How Much People Tip In Washington Compared To Other States

By Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. - Seattle:

Millions of hospitality industry workers – including most servers and bartenders – rely on tips for a majority of their income. In over a dozen states, tipped bar and restaurant workers earn a minimum wage of just $2.13 an hour. That comes to just over $17 for an eight-hour shift, with the rest of their earnings dictated by the whims of their customers. While the average customer tips between 15% and 20%, some leave much more, and some much less.

Although tipping is not mandatory at most restaurants, the majority of customers do leave a gratuity. According to a report by Toast, a restaurant point of sale and management system, tips at full-service restaurants during the fourth quarter of 2022 averaged 19.6%, while those at quick-service (i.e., fast-food) places averaged 15.9%.

The same report found that in Washington, the average tip at restaurants is 18.2%, the second lowest among states.

As is the case nationwide, Washington residents are more likely to give higher tips at full-service restaurants than at quick-service establishments. The average tip at a full-service restaurant in the state is 18.7%, compared to 16.1% at quick-service restaurants.

All data in this story is from the Restaurant Trends Report. Data was collected from about 79,000 locations where a tip was added to the order via a card or digital payment. Cash tips are not included in analysis.

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This story was originally published by 24/7 Wall St., a news organization that produces real-time business commentary and data-driven reporting for state and local markets across the country.