Your 2024 holiday tipping guide: Who to tip and how much

Is tipping at a tipping point?

Traditionally, 15 percent was an average tip, with 20 percent for excellent service. Now, the suggested tips on many restaurant bills include 22 percent, 25 percent and even 30 percent. As FOX News correspondent Jonathan Serrie reports, it's a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many Americans want to show appreciation for workers who care for their homes and families, but the question remains: How much should you tip?

Are you thinking of leaving a $20 bill in the mailbox for your mail carrier or sending gift cards to your child’s teachers?

If you’re not sure how to proceed, a recent survey by Bankrate has provided some insights.

Bankrate’s 2024 Tipping Culture Survey polled more than 2,400 adults in the U.S. between Oct. 31 and Nov. 4 to find out how many intend to give a tip or holiday gift to those who provide them and how much they plan to spend.

1 in 3 Americans say tipping culture is out of control

The survey revealed that more than 1 in 3 Americans say tipping culture has gotten out of control.

Even so, more U.S. adults said they planned to tip housekeepers, childcare providers, teachers and trash/recycling collectors this holiday season than since polling began in 2021.

File: Tip jar. (Credit: Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

When asked why they planned to tip, 80% of tippers said they just want to say thank you.

Holiday tips are a nice way to show appreciation for hardworking people who have helped you throughout the year," Ted Rossman, a Bankrate senior industry analyst, said in a statement. "If you can’t afford to tip everyone, DO consider pooling resources with family, friends, or your community for those who went above and beyond for you this year."

More Americans plan to tip housekeepers, childcare providers

The survey also found that many Americans want to tip workers who regularly care for their homes or families.

Among people who use each service, 57% of respondents said they would tip their housekeeper, 55% said they would tip their childcare provider and 53% planned on tipping a teacher.

In addition, 41% of respondents said they would tip their landscaper, 31% planned to tip their mail carrier and 26% planned to tip their trash and recycling collector.

Apart from the landscaper, which was down slightly from last year, the plans for tipping are the highest Bankrate has seen since polling began in 2021.

Housekeeper: 57%
Childcare provider: 55%
Teacher: 53%
Landscaper/gardener/snow remover: 41%
Mail carrier: 31%
Trash/recycling collector: 26%

Amounts of this year’s tips are the same or less than in previous years

While Americans might be more inclined to tip some service providers this year, they’re not tipping as much as in years past, according to the data.

Bankrate said that some service providers may get the same amount in tips as before, while others might get less.

Respondents said they planned to tip their housekeeper $50, their childcare provider $50, their landscaper $30, a teacher $25, their mail carrier $20 and the trash collector $20.

Housekeeper: $50
Childcare provider: $50
Landscaper/gardener/snow remover: $30
Teacher: $25
Mail carrier: $20
Trash/recycling collector: $20

The survey found that younger generations tend to be more frequent and more generous holiday tippers than older cohorts across multiple service categories.

For example, 36% of applicable Gen Zers and 33% of millennials said they planned to tip their trash and recycling collectors, compared with only 22% of Gen Xers and 16% of baby boomers. Further, 48% of Gen Zers and 44% of millennials who employ landscapers planned to tip them, versus 33% of Gen Xers and 32% of boomers.

"Traditionally, younger Americans have been viewed as worse tippers than older adults, largely because they don't tend to have as much money and also because they aren't as ingratiated with those social norms," Rossman continued. "It's still true that Gen Zers and millennials are worse tippers at restaurants and many other year-round tipping venues. But when it comes to the holidays, surprisingly, young adults are the most generous tippers."