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Georgians rank among America's worst tippers, report shows

By CBS News Atlanta Digital Team

/ CBS Atlanta

Georgians are tipping just below the national average, according to a new report tracking restaurant payments nationwide.

Customers in Georgia tipped an average of 18.8% in late 2025, according to data from Toast Inc. That puts the state in the lower half of the national rankings, coming in as the 14th-lowest in the country.

The findings are based on card and digital payments processed through the Toast platform. Cash tips were not included in the analysis.

Nationwide, tipping patterns held mostly steady. Tips at full-service restaurants rose slightly to 19.4% in the first quarter of 2025, up from 19.3% in the previous quarter. Quick-service restaurant tips remained unchanged at 15.8%.

Georgia's average trails the national leaders. Delaware ranked first overall with an average tipping rate of 21.8%, followed by other higher-tipping states in the Northeast and Midwest.

At the bottom of the list, California recorded the lowest average tipping rate at 17.3%.

The report suggests tipping behavior has largely stabilized after pandemic-era highs, with full-service restaurant tips now closer to pre-pandemic levels.

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