Tipping 

Tipping happens a lot in the US. Servers, bartenders, hairstylists, and coffee shops are the most common places you will experience tipping. The employees in these roles are paid below minimum wage, and they are expected to make their living wages through tips from customers. Here are some tips and tricks on tipping:

• 20% of your total bill is the average tip amount.
  • For example, if your bill at a restaurant was $36, you would leave a tip of $7.20.
  • If your service wasn't the best or your item was small, use your discretion to provide a lower percentage tip.
  • Coffee shops and fast food restaurants may offer lower tip amounts on their checkout screens (5%, 10%).
• Servers and bartenders live off of tips. Their hourly wage is less than $5 per hour, which is where your tips come in to make a livable wage.
• Be sure to voice concerns regarding your food and service. This provides the best option for you to enjoy your food and still tip your server.
• Prepare to be confronted. If you do not leave a tip at a restaurant, the server or bartender may approach you and ask questions.
  • This is less common at coffee shops, fast food restaurants, etc. 
  • Hairstylists and barbers also rely on tips for their wages and their artwork. The standard is 20-25%.
• Use cash when available!
  • Tipping in cash allows the employee to leave with that money in their pocket. Otherwise, they have to wait until the tip goes through on the debit or credit card, which can take days. 
  • Don't avoid tipping if you don't have cash. It's ok to tip on cards too! 

Etiquette 

Learning how to tip, when to skip, and how much to give can be overwhelming! The video below runs through examples of tipping. 

Reference: https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/language/10-things-no-one-tells-you-about-tipping-in-the-us/