This State Is Home To The Most Generous Tippers In The South, According To A New Report

One of the core tenets of Southern hospitality is the golden rule. And one of the easiest ways to put this into practice is to show some love to service staff through a generous tip during a hotel stay, after a house cleaning service, or at the conclusion of a meal, for instance.

The latter occasion was the focus of a buzzy new report by Toast, a digital restaurant ordering and software platform, that dove into data about how individuals in different corners of the country tip at full-service and quick-service restaurants.

About The Latest Report

Toast is only one platform, so their Q1 2024 Restaurant Trends can’t speak for all restaurant tips, since many venues use other technology and some guests leave cash tips. But this information can give a fair estimation of some common trends. Unlike many reports and surveys, these are based on actual statistics rather than self-report, so they’re an accurate portrayal of consumer behavior—and offer a fascinating peek into the pocketbooks of diners.

On average, restaurant patrons tipped about the same in the final three months of 2023 as they did in the first 3 months of 2024. The average tip across the U.S. stayed steady at 18.9 percent, with full-service restaurant staff earning 19.4 percent and quick-service bringing in 16 percent. (ICYMI, most etiquette experts recommend tipping 20 percent for all dine-in experiences, and adding a little extra for exceptional service.)

That’s for America on average, so how do specific states stack up? The most generous tippers can be found in Delaware, where diners add 22.1 percent to their bills as gratuity (22.5 percent at full-service and 19.1 percent at quick-service restaurants).

On the flip side, California patrons tend to tip the lowest, with a 17.9 percent average. This is probably impacted by the fact that a fair amount of California restaurants have instituted service charges that weave in gratuity and surcharges into the total cost of the bill. However, if you’re peeking at the lowest tippers in the quick-service category, for food and drink at places like coffee shops and counter-service restaurants, you’ll find them in New Jersey, which averages 13.8 percent.

As for the South, most states fall right in the middle of the tipping pool, clocking in at 18.6 to 20.7 percent.  (Well done, team!) Read on to devour the top and bottom five gratuity-givers in the South. If your state isn’t among them, see how it stacks up here.

The South's Most Generous Restaurant Tippers

• West Virginia: 20.7 percent
• Kentucky: 20.6 percent
• South Carolina: 20.3 percent
• Missouri: 20.2 percent
• North Carolina: 19.6 percent

The South's Least Generous Restaurant Tippers

• Florida: 18.3 percent
• Texas: 18.6 percent
• Louisiana: 18.6 percent
• Arkansas: 18.7 percent
• Mississippi: 18.9 percent