Millions of hospitality industry workers – including most servers and bartenders – rely on tips for a majority of their income. In over a dozen states, tipped bar and restaurant workers earn a minimum wage of just $2.13 an hour. That comes to just over $17 for an eight-hour shift, with the rest of their earnings dictated by the whims of their customers. While the average customer tips between 15% and 20%, some leave much more, and some much less.
Although tipping is not mandatory at most restaurants, the majority of customers do leave a gratuity. According to a report by Toast, a restaurant point of sale and management system, tips at full-service restaurants during the fourth quarter of 2022 averaged 19.6%, while those at quick-service (i.e., fast-food) places averaged 15.9%.
The same report found that in Georgia, the average tip at restaurants is 19.3%, tied for the 16th lowest among states.
As is the case nationwide, Georgia residents are more likely to give higher tips at full-service restaurants than at quick-service establishments. The average tip at a full-service restaurant in the state is 19.9%, compared to 16.3% at quick-service restaurants.
All data in this story is from the Restaurant Trends Report. Data was collected from about 79,000 locations where a tip was added to the order via a card or digital payment. Cash tips are not included in analysis.
StateAvg. restaurant tip (%)Avg. full-service restaurant tip (%)Avg. quick-service restaurant tip (%)Alabama19.420.016.6Alaska19.620.018.1Arizona19.320.115.8Arkansas19.019.716.5California17.518.215.0Colorado19.920.616.9Connecticut19.319.914.8Delaware21.822.517.8Florida18.318.616.2Georgia19.319.916.3Hawaii18.719.216.6Idaho19.620.416.3Illinois19.319.815.6Indiana20.821.317.1Iowa20.020.218.0Kansas19.920.715.6Kentucky20.720.918.6Louisiana18.819.316.5Maine20.321.215.9Maryland19.720.315.7Massachusetts19.420.315.0Michigan20.220.716.7Minnesota19.219.616.6Mississippi19.119.516.5Missouri20.120.817.1Montana20.120.917.3Nebraska19.920.416.8Nevada18.419.315.3New Hampshire20.621.715.6New Jersey19.019.714.6New Mexico18.920.214.4New York18.719.215.4North Carolina19.620.116.7North Dakota19.720.018.0Ohio20.621.018.3Oklahoma19.219.916.0Oregon19.420.017.6Pennsylvania20.320.816.4Rhode Island20.120.915.6South Carolina20.420.917.1South Dakota19.419.916.9Tennessee19.520.316.4Texas18.919.715.8Utah19.220.415.3Vermont19.520.117.3Virginia19.520.115.7Washington18.218.716.1West Virginia20.620.917.8Wisconsin20.320.618.4Wyoming20.821.118.7
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