A majority of consumers say they’ve been tipping restaurant workers more than 20% during the pandemic, according to a recent survey by restaurant technology company Popmenu.
While a tip of 15 to 20% at sit-down restaurants has been commonly recommended in countless articles over the years, just over half of customers are tipping their servers 20% or more, and 1 in 5 tip over 25%. However, only 38% of customers tip food delivery workers 20% or more.
But does this mean that social norms have changed when it comes to tipping? Has 20% become “the new 15%,” and should you tip 25% or more for exceptional service?
“The baseline is 15% for basic service, but if you have any extra cash or you feel inspired, go for it and tip more,” says Lizzie Post, great-great-granddaughter of etiquette expert Emily Post and host of Emily Post’s Awesome Etiquette podcast. “I’m not going to tell every single person out there that they absolutely must tip 20%, especially if it doesn’t fit your budget.”
That said, Post says people shouldn’t skimp out on paying a minimum tip of 15% for decent service, either, since restaurant workers are more reliant on tips compared to other jobs. Under federal law, employers can pay restaurant workers less than minimum wage — as little as $2.13 per hour — if the tips they receive add up to a total of $7.25 an hour.
“If you left me a 5% tip when I was a server, I would have assumed you were a jerk or not familiar with our tipping customs, unless there was something...
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