# California Tippers Rank Last Nationally

> California residents tip least in U.S. survey.
- Title: California Tippers Rank Last Nationally · California Post
- Summary: California residents tip least in U.S. survey. California has the lowest tipping rate at 17.1% per transaction, according to a national study.
- Keywords: california, tipping, toast, california post, national survey, tipping rate, west coast, news, entertainment, Tippers, Rank, Last
- Source: California Post — https://nypost.com/2026/09/16/lifestyle/california-has-the-lowest-tipping-rate-according-to-new-study
- Published: 2026-09-16T18:33:50+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: california, tipping, toast, california post, national survey, tipping rate, west coast, news, entertainment
## California Tipping Rate
California residents tip 17.1% per transaction, 17.6% for sit-down meals, and 14.8% at counter service restaurants.
## National Tipping Ranking
Delaware leads with 21.4% average, while California ranks dead last in a national survey of state tipping habits.
## West Coast Tipping Trends
California and Washington both rank among the lowest, with Washington at 17.6% and California at 17.1% per transaction.
## Tipping Culture Shift
The average U.S. tip rate dropped to 19.1% in Q2 2026, matching a seven-year low from the same quarter in 2019.
## Public Sentiment on Tipping
Tipping sentiment has worsened, with 52% of Americans wanting to abolish tipping by 2022, up from 32% in 2016.
## Guilt Tipping
People feel pressure to tip at self-service kiosks and counters, even when no service was performed.
## Key takeaway

California has the lowest tipping rate at 17.1% per transaction, according to a national study.