Californians are tipping less than diners in any other U.S. state, according to a recent report on restaurant tipping trends. The state’s overall tip rate averaged 17.3%, falling short of the national average of 18.8% in the Q1 2026 Restaurant Tipping Trends report by Toast, a restaurant technology company.
The report, which analyzed aggregated tip transactions from restaurants using Toast's platform, did not include cash tips, meaning the figures may not represent every dollar left for servers. However, the data shows California trailing the national average in both full-service and quick-service establishments.
At full-service restaurants, California diners tipped an average of 17.7%, compared to the national average of 19.3%. For quick-service restaurants, the average tip in California was 14.8%, below the national average of 15.8%.
Despite these numbers, industry observers suggest that California's lower tip rates may not solely be due to stinginess. Factors such as higher menu prices, the state's requirement that servers receive the full minimum wage before tips, and the increasing implementation of service charges at some establishments could contribute to the trend. This indicates that diners might be tipping differently rather than not tipping at all.
Following California, other states and districts with lower-than-average tip rates included the District of Columbia (17.5%), Washington (17.8%), Nevada (18.2%), and Florida (18.3%). Delaware ranked as the most generous state, with diners tipping an average of 22.1%.
Nationally, tipping habits have remained relatively stable over the past two years, with full-service tips generally between 19.1% and 19.4%, and quick-service tips around 15.8% to 16%. The report also highlighted that customers are more likely to tip higher for sit-down service (19.3% average) than for takeout orders (13.7% average).
These findings emerge as consumers nationwide express growing dissatisfaction with current tipping practices. A recent Popmenu survey indicated that 78% of consumers believe tipping practices have become excessive, and 74% have observed increases in suggested gratuity amounts on digital payment screens. This phenomenon, often referred to as "tip creep," involves tipping requests extending to situations where gratuities were not traditionally expected.
While some restaurant owners note that customers continue to support tipping when it is tied to service, there is a perception that prompts for tips in situations like ordering coffee or at a service counter can be frustrating. Approximately 36% of consumers surveyed reported bypassing preset tip options to enter a custom amount, suggesting a desire for greater control over gratuity decisions. As one restaurant owner stated, a tip is "something that’s earned," not necessarily expected.