Americans Spent a Whopping $78 Billion on Tips Last Year — Here's Who Tipped the Most

If you’ve felt like dining out is getting more expensive — especially when it comes to tipping — you're not imagining things. A new analysis from LendingTree reveals that Americans collectively shelled out an estimated $78 billion in tips at restaurants, bars, and other food establishments in 2023.

Tipping Trends Across the U.S.

The study, based on government data, found that tips accounted for 15.02% of spending at full-service restaurants and 6.75% of all food spending away from home. But tipping habits vary widely depending on where you live.

At the top of the tipping leaderboard? New Hampshire, where 16.07% of residents’ dining dollars went toward tips. Here's how the top 10 states (and districts) ranked:

1. New Hampshire – 16.07%

2. District of Columbia – 12.65%

3. South Carolina – 11.17%

4. Minnesota – 10.11%

5. North Carolina – 9.75%

6. Washington – 9.51%

7. Vermont – 9.31%

8. Nebraska – 9.12%

9. Rhode Island – 8.54%

10. Maine – 8.18%

On the other end of the spectrum, Utah had the lowest tipping rate at just 4.09%, followed closely by Mississippi and Idaho, where tipping made up 5.10% or less of dining-out expenses. California landed in the middle of the pack, ranking 31st with an average tipping rate of 6.15%.

Who Spends the Most on Dining Out?

LendingTree also analyzed how much people in each state are spending on dining out overall — and the numbers are eye-opening. In the District of Columbia, residents spent an average of $10,291 per person annually on meals away from home, more than any other state.

Here are the top 10 states (and D.C.) for annual per-person dining-out spending:

1. District of Columbia – $10,291

2. Nevada – $6,752

3. Hawaii – $6,628

4. California – $5,072

5. Massachusetts – $4,626

6. Colorado – $4,579

7. New York – $4,424

8. Rhode Island – $4,412

9. New Hampshire – $4,224

10. Washington – $4,182

Despite rising grocery prices, Americans are still prioritizing meals out — not just for convenience, but for the experience.

“Even as the rising cost of groceries stretches household budgets to the breaking point, we don’t want to give up the fun and excitement — and convenience — of dining out,” the study’s authors wrote.

For more insights and the full breakdown, you can view the complete LendingTree study here.