Tipping fatigue continues to plague U.S. consumers, impacting industries that rely on gratuities as part of their income. Two-thirds (65%) of consumers say they are fed up with tipping, up from 60% last year and 53% in 2023. Consumers estimate that they are asked to tip for different services at various establishments ten times a month, on average—a key reason why 43% say they are tipping less this year.
This is according to an annual study of 1,000 U.S. consumers conducted in September 2025 by Popmenu, a tech leader that serves more than 10,000 restaurants.
Tipping out of guilt vs. gratitude
At least once a week, 44% of consumers tip at establishments where they don’t think it’s customary or warranted. Two-thirds (66%) of consumers feel pressure to hand over a tip when digital payment screens suggest gratuity amounts, especially when prompted in front of employees.
That sense of obligation, or guilt tipping, extends to situations where consumer expectations are not met: 64% of consumers have tipped a worker even when they received poor service.
Consumers also say they have added gratuities when they felt bad for a worker (52%) or didn’t want to look cheap (45%).
Restaurant tipping trends
The study revealed a positive trend in restaurant tipping after declines over the last few years: 45% of consumers say they are tipping restaurant servers 20% or more, up from 38% of consumers last year and inching above a previous high of 43% in 2022.
Nearly 1 in 4 consumers (23%) tip delivery drivers 20% or more, up from 19% of consumers last year, but still considerably below a previous high of 32% in 2022.
The majority of consumers (62%) say they would rather pay more for food and beverages to provide higher wages for restaurant workers and eliminate tipping altogether.
While consumers tend to tip more often at full-service restaurants, nearly half (46%) tip at coffee shops, 32% tip food trucks and 27% tip at fast food establishments.
Top places for tipping
Consumers say they tip for the following services:
- Restaurants – 94%
- Hair salon/barber – 68%
- Taxis/ride services – 46%
- Grocery delivery – 45%
- Hotel (housekeeping, bellhop) – 37%
- Spa – 25%
- Dog groomer – 22%
- Auto repair – 10%
