How Much Should You Tip Service Professionals?

You probably know how much to tip at a restaurant. Tipping someone who repairs your washing machine, installs a new appliance or spends six hours moving furniture is less obvious.

Some service professionals regularly receive tips. Others rarely expect them. In certain industries, offering a tip is appreciated but completely optional. In others, a percentage of the bill has become customary.

This guide compares tipping practices for 50 common services, from movers and house cleaners to plumbers, electricians, delivery drivers and personal care professionals.

Tipping customs vary significantly between countries and even between cities. The amounts below are general guidelines commonly used in places where tipping service workers is customary. When traveling or hiring a service abroad, local practices should always take priority.

Tipping Guide for 50 Common Services

# Service Typical Tip Is Tipping Expected?
1 House cleaner 10% to 20%, or $10 to $30 per cleaner Common, especially for one-time cleaning
2 Regular cleaning service Optional per visit, or larger holiday tip Usually optional
3 Deep cleaning service 15% to 20% Common for demanding jobs
4 Carpet cleaner $10 to $20 per technician Optional
5 Window cleaner $5 to $20 per worker Optional
6 Movers $5 to $10 per mover per hour, or 10% to 20% of labor cost Common
7 Furniture delivery $5 to $20 per person Common for difficult deliveries
8 Appliance delivery $5 to $20 per person Optional but appreciated
9 Mattress delivery $5 to $20 per person Optional
10 Grocery delivery 10% to 20%, often at least $5 Generally expected
11 Food delivery 15% to 20%, often at least $3 to $5 Generally expected
12 Courier or local delivery driver $2 to $10 depending on the delivery Depends on the service
13 Plumber No tip required; $10 to $30 for exceptional service Usually not expected
14 Electrician No tip required; $10 to $30 if desired Usually not expected
15 HVAC technician No tip required; $10 to $30 for exceptional service Usually not expected
16 Appliance repair technician $10 to $20 if desired Usually not expected
17 Handyman $10 to $50 depending on the job Optional
18 Locksmith $5 to $20 Optional
19 Pest control technician $5 to $20 Usually optional
20 Garage door technician $10 to $20 Usually not expected
21 Painter $10 to $50 per worker, or 10% for exceptional work Optional
22 General contractor No tip normally required Rarely expected
23 Construction crew $10 to $50 per worker at project completion Optional
24 Landscaper $10 to $20 per worker Optional
25 Lawn care worker $5 to $20 per visit, or seasonal tip Optional
26 Tree removal crew $10 to $50 per worker Optional for difficult work
27 Pool maintenance technician No tip per visit, optional holiday tip Usually not expected
28 Snow removal worker $5 to $20, depending on the job Optional
29 Car wash attendant $2 to $5 Common for full-service washes
30 Car detailer 10% to 20% Common
31 Auto mechanic No tip required; $10 to $20 if desired Usually not expected
32 Tow truck driver $5 to $20 Optional but common
33 Roadside assistance driver $5 to $20 Optional
34 Valet parking attendant $2 to $5 Generally expected
35 Taxi driver 10% to 20% Common in tipping cultures
36 Rideshare driver 10% to 20%, or a few dollars for short rides Common
37 Hairdresser or barber 15% to 25% Generally expected
38 Nail technician 15% to 25% Generally expected
39 Massage therapist 15% to 20% Common in spas
40 Esthetician 15% to 20% Generally expected
41 Tattoo artist 15% to 20% Common
42 Pet groomer 15% to 20% Common
43 Dog walker Optional per walk, often 10% to 20% for special service Usually optional
44 Pet sitter 10% to 20%, or a flat bonus Optional but appreciated
45 Babysitter Not usually tipped per visit; rounding up is common Usually optional
46 Nanny Often a holiday bonus rather than a regular tip Varies
47 Hotel housekeeper $2 to $5 per night Common
48 Bellhop $2 to $5 per bag or service Generally expected
49 Tour guide 10% to 20%, or a flat amount Common in many destinations
50 Photographer No tip required; 5% to 15% or a flat amount for exceptional work Usually optional

Which Service Professionals Usually Expect a Tip?

The easiest way to understand tipping is to separate services into three groups.

Services Where Tipping Is Usually Expected

In countries with strong tipping cultures, gratuities are common for workers whose compensation traditionally includes tips.

Examples include:

  • Food delivery drivers
  • Grocery delivery drivers
  • Hairdressers and barbers
  • Nail technicians
  • Massage therapists working in spas
  • Taxi and rideshare drivers
  • Valet attendants
  • Hotel staff
  • Pet groomers

For many of these services, 15% to 20% is a useful starting point.

Services Where Tipping Is Appreciated but Optional

Some workers receive tips regularly, but customers are not generally considered rude if they do not leave one.

This group commonly includes:

  • Movers
  • Furniture delivery teams
  • Appliance delivery teams
  • House cleaners
  • Handymen
  • Landscapers
  • Car detailers
  • Tow truck drivers
  • Pet sitters

The difficulty of the job matters more than a strict percentage in many of these situations.

Services Where Tipping Is Usually Not Expected

Licensed tradespeople and contractors often set their own labor rates or work for companies with established service fees.

Tipping is therefore less common for:

  • Plumbers
  • Electricians
  • HVAC technicians
  • Auto mechanics
  • General contractors
  • Appliance repair technicians
  • Garage door technicians

You can still tip someone who provides exceptional service, but you should not normally feel obligated to add 15% or 20% to a large repair bill.

How Much Should You Tip Movers?

Movers are among the service professionals most commonly tipped outside restaurants and personal care businesses.

A practical guideline is approximately $5 to $10 per mover for each hour of physically demanding work, or around 10% to 20% of the labor portion of the moving bill divided among the crew.

The exact amount depends on the difficulty of the move.

You may want to tip more when movers:

  • Carry furniture up several flights of stairs
  • Handle unusually heavy items
  • Work in very hot or cold conditions
  • Carefully protect fragile furniture
  • Complete a long move without damaging property
  • Deal with difficult access or long walking distances

A simple local move with easy access does not necessarily require the same tip as an eight-hour move from a fourth-floor apartment without an elevator.

How Much Should You Tip House Cleaners?

For a one-time home cleaning, deep cleaning or move-out cleaning, a tip of around 10% to 20% is common where tipping cleaners is customary.

You can also give a flat amount, such as $10 to $30 per cleaner, depending on the size and difficulty of the job.

Regular cleaners are slightly different.

If the same person cleans your home every week or every two weeks, you do not necessarily need to tip after every visit. Some customers instead provide a larger tip or bonus around the holidays.

Should You Tip a Plumber?

Plumbers generally do not expect tips.

Plumbing services are usually priced based on labor, materials, travel and the complexity of the repair. A customer is not typically expected to add another 15% or 20% to the bill.

However, a small tip can be a kind gesture when a plumber provides exceptional service, such as responding to an emergency late at night, solving a particularly difficult problem or doing additional small work without charging extra.

A tip of $10 to $30 is more typical in this situation than a percentage of the total repair cost.

Should You Tip an Electrician?

Electricians normally do not expect tips either.

A complicated electrical job may cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, but that does not mean you need to calculate a restaurant-style percentage.

If an electrician is particularly helpful, arrives during an emergency or goes beyond the original scope of work, a small cash tip can be offered if company policy allows it.

Should You Tip an HVAC Technician?

Tipping an HVAC technician is usually optional.

Air conditioning and heating technicians are skilled tradespeople, and their service prices generally account for professional labor.

You might still choose to give $10 to $30 when someone spends extra time solving an unusual problem, provides emergency service or works in extremely difficult conditions.

Should You Tip Appliance Repair Technicians?

A technician repairing a refrigerator, washing machine, dishwasher or oven generally does not expect a tip.

If the technician provides excellent service, protects your home carefully and explains the repair clearly, a small $10 to $20 tip may be appreciated.

Before offering cash, remember that some companies prohibit employees from accepting tips.

How Much Should You Tip Furniture and Appliance Delivery Workers?

Delivery workers often handle large, heavy and awkward items while trying to avoid damaging walls, floors and furniture.

A tip of around $5 to $20 per worker is common for good service.

Consider the higher end of the range if the delivery involves:

  • Several flights of stairs
  • Heavy appliances
  • Tight hallways
  • Furniture assembly
  • Removal of old furniture or appliances
  • Bad weather

If the delivery consists of placing a small item directly inside an easily accessible entrance, a smaller tip or no tip may be perfectly reasonable.

How Much Should You Tip a Handyman?

There is no universal rule for tipping a handyman.

Many independent handymen set their own prices and do not expect tips. Employees working for a larger home-service company may be more accustomed to customers offering small gratuities.

For excellent work, something between $10 and $50 is reasonable depending on the length and complexity of the visit.

You do not normally need to tip based on a percentage when the project itself is expensive.

How Much Should You Tip a Car Detailer?

Car detailing is one service where percentage-based tipping is relatively common.

For good service, around 10% to 20% is a reasonable guideline.

A larger tip may be appropriate if the vehicle was particularly dirty or the detailer successfully removed stains, odors or contamination that required extra effort.

Should You Tip an Auto Mechanic?

Auto mechanics generally do not expect tips.

Vehicle repairs are priced according to labor rates, parts and diagnostic work, so there is usually no need to add a percentage to the invoice.

If a mechanic helps with a small problem without charging, fits you into a busy schedule or provides especially helpful service, a $10 to $20 tip, coffee or another small gesture can be appreciated.

How Much Should You Tip a Tow Truck Driver?

A tip of approximately $5 to $20 is common but usually optional.

You might tip more when the driver:

  • Works in bad weather
  • Helps during the middle of the night
  • Recovers a vehicle from a difficult location
  • Provides additional roadside assistance
  • Takes extra care with an expensive or damaged vehicle

How Much Should You Tip Hairdressers and Barbers?

In countries where tipping salon professionals is customary, 15% to 25% is a common range.

The percentage can depend on the quality and complexity of the service.

A simple haircut may fall near the lower end, while complicated coloring, styling or lengthy treatments may justify a higher tip.

How Much Should You Tip a Massage Therapist?

At spas and massage businesses where tipping is customary, around 15% to 20% is common.

The situation can be different for therapeutic or medical massage performed in a clinical setting. Healthcare professionals may not expect or be permitted to accept gratuities.

If you are unsure, ask the business whether tipping is customary.

How Much Should You Tip a Pet Groomer?

Pet groomers are commonly tipped around 15% to 20%.

Consider tipping more if your pet:

  • Has a difficult coat
  • Requires extensive de-matting
  • Is nervous or difficult to handle
  • Needs additional cleaning
  • Requires substantially more time than a typical appointment

Should You Tip Contractors and Construction Workers?

Contractors generally do not expect tips.

This is particularly true for business owners who quoted and priced the project themselves.

For a construction crew working on your property for several days or weeks, you may choose to provide something at the end of the project if you are especially satisfied.

This could be:

  • $10 to $50 per worker
  • Lunch for the crew
  • Drinks and refreshments
  • A positive review
  • A referral to friends or neighbors

For many skilled professionals, a strong review and future recommendation may be more valuable than a small cash tip.

Do You Tip the Business Owner?

Traditional tipping etiquette often distinguished between employees and business owners, with owners receiving tips less frequently because they controlled their own prices.

Today, that distinction is less clear.

Many self-employed cleaners, barbers, beauty professionals, drivers and other independent service providers accept tips just like employees.

Instead of focusing entirely on whether someone owns the business, consider whether gratuities are normal in that particular industry.

Should You Tip When a Service Charge Is Already Included?

Check the bill before adding a tip.

Some businesses automatically include:

  • Service charges
  • Delivery fees
  • Gratuities
  • Administrative fees
  • Travel charges

These terms do not always mean the same thing.

A delivery fee, for example, may belong to the company rather than the driver. An explicitly listed gratuity is much more likely to represent the worker's tip.

If you are unsure, ask whether the charge is distributed to the person who performed the service.

Should You Tip for Bad Service?

You are not obligated to reward poor service with a generous tip.

However, consider whether the problem was actually controlled by the worker.

A delivery arriving late because the restaurant was delayed is different from a driver behaving carelessly. A technician being unable to repair an appliance because the required part is unavailable is different from doing poor-quality work.

If the service itself was genuinely unacceptable, you can reduce or skip an optional tip and address the problem directly with the provider or business.

What If You Cannot Afford a Large Tip?

A tip should not create financial difficulty.

For services where tipping is optional, there is nothing wrong with thanking the professional without giving extra money.

Even when tipping is customary, you can use judgment based on the circumstances and local expectations.

Other ways to recognize excellent service include:

  • Leaving a detailed positive review
  • Recommending the professional to other people
  • Booking the same provider again
  • Mentioning the employee by name to the company
  • Providing refreshments during a long job

When Should You Tip More Than Usual?

There are situations where an unusually generous tip can make sense.

Consider tipping more when a service professional:

  • Responds to an emergency
  • Works late at night
  • Works in extreme heat, cold or rain
  • Carries unusually heavy items
  • Handles a particularly dirty or difficult job
  • Protects fragile or valuable property exceptionally well
  • Solves a problem that other professionals could not fix
  • Completes extra work without increasing the price
  • Provides significantly better service than expected

When Is It Better Not to Tip?

There are also situations where you should avoid automatically offering money.

You may not need to tip when:

  • The professional explicitly says tips are not accepted
  • The company prohibits employees from accepting gratuities
  • A gratuity is already included in the bill
  • The service is provided by a regulated professional who cannot accept tips
  • Tipping is not customary in the local culture

When in doubt, asking politely is perfectly acceptable.

Cash or Card: What Is the Best Way to Tip?

Cash is often the simplest option because the worker receives it directly.

Many modern booking and payment platforms also allow customers to add a tip during card payment.

If several workers completed the job, you can either give the total amount to the crew leader and clearly say it is for everyone, or hand each person their share individually.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tipping Service Professionals

Do you have to tip service professionals?

No. Tipping depends on the type of service and local culture. It is customary for certain workers, such as food delivery drivers, hairdressers and some hospitality staff, but is usually optional for tradespeople such as plumbers and electricians.

Is 10% a good tip for a service professional?

For services where tipping is optional, 10% can be generous. In industries where tipping of 15% to 20% is customary, such as salons or food delivery, 10% may be considered relatively low.

Is $20 a good tip for a service worker?

For many home services, $20 is a generous tip. It can be appropriate for appliance technicians, delivery workers, handymen, tow truck drivers or other professionals when the service was particularly helpful.

Should you tip someone who owns their own business?

You can. Business owners traditionally received tips less frequently, but many self-employed service professionals now accept gratuities. What matters more is whether tipping is customary for that type of service.

Should I tip before or after the service?

Tips are normally given after the service has been completed. This allows you to base the amount on the quality and difficulty of the work.

Do you tip workers if the job is already expensive?

Not necessarily. A large invoice does not automatically require a large tip. For trades and repair services, a small flat tip can be more appropriate than adding 15% or 20% to an expensive project.

Should I tip every worker individually?

You can either tip workers individually or give the total amount to the crew leader with clear instructions to divide it among the team. Individual tips make it easier to ensure each worker receives the intended amount.

Is a positive review as valuable as a tip?

For many independent professionals, a detailed positive review can be extremely valuable because it may help them attract future customers. A review does not necessarily replace a customary tip, but it is an excellent additional way to recognize good service.

The Simple Rule: Tip Based on the Industry and the Service

There is no universal percentage that works for every service professional.

A 20% tip may be completely normal for a hairdresser or food delivery driver but unusual for an electrician completing a $2,000 repair.

Start by asking whether tipping is customary in that industry. Then consider the difficulty of the job, quality of the service and whether the worker went beyond what was expected.

When tipping is optional, even a modest gratuity can be a meaningful way to recognize excellent work. And when you find a service professional worth recommending, leaving a detailed review can help other customers make better decisions too.