Who Tips the Most (and Least) in the U.S.?

State-by-State Survey Reveals the Divide

A recent survey from USA Today Blueprint, conducted by OnePoll, reveals major differences in how Americans tip — depending on where they live, how much they earn, and even how old they are. With 5,000 people surveyed (100 per state), the findings are both eye-opening and a reminder of just how inconsistent and unsustainable tipping culture has become.

Key Findings

National average tip: 17.94% Top tipping state: California (22.69%) Lowest tipping state: Illinois (14.22%) Best tippers by age: Millennials, averaging 18.18% Income matters: The more you make, the more you tip

Tipping by State: Coastlines Lead, Midwest Lags

According to the data, coastal states tend to tip more generously than those in the middle of the country — with one big exception: Missouri, which comes in second nationwide.

Top 10 Best-Tipping States

These states average 20.54% across restaurant meals, delivery, personal care, and service-based interactions.

A $75 meal in California would average a $17.01 tip, bringing the total to $92.01 (before tax).

Bottom 10 Worst-Tipping States

A $75 bill in Illinois? That’s just a $10.66 tip — totaling $85.66 before tax.

Notably, four of the bottom 10 states still follow the federal tipped minimum wage of just $2.13 per hour, including Mississippi, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Utah.

Tipping Fatigue Is Growing

Americans are tipping more often — and in more places — but not always because they want to.

Survey respondents said the top reasons they tip are:

Feeling the worker earned it Feeling expected to tip in certain industries

Feeling guilty if they didn’t

Other reasons included:

Wanting to support low-wage workers

Being familiar with how hard the job is

Showing appreciation for good service

What This Means for EndTippingCulture.org

This survey underscores what we already know: Tipping is not a fair or consistent way to compensate workers.

The difference between a 14% and 22% tip isn’t just about kindness — it’s about who’s responsible for paying wages. Tipped workers shouldn’t depend on geography or guilt to earn a livable income. We believe it’s time to move toward no-tip models, where businesses pay fair wages directly, and customers aren’t pressured at every turn.

Source: USA Today Blueprint

Survey conducted by OnePoll from Sept. 11–25, 2023 with 5,000 respondents (100 per state). Margin of error: ±1.4%.