Reddit's tipping debates rage across r/personalfinance, r/serverlife, r/doordash, and r/NoStupidQuestions. Here is the actual consensus: 15-20% for table service, 15-20% for delivery, and specific guidance for every other service — based on thousands of upvoted comments.
| Service | Reddit Consensus | Most Upvoted Take |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (sit-down) | 15-20% | 20% is the new 15%. Servers earn $2.13/hr in many states. |
| Restaurant (takeout) | 0-10% | No obligation. 10% appreciated for complex orders. |
| DoorDash / Uber Eats | 15-20% or $4-5 min | $0 tip = cold food. Drivers see tip before accepting. |
| Instacart | 15-20% or $5 min | They shop, drive, and carry. More work than delivery. |
| Pizza delivery | 15-20% or $3-5 min | Cash preferred. $5+ in bad weather. |
| Coffee shop (drip) | $0 | Tip creep backlash. Drip coffee is not a tipped service. |
| Coffee shop (espresso) | $1 | For the barista making a complex drink. |
| Hair stylist / barber | 15-20% | Cash preferred. Tip each person who touches your hair. |
| Movers | $20-50/person | Universal agreement: always tip movers. Hard physical labor. |
| Hotel housekeeping | $2-5/night | Leave daily, not at checkout. Often forgotten. |
| Uber/Lyft | 15-20% | Built into app. Most Redditors say $2-3 minimum. |
| Tattoo artist | 15-20% | Do not skip this. They made permanent art on your body. |
Reddit has two camps on tipping, and both are well-represented:
Most upvoted comments across all tipping threads land here: "The system sucks, but until it changes, tip 15-20% for table service and delivery. Stiffing your server does not change the system — it just means they cannot pay rent this week."
The most common tipping complaint on Reddit in 2024-2026: tip screens appearing everywhere — self-serve frozen yogurt, counter-service sandwich shops, retail stores, even self-checkout kiosks. Reddit's take:
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