Tipping etiquette: How much to tip in every situation

A tattoo artist is an artist like any other, and considering their beautiful art will live on your body forever, it’s best to tip fairly well.

When you’re nice and relaxed in that post-massage or post-mani-pedi glow, a 10-15% tip won’t feel too onerous.

Even if you’re just picking up a meal at a restaurant, you should tip at least 10%, but if the food is coming right to your door, step it up to 20%.

The days of 18% at restaurants are over. Bump up that tip to 20% or even 25% for exceptional service. Bartenders get the same.

Think about all the effort you put into a typical grocery trip. Now put a price on all that time and effort you just got back by ordering groceries for delivery. That’s your tip.

Business Insider suggests this scaled pricing model for rideshare tips that takes into account the distance of your trip as well as the number of passengers in the car.

You’re going to be walking around for weeks with that hairdo, and you may well be a repeat customer at your barber or hairdresser. So tip well, or else walk out looking like the 5% you regularly tip.

Bankrate has advice on tipping in all sorts of hotel situations, but the general rule is $3-5 for bellhops and housekeeping, $5-10 for more substantial help like doormen who hail cabs and concierges who arrange nights out, and 10-20% on room service depending on if service is included on the tab. All of that rises slightly for a fancier hotel too.

Some people suggest tipping when you drop off your car, but you can probably trust the valet to do their job well with the mutual understanding that a small tip of appreciation is the least you can do for ferrying your car around a packed lot in pristine condition. Same goes for car wash employees.

Like picking up takeout from a restaurant, it’s still necessary to tip at a buffet even if a watier isn’t bringing food directly to your table. Leave 10% for the whole staff.

A few bucks is the least you can offer for finding your dark puffer jacket among a million other dark puffer jackets.

Five buckaroos is a small price to pay for someone else dealing with your dirty undies.

That priceless antique from your grandmother and that ridiculously heavy fridge only make it to your new house if the movers put in the work. Tip ‘em $10-25 each.