How much tip to leave in New York restaurants?

Tipping is expected in the USA

• If you’re visiting the United States for the first time, you’ll likely be surprised by tipping practices in New York restaurants. In many countries, tipping is optional—a small gesture you can add if you wish. In New York, as throughout the United States, service is not included in the bill, and you are expected to pay it separately.
• It can feel jarring at first. Unfortunately, many visitors try to avoid it, hoping to save money at their server’s expense. Here’s the reality: when you visit the United States, you follow local customs—just as you’d drive on the left in England. Every country has its own practices, and visitors adapt to them. That’s how travel works.
  

How much should you tip in the USA?

• Here’s how it works in practice: when your server brings the check, look at the pre-tax total and add 18 to 20% of that amount on top of the bill. This is the standard service charge—the minimum tip.
• If your server was especially attentive and friendly, you can leave more. An extra 5 to 10% is entirely up to you, as long as you’re starting from that 18 to 20% base.

Why do servers watch international visitors so closely?

• During your time in New York, you’ll notice servers are wary of visitors who leave $1 or $2 tips—amounts that might be normal at a café elsewhere. Some visitors justify this by saying the meal is already expensive. That misses the point: since tipping is mandatory, you need to factor it into the price when you look at the menu. It’s part of the cost of eating out here.
• So don’t be surprised if your server brings the check with a reminder of tipping guidelines. Some restaurants even print suggested tip amounts on the bill—showing what you’d pay at 18%, 20%, or 25%.
• New York servers will also speak up if you don’t tip. The system may seem odd to you, and yes, it’s inconvenient—but that’s not an excuse to ignore it. This is how it works. And visiting New York means doing things the New York way.