 Highest — Avg Tip %

#1 Delaware flag Delaware
21.5
#2 West Virginia flag West Virginia
20.5
#3 Indiana flag Indiana
20.4
#4 New Hampshire flag New Hampshire
20.4
#5 Kentucky flag Kentucky
20.3
#6 Ohio flag Ohio
20.3
#7 Wyoming flag Wyoming
20.3
#8 Rhode Island flag Rhode Island
20.0
#9 South Carolina flag South Carolina
20.0
#10 Wisconsin flag Wisconsin
20.0

Top 10 Lowest — Avg Tip %

#50 California flag California
17.3
#49 Washington flag Washington
17.8
#48 Nevada flag Nevada
18.1
#47 Florida flag Florida
18.2
#46 Louisiana flag Louisiana
18.4
#45 Hawaii flag Hawaii
18.5
#44 Arkansas flag Arkansas
18.5
#43 Utah flag Utah
18.7
#42 Texas flag Texas
18.7
#41 New York flag New York
18.7

States with the Highest Average Tip

Restaurant server carrying plates through a dining room
The highest-tipping states are spread across the Midwest, South, and parts of New England rather than the coasts. Delaware's 21.5% stands out as the only state above 21%.

Delaware leads all 50 states at 21.5%, more than 4 percentage points above California's 17.3% at the bottom. West Virginia ranks second at 20.5%. Indiana and New Hampshire both average 20.4%, and Kentucky, Ohio, and Wyoming all average 20.3%.

Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Wisconsin all average exactly 20.0% at ranks 8 through 10. Michigan, Missouri, and Montana each average 19.9% at ranks 11 through 13. Ten states average 20.0% or higher and are concentrated in the Midwest, South, and New England rather than the West.

States with the Lowest Average Tip

Restaurant receipt and payment setup on a table
The lowest-tipping cluster is concentrated on the West Coast and in a few Sun Belt states. California, Washington, and Nevada all sit well below the national average of 19.4%.

California has the lowest average tip at 17.3%, the only state below 18.0%. Washington ranks 49th at 17.8% and Nevada ranks 48th at 18.1%. Both California and Washington require employers to pay tipped workers the full state minimum wage before tips, which researchers link to lower average tip percentages compared to tip-credit states.

Florida ranks 47th at 18.2% and Louisiana ranks 46th at 18.4%. Hawaii and Arkansas both average 18.5% at ranks 44 and 45. The five lowest-ranking states span from 17.3% to 18.5%, a 1.2-point range narrower than the 2.0-point gap between Delaware at 21.5% and West Virginia at 20.5%.

Quick Answers

Which state tips the most?
Delaware has the highest average tip of any state at 21.5%, followed by West Virginia at 20.5% and Indiana and New Hampshire both at 20.4%. Delaware's average is 2.1 percentage points above the national average of 19.4%.
Which state tips the least?
California has the lowest average tip at 17.3%, the only state below 18.0%. Washington ranks 49th at 17.8% and Nevada ranks 48th at 18.1%. California's average is 2.1 percentage points below the national average of 19.4%.
What is the average tip in America?
The national average tip percentage is 19.4% across all 50 states. The most common tip range at U.S. restaurants is 15 to 20% of the pre-tax bill. For exceptional service, 20 to 25% is considered generous.
What percentage should you tip at a restaurant?
At a full-service restaurant, 15 to 20% of the pre-tax bill is standard. The national average across all states is 19.4%. For exceptional service, 20% or more is considered generous. At bars, $1 to $2 per drink or 15 to 20% of a tab is customary.
Why does California tip less than other states?
California ranks last at 17.3%, which researchers link to two factors. First, California requires employers to pay tipped workers the full state minimum wage before tips, so patrons may feel less pressure to supplement low base wages. Second, many California restaurants add automatic service charges, which the OysterLink data treats separately from voluntary tips. About 72% of Americans oppose automatic service charges.
Do you have to tip in America?
Tipping is not legally required in the United States. However, it is a strong cultural expectation at full-service restaurants, bars, and hotels. The national average tip is 19.4%. About 72% of Americans oppose mandatory automatic service charges added to bills, preferring to control the tip amount themselves.

Methodology

Average tip percentages are derived from transaction-level data reported by OysterLink (2024), compiled from service industry payment records across restaurants, bars, and hospitality businesses. The data represents actual gratuities left by customers as a percentage of the pre-tax bill, not self-reported survey estimates. The national average across all 50 states is approximately 19.4%.

Sources

Information is cross-referenced with official state archives.
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