Tipping At Fast Food Restaurants: Complete Guide For 2024

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, tipping has been on the rise. Because of this “tipflation,” 72% of adults in the United States report that tipping is expected in more places compared to five years ago. 

Likewise, 53% say they’ve encountered a tip screen at a business that didn’t have one before.

With all this debate over proper tipping etiquette, you may have asked yourself if you should be tipping at fast food restaurants.

For traditional fast food joints, the answer is generally still no.

For fast casual establishments, however, it’s a bit tricker. According to a study conducted by Toast, about 17% of restaurant guests are willing to tip if they place their order at a counter and pick up their order themselves, 12% are willing to tip at a drive-thru, and 11% are willing to tip at a self-checkout kiosk. 

Meanwhile, a different survey from PlayUSA found that 61% of people don’t tip at restaurants with no tableside service, and 39% avoid tipping at coffee shops.

So, given that opinions on quick service tipping seem to be split, in this article we’ll help you understand when it’s appropriate to leave a tip. We’ll not only explore proper tipping etiquette for different types of fast food restaurants, but also various scenarios, such as counter service and delivery.

Key takeaways

• Tipping at fast food restaurants is generally optional, so don’t feel pressured by tip prompts or tip jars if you’re not comfortable tipping.

• Even small tips of a dollar or two can add up over time. If you’re a frequent customer, consistent tips can make a difference.

• Many workers prefer cash tips because they receive them immediately. Additionally, credit card and digital tips might be pooled and are subject to processing fees.

• If you’re a regular at a fast casual restaurant or coffee shop, consistent tipping can lead to better service. After all, staff may remember generous and consistent tippers.

• If you’re visiting the United States from another country, beware that tipping customs may be different here. When in doubt, observe what locals are doing or ask politely about expectations.

Let’s get started.

Should you tip at fast food restaurants?

Whether or not you should tip fast food workers depends on several factors. Of course, one of the most important things to consider is the type of quick service restaurant you’re at.

So, below we provide a breakdown of the proper tipping etiquette for various types of fast food joints.

Traditional fast food chains

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Traditional fast food restaurants generally offer counter service and drive-thru options, focusing on quick and inexpensive meals. They include big names like:

• McDonald’s

• Burger King

• Wendy’s

• KFC

• Taco Bell

• Arby’s

Generally, these restaurants do not expect you to tip their workers. This is due to a few reasons, including:

• Employees make at least minimum wage, meaning they’re not dependent on tips as part of their income (unlike tipped employees at full-service restaurants, where employees can make under minimum wage with the expectation that tips will make up the bulk of their income)

• Service is typically limited to taking orders and handing over food (unlike traditional restaurants where wait staff provide elevated service)

• Keeping costs low for customers is a major part of the fast food business model

So, while you can tip fast food workers for exceptional service at these types of establishments, it’s not the expectation.

Fast casual restaurants

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Fast casual restaurants typically offer higher-quality ingredients, more customization, and a slightly more upscale atmosphere compared to traditional fast food restaurants. Some popular examples of fast casual establishments include:

• Chipotle

• Panera Bread

• Five Guys

• Shake Shack

• Mod Pizza

These places often have tip jars or tipping options on credit card machines to encourage tipping. While tipping at these restaurants is more common, it’s still optional.

However, if you do decide to tip, it should generally be less than the amount you tip at full-service restaurants. If the staff provides exceptional service, consider leaving a 10-15% tip. Great service can include several factors, including:

• Level of customization in your order

• Whether staff brings food to your table

• Cleanliness of the establishment

• Overall attentiveness of staff

Coffee shops

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While not strictly fast food, chains like Starbucks and local coffee shops often have similar service models and tipping considerations. Many coffee shops, both chains and independent establishments, usually have tip jars or tipping options. 

According to a Bank of America survey, however, 34% of people don’t tip at coffee shops, while 30% give a 10% or less tip, and 14% typically leave a 15% tip.

So, when tipping at coffee shops, consider the following tipping protocols:

• Leave 50 cents to $1 per drink

• Consider a 10-15% tip for complex drinks or larger orders

• Give a tip that rounds your total up to the nearest dollars (for example, if your total is $4.50, round up to $5 to leave a 50 cent tip)

3 ways to tip at fast food restaurants

Regardless of the type of fast food restaurant you’re at, most will allow you to tip their workers. Below, we discuss the different methods for leaving them tips, as well as their pros and cons.

1. Cash tips

Many fast food places, especially fast casual restaurants, have tip jars at the counter. In this case, you can simply drop a cash tip into the jar.

The advantage of this tipping method is that cash tips often go directly to workers, and they receive them immediately.

2. Credit card tips

If you don’t have cash or there’s no tip jar, many establishments, especially fast casual restaurants, allow you to tip with your credit card. This typically appears as a prompt on the card reader with suggested tip amounts.

Just bear in mind that these systems often pool tips together and then distribute them later. Additionally, credit card tips are usually subject to processing fees.

3. Digital tipping

Lastly, some fast food chains have introduced digital tipping options through their apps or at self-service kiosks.

Like credit card tipping, this allows you to tip without having cash on you. However, tipping systems also usually pool all the tips together and will likely be subject to processing fees.

Tipping guidelines for different fast food scenarios

Just as proper tipping etiquette can vary based on the type of fast food restaurant, it can also differ based on the type of service.

So, below we discuss some common fast food tipping scenarios, from counter service and drive-thru to takeout and delivery.

1. Counter service

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If you place your order at the counter of a traditional fast food restaurant, you generally don’t need to leave a tip. However, if the service is really great, you might consider leaving a $1 or $2 tip.

Meanwhile, for fast casual establishments and coffee shops, it’s typically best to leave a 10-15% tip. For smaller orders, even a $1 or $2 tip is likely to be appreciated by staff.

 2. Drive-Thru

Regardless of the type of quick service restaurant, you generally don’t need to leave a tip for drive-thru orders.

However, you might think about leaving one for exceptional service or during holidays. A tip can also be a nice gesture to staff working during bad weather or late-night shifts.

 3. Takeout

Like counter service, you’re not expected to tip for takeout from traditional fast food joints.

Similarly, you’re also not required to tip on takeaway orders from fast casual restaurants and coffee shops. However, you might consider leaving a 5-10% tip for larger or complex orders. A $1 or $2 tip can also be good if the service was noteworthy.

Ultimately, since you’re not dining in, there’s less cleanup for the staff, meaning you don’t need to leave as big of a tip.

 4. Delivery

No matter the type of restaurant you order from, you should generally always tip your delivery driver. Unfortunately, we found that roughly 50% of guests are willing to tip for delivery when the order is placed online, 49% when the order is placed over the phone, and 43% when they order on a third-party app. 

The tip should typically equate to about 15-20% of the order total. However, you may want to consider leaving more in certain situations, such as:

• Large or heavy orders

• Difficult delivery locations

• Bad weather conditions

• Exceptional service (for example, careful handling of the order or quickness of delivery)

Remember, tips often make up the majority of earnings for third-party delivery app drivers. For example, in 2023, tips made up over 50% of earnings for both DoorDash and Uber Eats drivers. Therefore, it’s key to tip these workers well so they can make ends meet.

 5. Dine-In

One more situation to consider is dining in at quick service restaurants. Like most scenarios in this list, you don’t need to tip at traditional fast food joints.

However, for fast casual dine-in, you should consider tipping 10-15% if you receive table service or bussing. On the other hand, if it’s purely self-service (ie, you bus your own table), tipping is generally optional but appreciated.

When to consider tipping at fast food restaurants

While tipping is generally optional at fast food restaurants, there are some specific scenarios which may warrant a tip or a larger tip.

So, let’s explore some circumstances where you may want to think about leaving a little extra for the staff.

1. Minimum wage considerations

Even though fast food workers are allowed to accept tips, they’re generally not classified as tipped workers in the traditional sense. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a tipped worker “engages in an occupation in which he or she customarily and regularly receives more than $30 per month in tips.”

Since fast food workers aren’t classified as tipped workers, they’re entitled to a base pay equal to at least the minimum wage. Meanwhile, tipped employees are only entitled to $2.13 per hour, with the expectation that tips will equate to at least minimum wage or above.

However, minimum wage can vary by state and city, and pay rates will also depend on the restaurant.

While tipping may be less necessary if workers make a standard wage, it could be a nice boost to earnings for those making minimum wage.

2. Service quality

Another reason to consider tipping or leaving extra money in your tip is for exceptional service. For example, think about tipping extra if the staff:

• Accommodates special dietary requests

• Provides helpful recommendations or menu guidance

• Ensures order accuracy for complex orders

• Maintains a clean and welcoming environment

• Is exceptionally friendly

In these cases, a small tip of $1-2 or 10% of the order (whichever is greater) can be a nice gesture.

3. Order complexity

Larger or more complex orders that require extra effort might also warrant a tip. For example, consider tipping for:

• Large group orders

• Orders with multiple customizations

• Catering orders

As Emily Post, etiquette expert and co-author of Emily Post’s Etiquette said in an interview with PBS: 

Ultimately, if staff have to put in extra effort beyond what goes into a standard order, you should generally leave a tip.

4. Time and effort

Another consideration to make when determining if you should leave a tip is the time and effort required to prepare your order. For instance, ask yourself:

• Did the staff go above and beyond to meet your needs?

• Was your order particularly time-consuming to prepare?

• Was it during a busy rush period?

Remember, extra time and effort may require staff to put in extra work and balance a lot more moving parts than is typical. So, be sure to compensate their extra effort with a tip.

5. Special circumstances

Lastly, there are a few other special circumstances in which you might consider leaving a tip. 

For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some customers chose to tip more generously to support workers facing increased risks.

Other instances in which you may want to think about a tip can include:

• Holiday seasons

• Special events or rush periods

• Bad weather conditions

• Late-night service

Future trends for fast food tipping

As the fast food industry continues to evolve, we may see further changes in tipping practices. Here are a few trends that could emerge

1. Increased Automation: As more restaurants adopt self-service kiosks and automated systems, the role of tipping may change. For example, self-service may result in less face-to-face interactions, and mandatory service charges could become more prevalent to compensate for less optional tipping.

2. Living Wage Movements: Efforts to increase minimum wages may impact tipping expectations in the fast food industry. For instance, higher base wage costs for restaurants could cause wider reliance on tipping.

3. New Technologies: New payment technologies may introduce new ways of tipping, as we’ve seen with automated tipping prompts.

4. Transparency in Tipping: There may be increased demand for clarity on how tips are distributed among staff.

5. Customized Tipping: AI and data analytics might lead to more personalized tipping suggestions based on order history and preferences. For example, restaurants are already using AI to provide personalized recommendations and offers.

Tip-Based Promotions: Tipping could become a marketing tool for fast food restaurants. For example, Domino's ran their You Tip, We Tip promotion where if you tip $3 on your order, they’ll give you a $3 credit towards your next order.

Tipping at fast food restaurants is optional, but it’s on the rise

Tipping at fast food restaurants is an evolving practice in American tipping culture. 

While it's not as established or expected as in full-service restaurants, it's becoming more common, especially in fast casual settings. This is largely due to the effects of the pandemic and new digital tipping technologies 

Ultimately, the decision to tip often depends on factors such as the type of establishment, level of service, and personal beliefs about fair compensation.As a customer, the best approach is to:

1. Be aware of the type of establishment you're in

2. Consider the level of service provided

3. Factor in any special circumstances

4. Make an informed decision based on your personal values and financial situation

Remember, while tipping can be a way to show appreciation for good service, it's not mandatory in most fast food settings.