Washington Is One of the Worst Tipping States in America

How much do you usually tip at a restaurant? If you live in Washington state, you might be leaving less than you expect.

A New Study Just Ranked Every State by How Much They Tip

A new report from Toast, a restaurant point-of-sale system used by over 171,000 restaurants nationwide, shows which states tip the most and least. Washington is near the bottom, ranking fourth-lowest in the country.

Tipping habits across the country have stayed steady. Even with years of economic changes, people in the U.S. are tipping about the same as they did in 2018. The average tip at both full-service and quick-service restaurants is within one percentage point of what customers left six years ago. This shows that tipping culture is firmly rooted, for better or worse.

Delaware Tips Best — and Washington Is Near the Bottom

Which state tips the most? Delaware is at the top, with diners leaving an average tip of 22.5% at sit-down restaurants and 18.8% at quick-service places. West Virginia is close behind at 21.4% for seated meals and 18.9% for quick-service. New Hampshire, Indiana, Ohio, and Wyoming also rank among the top states.

Washington, on the other hand, averages just 17.7%. This is below the usual etiquette standard of 18%-20% at sit-down restaurants. Only California and the District of Columbia rank lower. Nevada and Florida are also among the states with the lowest tips.

Canva

Does Washington's High Minimum Wage Explain the Low Tips?

Washington has one of the highest minimum wages in the country, and some diners may consider this when deciding how much to tip. However, for restaurant workers who rely on tips to get by, this can still make things difficult.

Etiquette guidelines recommend tipping 18% to 20% at full-service restaurants and about 15% at casual places. It seems most people in Washington are not reaching these amounts.

(Ignore the Wyoming in the title...this works in Washington as well)