The time-honored 15% tip for restaurant service may be making a comeback. New data from Toast, a company providing restaurant-payment systems, shows that customers are becoming less generous with their gratuities. In the second quarter of 2025, average tip amounts at full-service restaurants fell to 19.1%, the lowest level since Toast began tracking it seven years ago in 2018. This decline marks a significant drop from the peak of nearly 20% in 2021. The trend suggests that Americans may be becoming more conservative with their tipping habits, leaving some wondering if the traditional 15% tip is indeed regaining its former norm.
Source: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/when-it-comes-to-tipping-at-restaurants-is-15-the-new-20-2e3abe05