GOBankingRates works with many financial advertisers to showcase their products and services to our audiences.

These brands compensate us to advertise their products in ads across our site.

This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site.

Article image

Commitment to Our Readers

GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information.

you could read more about oureditorial guidelinesand our products and servicesreview methodology.

Luckily, thats exactly what George Kamel provided in a recentblog postfor Ramsey Solutions.

facebook sharing button

Kamel is one of the personal finance experts at Ramsey Solutions, Dave Ramseys financial counseling and education company.

He describes how much you should tip in many common scenarios across different categories.

Try Kamels guidelines thenext time youre struggling to decide how much to tip.

twitter sharing button

But the prices on the menu may not reflect your total costs, since tipping is often expected.

Heres how much Kamel believes you should tip at different types of restaurants.

Sit-Down Restaurants

Its commonly accepted that diners should tip their servers after eating at a sit-down restaurant.

linkedin sharing button

Kamel emphasized that you should always leave a tip, even if your service is terrible.

However, servers are likely clearing your plates and refilling your drinks.

Kamel recommended tipping at least 10% to recognize the work those servers are doing for you.

email sharing button

If you have great service, consider tipping higher.

Kamel pointed out that its still nice to leave the workers something.

Fast-Food Restaurants

What about when you go to a fast-food place like McDonalds?

Kamel argued that whether you leave a tip and how much depends on the quality of service you receive.

Kamel doesnt think its necessary in this setting, though.

He wrote, Dont feel obligated.

Its OK to bypass the tip in these quick and casual controls.

Over three-quarters of Americans agree, either always or often tipping in this situation.

Kamels tip suggestion is to be generous and give them 10% to 20%.

However, he suggested leaving a dollar or two to thank your barista if they provideespecially good service.

Traveling

Between transportation, accommodations and entertainment, traveling can be expensive.

You should factor tips into your budget, too.

These are some situations that might come up while traveling that Kamel said require a tip.

Housekeeping

If youre staying in ahotel or motel, there will probably be housekeeping service.

He recommended tipping a couple of dollars at a budget-friendly hotel and more at nice hotels.

International Travel

Americans traveling abroad should remember that tipping culture can vary significantly by country.

In some places, like Japan, leaving a tip can be seen as rude.

Kamel recommended researching your destination ahead of time to learn the tipping standards there.

Here are Kamels tip suggestions for different home services.

Housecleaners

Around 10% of all U.S. households pay for professional home cleaning services, according toCleango.

Movers

Moving all your belongings is a big hassle, especially with large or unusual items.

More From GOBankingRates

Share This Article:

The Latest inMoney