Is Louisiana One of the Worst Tipping States?

SHREVEPORT, LA - Things have changed dramatically since the pandemic. We adjusted how we shop, how we dine out and how we participate in many activities. Some of the changes have stayed with us.

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Many restaurants still offer curbside service. Most grocery stores and big box stores now offer online shopping and they bring your purchases out to your car. This is how I handle all of my grocery shopping. I rarely go in the grocery store anymore. And I have saved a ton of money doing this. There are no more impulse buys for me. I buy only what I need.

How Much Should You Tip?

But I don't know how much to tip for this service. There are really no rules. For someone who used to bring my cart to my car, I would give them a buck. But these folks actually shop for my items and bring it all out to the car. I try to give them a minimum of $5 bucks. But is that too cheap? I have no idea.

Tipping Changes Since the Pandemic

Tipping became a vital lifeline for many service workers during the pandemic. With restaurants  shuttered, delivery and takeout became the norm, and suddenly, the money customers left became a critical life line.

And many folks began to tip more generously to help those folks hang on. But now that things are back to normal, why are we still expected to tip so many people? And the previous normal of 15% for servers is now 20%.

As the restaurants got back to normal, our generosity for these workers continued. But do we really need to tip fast food workers who take our order in a drive through window? Many put out tip jars and during the pandemic, we gladly donated. But do we still need to do that? I have noticed many of these tip jars at drive-thru spots have gone away and that's a good thing.

What States Are the Most Generous?

New York and California are generally among the most generous tipping states. Much of that has to do with the high concentration of restaurants and service-oriented businesses. But both states are very costly to live in for residents.

Texas is also a state where residents are generous tippers. Austin and Houston residents are among the best tippers.