What state has the worst tippers in America? The answer may surprise you
Residents of New York and New Jersey are among the stingiest tippers in America, despite boasting some of the nation's highest incomes and priciest restaurant tabs, a new 2025 study shows.
The Garden State ranked 35th out of 40 states studied with an average 19.5% gratuity, while New York came in 34th at 19.1% — based on full-service restaurant transactions — landing both near the bottom of BLogic Systems' 2025 'Generosity Index.'
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4 New Yorkers and New Jerseyans are among the stingiest tippers in America, despite having some of the nation's highest incomes and priciest restaurant tabs, new study shows.
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The index, created by the payment processing company, doesn't just measure how much people tip — it weighs average tip percentage against after-tax income to show which states are the most generous relative to what residents are earning.
That formula dragged down high-income, high-cost states like New York and New Jersey — because tipping more doesn't count for much if your paycheck is bigger too.
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That's why West Virginia — where an average tip was 21% — made the top of the list. Diners in rural, lower-per capita income states fared far better than their wealthier counterparts.
4 That formula dragged down high-income, high-cost states like New York and New Jersey — because tipping more doesn't count for much if your paycheck is bigger too.
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Kentucky was a close second at 20.7%.
California came in dead last, with an average tip of just 17.8%, and the lowest generosity score in the country. New York and New Jersey weren't far behind, joined by other high-income, service-heavy states like Massachusetts and Connecticut.
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It will be a tall order asking New Yorkers to fork over more to move up the index, because tipping fatigue is real.
'Tip fatigue is a real phenomena,' said etiquette expert Diane Gottsman, founder of The Protocol School of Texas. 'People are frustrated when being asked to tip on everything from a cup of coffee to a drive-through bagel.'
4 California came in dead last, with an average tip of just 17.8%, and the lowest generosity score in the country. Meanwhile rural states like West Virginia and Kentucky topped the list.
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'Etiquette dictates that you show gratitude for good service,' she added. 'But asking for 20 and 25% on a quick counter exchange is not necessary.'
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More than 80% of Americans say tipping has gotten out of control, according to a 2024 PlayUSA survey used in BLogic's analysis.
Adding to the fatigue? Both states report higher median hourly earnings for waitstaff — $22.30 in New York and $18.60 in New Jersey, according to federal labor data — which may make some customers feel less pressure to tack on more.
The BLogic study used 2025 data on tipping percentages, wage rates, disposable income and public sentiment on 'tipping fatigue' to paint a state-by-state picture of modern tipping behavior.
4 More than 80% of Americans say tipping has gotten out of control, as businesses continue to request tips on 'everything from a cup of coffee to a drive-through bagel.'
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Jay Zagorsky, economist at Boston University Questrom School of Business, said the study shows just how pricey dining out in the Empire State can be. He pointed to federal data showing New York's meal costs and per diem rates are among the highest in the country.
'A 19% tip on a $100 New York City meal is a much larger [dollar amount] than a 21% tip on a similar meal costing $50 in the heartland,' he told The Post. 'Any waiter or bartender good at math should love a 1 or 2 percent reduction in exchange for a bill that is 35% higher.'
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