How much should you tip at a restaurant can be a tricky question, especially when the bill gets up to around $100. There are a lot of factors that go into how much you should tip – the quality of service, local tipping norms, the type of establishment, and of course your personal finances. Here we’ll break down the typical tipping recommendations for a $100 restaurant bill and provide some guidance on how to approach tipping in these situations.
The Basics of Tipping
Tipping is a standard practice in the restaurant industry in the United States. Servers and other customer service staff who assist you during your meal often earn most of their income through tips. Tips typically make up a large portion of their take home pay, as the standard minimum wage for tipped workers is lower than the normal minimum wage. When tipping, you are essentially paying extra for good service on top of the listed prices for your food and drinks.
Some key things to know about tipping:
– Tipping is optional, but expected in full service restaurants
– The standard tip amount is 15-20% of the pretax bill
– Tips are split amongst all the staff who helped service your table
– Many restaurants automatically add a tip for large parties
– Tip amount can vary based on service quality and local norms
Now let’s take a look at what’s considered typical for a $100 restaurant bill.
15-20% is the Standard Tip Amount
The standard tipping recommendation in U.S. restaurants is 15-20% of the pretax bill. This holds true regardless of the total bill amount. So on a $100 restaurant bill, a 15-20% tip would be:
– 15% of $100 = $15 tip
– 20% of $100 = $20 tip
Some diners choose 18% as a nice round number in the middle of the standard range. An 18% tip on $100 would be $18.
Basically, for a typical dining experience with good service, you can’t go wrong tipping somewhere between $15-20 on a $100 tab. Leaving less than 15% would be considered stingy by most servers. You generally only want to tip under 15% if you received exceptionally poor service.
Quick Tip Amounts for 15, 18, and 20% on $100
| Tip Percentage | Tip Amount |
|---|---|
| 15% | $15 |
| 18% | $18 |
| 20% | $20 |
As you can see, the difference between 15 and 20% on a $100 bill is only $5. Some people simply round up to the next dollar amount for convenience.
Factors That Could Affect Tip Amount
While 15-20% is considered the standard tip amount, there are some factors that could cause you to tip slightly more or less than the norm on a $100 restaurant bill.
Some reasons you may tip more than 20% include:
– Exceptional service – e.g. server went above and beyond, was exceptionally friendly and attentive throughout the meal.
– Large party – Restaurants sometimes add an automatic tip for parties of 6 or more. You can add a little extra on top of the tipped amount for great service with a large group.
– Special occasions – People sometimes tip more for celebratory meals like birthdays or anniversaries. An extra couple dollars can be a nice way to thank the staff.
– Holidays – Tipping a little extra around the holidays is a nice gesture. Servers work hard during busy holiday seasons.
Some reasons you may tip less than 15% include:
– Poor service – Bad attitude, inattentive, slow service, mistakes with order etc. You can reduce the tip to reflect unsatisfactory service, but you should still tip something.
– Inexpensive restaurant – At casual restaurants or diners where dishes are under $10-15, some people will tip a flat $1-2 per person rather than 15% of the bill.
– Counter service – Tips are often less expected for counter order places without full table service. 10% can be appropriate for counter staff just taking payment and handing over food.
– Regional tipping norms – In some areas of the U.S., typical tips may run lower than the standard 15-20%. When in doubt, check local customs.
Tips for Large Groups
Tipping etiquette can get tricky with large parties of 6 or more. Many restaurants actually add a tip automatically for large groups. A common practice is to add 18% gratuity for parties of 6-8 and 20% gratuity for groups of 9 or more.
So if you had a party of 8 and your pretax bill was $100, the restaurant would likely add a $18 tip, resulting in a total bill of $118. You could add a little extra on top of the auto-gratuity if you felt the service was exceptional. An extra $5-10 on top of an automatic 18% is appreciated.
If for some reason a gratuity is not already included, you should still tip based on your entire pretax bill. With a large group, the server likely had to go significantly above and beyond to ensure everyone was taken care of.
Example Bill for Party of 8 with 18% Auto-Grat
| Bill Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Food/Beverages | $100 |
| 18% Auto-Gratuity for Party of 8 | $18 |
| Total Bill Due | $118 |
So feel free to add a little extra tip on top of the auto-gratuity for exceptional service with big parties!
Tipping for Wine Bottle Service
Things get a little more complicated when wine bottle service is involved with your $100 restaurant tab. There are a couple approaches you can take when tipping on wine service:
1. Tip only on food/non-alcohol totals.
2. Tip on the full bill, including wine.
3. Compromise – Tip on food, and add $5-10 extra for wine service.
Many people don’t realize that the standard restaurant tip percentages technically only apply to the food and non-alcohol parts of your bill. This is because servers often have to tip out a percentage of alcohol sales to bartenders and other support staff.
On a $100 bill with $50 of food and a $50 bottle of wine, a 20% tip would only be $10 based on the food total. But you may want to add a little extra for the work involved in serving and presenting the wine. An extra $5-10 brings the tip up to $15-20, which seems more appropriate for the overall dining experience.
Do what feels right based on the service and dining context. The most important thing is to simply be aware of how wine service may factor in to your tip amount.
Tip on the Pre-Tax Total
One mistake some diners make is basing the tip amount on the total bill including taxes. Make sure to base your tip percentage only on the pretax subtotal.
For example, if your food and beverage bill is $100, and tax is $8, your total due would be $108. But you would base your 15-20% tip amount only on that pretax $100 subtotal, not the higher post-tax total.
Tip Based on Pretax Subtotal
| Bill Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Food/Beverages | $100 |
| Tax @8% | $8 |
| Tip @20% of pretax subtotal | $20 |
| Total Bill Due | $128 |
You want to tip based on the amount before extra fees and taxes are added on. This allows you to accurately follow tip percentage recommendations.
Should You Tip on Takeout Orders?
Tipping etiquette can also get muddy when it comes to takeout orders. There’s often some level of service involved with takeout, but not full table service. Here are some tips for handling takeout tipping:
– 10% tip is appropriate for more involved takeout service – Host seats you, fills drinks while you wait, packages up food nicely.
– $1-2 tip is fine for basic counter takeout – Just picking up called-in food at the counter.
– No need to tip if you order online with no direct service.
– Add extra tip if staff goes above and beyond or you order frequently.
– Tip jars by the register are fine to drop some spare change into.
Keep tips modest but show your appreciation for good service. And tip a little more around the holidays if you get takeout frequently from a certain spot.
Should You Tip on the Tax?
This debate comes up occasionally – should the tip be based on the pre or post-tax amount of your bill? The standard recommendation is to tip on the pretax total. Here are some reasons why:
– Taxes can vary greatly by location. Your server’s tip shouldn’t be affected by differences in tax rates.
– Tax rates may increase over time. Basing tips on lower pretax amounts helps ensure servers don’t lose income as taxes rise.
– Taxes go to government, not the restaurant staff. So it makes sense to base the tip on the actual amount the restaurant is charging for food and service.
– Older tipping recommendations were established when tax rates were much lower across the board.
Of course, you can always choose to tip on the full amount including tax if you prefer. Any extra gratuity servers receive is appreciated. But there are good reasons tip percentage recommendations are traditionally based on pretax totals.
Should the Tip Be Rounded or Precise?
There’s always the question of whether to tip an exact percentage amount or round up a little bit for ease. Servers definitely don’t mind being tipped a rounded up or estimated amount. But for the most accurate tip amounts, it’s best to calculate tip percentages on the exact pretax bill total.
With a bill of $100.36 for example, 15% would be $15.05 and 20% is $20.07. You could round up to $15.25 or $20.25, or just tip $15 or $20 even. But it’s good to start with the precise percentage calculations first before rounding – that ensures the server gets their proper tip amount and is not shortchanged.
Factors like bill amounts not being round numbers and shifting tax rates make calculating precise tip percentages important. Of course, bumping up a few extra cents or dollars is always appreciated when possible!
Cash Tipping vs. Credit Cards
Does tipping in cash vs. adding to a credit card make any difference to the server? Generally servers prefer cash tips if possible for a couple reasons:
– Cash tips are often pooled and split out to support staff like bussers and bartenders at the end of a shift. Credit card tips may not get distributed until next pay period.
– Cash eliminates card processing fees taken out of credit tips.
– Servers often have to “tip out” a percentage of credit card tips to other staff and management. Cash tips help them keep a bigger share.
– Cash tips can sometimes be underreported for tax purposes (not recommending this, just stating reality!)
But realistically, credit and debit cards dominate payment these days. If you don’t have the cash, servers just appreciate you leaving a good tip regardless of form of payment. Any tip they receive helps make up for lower hourly wages. Leaving cash is ideal if you have it, but don’t stress if you can’t.
Is the Tip Expected Even for Bad Service?
This is a tricky question. There is certainly no obligation to leave a full 15-20% tip if you received outright bad service – getting orders wrong, rude behavior, ignoring tables etc. However, it’s still considered standard practice to leave at least a minimal tip – generally 10% minimum even for poor service.
A couple reasons it’s good to leave something even for unsatisfactory service:
– Could have been an honest mistake or bad day. Everyone deserves a second chance.
– Helps ensure no retaliation or confrontations. Safety first.
– A small tip sends the message better than no tip at all.
– 10% is still appreciated for the effort of serving.
Definitely complain to management if service was egregiously poor. But leaving a reduced 10% tip is better than no tip at all in those situations. Use your best judgment based on context.
And of course, tip extremely well for stellar service when you can! Great servers work hard and rely on tips.
Tipping Delivery Drivers
For food deliveries, the general tipping recommendations are:
– 15-20% tip for full service restaurant delivery
– $2-5 tip for basic pizza/fast food delivery
– 10-15% for meal delivery services like UberEats or DoorDash
Of course, adjust based on factors like weather, order size, and effort required. Delivering large catering orders or traversing storms may warrant an extra generous tip!
It’s customary to tip delivery drivers, who often get lower hourly wages relying on tips for the bulk of their income. If the weather is bad during your delivery, you should tip extra without fail.
Should You Tip Hotel Housekeeping?
Tipping hotel housekeepers is definitely appreciated but not necessarily expected. Here are some housekeeping tipping guidelines:
– Leave $2-5 per night for basic cleaning service
– Tip $1-2 for simple requests like fresh towels
– Tip extra for bigger requests – $5+ for things like setting up cots or cleaning up significant messes
– For luxury hotels/suites, tip $5-20 depending on service and length of stay
You can leave a tip daily or as one larger tip at the end of your stay. If you don’t have cash, you can leave a tip envelope at the front desk. Any amount you tip for housekeeping services will be greatly appreciated.
Tip More During the Holidays
Holidays are a time of year when tipping a little more generously is customary. Service industry workers put in extra hours and effort to handle increased holiday rushes at restaurants, hotels, and other businesses.
Consider bumping up your holiday tips an extra few dollars or percentage points. It shows your appreciation for their hard work during busy seasons:
– Instead of 15%, tip 20% at restaurants
– Tip hotel housekeepers $5-10 per night instead of the $2-5 normal rate
– Give delivery drivers an extra $2-3 on top of any normal tip
– Tip venue staff and coat check workers a few extra dollars
– Leave bigger tips at coffee shops, bars, and anywhere with tip jars
Being proactive about tipping generously around the holidays can really make a difference for service workers who rely on tips!
Conclusion
Figuring out what to tip on a $100 restaurant bill doesn’t have to be complicated. The standard recommendation is 15-20% of the pretax subtotal – so $15-20 on a $100 tab. But there are always special cases like large parties, wine service, or poor service that affect exact tip amounts. Get in the 15-20% ballpark for normal situations. Then adjust up or down a bit depending on service quality, how often you visit a place, regional norms, holidays, and your personal finances. Consistently tipping fair amounts goes a long way to supporting wait staff and other service professionals!