Survey reveals 99 percent of US respondents tip on vacation; 57 percent always do and 21 percent feel guilty if they don't.

TripAdvisor® announced the results of its tipping survey of more than 9,000 respondents of which 1,600 are in the U.S. 

According to the survey, 99 percent of Americans tip on vacation and of the group, 57 percent always do while traveling, compared to the average of 43 percent who always tip among seven other countries.

Americans are Likely to Leave a Tip

We asked travelers in local markets around the world how likely they are to tip on trips. Below are statistics on how often travelers from each country surveyed always tip while on vacation¹:

• Germans – 69%
• Americans – 57%
• Russians – 53%
• Brazilians – 40%
• French – 39%
• Brits – 39%
• Spanish – 36%
• Italians – 23%

1 TripAdvisor surveyed respondents in eight countries across the globe: U.S., U.K., France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Russia, and Brazil.

U.S. Tipping Trends

The greatest amount of U.S. respondents (59 percent) tip on vacation when staff go the extra mile.

When asked what encourages travelers to leave a tip at a hotel or restaurant, travelers cited the following factors as the primary reasons to compensate staff:

Hotel Stay
1. Helpfulness of service 
2. Friendliness of service
3. Politeness of service

Restaurant Visit
1. Friendliness of service 
2. Politeness of service 
3. Helpfulness of service

Tips on Tipping

When traveling to other countries, only 16 percent of U.S. respondents said they always feel they are informed on how much to leave.

To better their knowledge of tipping abroad:

• 73% reference travel guides
• 48% read online reviews
• 46% check online forums
• 35% ask friends or family who have visited the country
• 26% get the lowdown from the locals

Tools for Tipping

To calculate the gratuity, mental math trumps technology:

• 85% calculate the tip in their head
• 18% use their smartphone
• 7% carry a tip conversion sheet

Tipping Troubles

Sixteen percent of U.S. respondents report they have been asked to leave a tip by staff, nine percent cite they have been confronted about the tip, and three percent admit that a tipping situation has ruined their vacation.

"Tipping is a cultural norm in the States and U.S. travelers have a tendency to take their customs on the road whether they are on American soil or traveling abroad," said Brooke Ferencsik, director of communications at TripAdvisor.

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