(NEXSTAR) – Tipping has become quite a controversial topic in the U.S. over the last few years. Whether you’re at a restaurant, a cafe, Starbucks, or even a self-service counter at the airport, Americans are being asked to tip constantly.
According to a new report from LendingTree, residents of the U.S. spent nearly $7.8 billion on tips for away-from-home food purchases in 2023. Roughly 15% of the money spent by Americans at the typical sit-down full-service restaurants was on tips.
If you include the new, more unconventional dining places that have been asking for tips lately, like McDonald’s or Chipotle, tips make up just under 7% of the money spent on food and drinks purchased away from home.
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Some states in particular have begun to see the amount they spend on tips increase significantly as well.
New Hampshire stands far above the top of the country, with over 16% of their total spending on food away from home coming being money they spent on tips, says LendingTree.
Not far behind is the nation’s capital, Washington D.C., at just under 13%. Followed by South Carolina (11.17%) and Minnesota (10.11%).
Here’s the list of the top ten states that seem to be spending the most on tips, according to LendingTree:
| Rank | State | Tip as a % of spending |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 16.07% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 12.65% |
| 3 | South Carolina | 11.17% |
| 4 | Minnesota | 10.11% |
| 5 | North Carolina | 9.75% |
| 6 | Washington | 9.51% |
| 7 | Vermont | 9.31% |
| 8 | Nebraska | 9.12% |
| 9 | Rhode Island | 8.54% |
| 10 | Maine | 8.18% |
To view the full report and to see how much every state spends on tips, you can go to LendingTree’s website.
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Tipping numbers continue to grow as more and more businesses in the U.S. seem to be asking for tips when you check out, and Americans are becoming frustrated with the whole process.
Two out of three Americans have something negative to say about tipping in 2025, says a survey from Bankrate. With 41% of U.S. residents stating that tipping has gotten out of control and 38% saying they’re annoyed with the pre-entered tip screens that have become more prevalent.
