How Much to Tip: A Guide by Service (Hair, Movers, Delivery, Hotels & More)

Personal-care services: hair, nails, spa

Hairdressers, barbers, colorists, and nail technicians follow roughly the same norm as restaurant table service: 18–20% of the pre-tax total, moving to 25% for a particularly difficult color job or a special-occasion style. If multiple people worked on you — a colorist and a stylist — many people tip each separately rather than pooling one tip and hoping it gets split fairly.

Spa services (massage, facials) follow the same 18–20% baseline. A common point of confusion: if the business already adds an automatic 'service fee' to the bill, check what it actually covers — some fees fund overhead rather than staff pay, meaning a tip is still expected on top.

Movers and delivery

Movers are typically tipped in cash, per person, directly to each mover rather than as a single sum handed to whoever's in charge — that's the only way to guarantee everyone actually gets their share. The going rate is $20–50 per mover for a half-day job, or $5–10 per person per hour for longer jobs; heavy items, stairs, and difficult access are all reasons to tip toward the higher end.

Food delivery norms run 10–15% of the order with a $3–5 floor regardless of order size, since the driver's cost (gas, vehicle wear, time) doesn't scale down for a small order. Bad weather or a long distance is a common reason people tip above the floor even on a cheap order.

Hotels: housekeeping, valet, bellhop

Hotel housekeeping is the one on this list with the least consistent guidance, which is exactly why it gets searched so often. The American Hotel & Lodging Association's suggestion is $1–5 per day, left in cash with a visible note (so it's clearly a tip, not forgotten money), and left daily rather than as one sum at the end — housekeepers often rotate rooms, so a single end-of-stay tip may not reach the people who actually cleaned for you most of the trip.

Valet parking is typically $2–5 when the car is returned (not when it's dropped off). Bellhops who carry bags to your room are usually tipped $1–2 per bag, more for heavy luggage or multiple trips.

When tipping genuinely isn't expected

Countries with service-included pricing (much of continental Europe) don't expect the US-style percentage tip — a small round-up is polite but not obligatory. Within the US, counter service and takeout remain optional despite the tablet increasingly prompting for one; declining or tipping small isn't a faux pas the way it would be for full table service.