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Check, Please! Post-COVID Dining and Tipping Habits in 2025

Last Updated: April 14, 2026

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused Americans to stay at home, upending the restaurant industry and changing the way we eat. Years later, many of those habits haven’t just lingered. Instead, they’ve reshaped how we dine, tip and save money when eating out.

To better understand these shifts, CouponCabin surveyed 1,007 U.S. consumers in August 2025 about their dining and tipping habits. What we found is that Americans are dining out more than before the pandemic, tipping generously even amid “tip fatigue” and making smart trade-offs like skipping surcharges to keep costs in check.

Dining Out Is Back (and Bigger Than Before)
When asked whether they dine out more, less or the same as they did before COVID, more than a third of respondents (35%) say they dine out more often in 2025. And for some, dining out isn’t a rare occasion. 30% of respondents indicated that they dine out a few times a week, with 25% of respondents dining out about once a week.
Surprisingly, 4% of respondents dine out every day. It might be time to make sure those restaurant rewards cards are getting some serious use. Places like McDonald’s, Panera Bread and Starbucks offer impressive rewards through membership sign-up. For example, MyPanera rewards members with a free bakery treat with purchase as well as free delivery within the first 30 days.
Would You Like to Add a Tip?
We’ve all seen it. No matter where you go these days, you’re asked to tip, sometimes even when there’s no service being provided. However, that hasn’t deterred those that dine out from tipping the wait staff. Among survey respondents that dine out, the most common tip was a generous 20%, with 34% of respondents indicating that they pay the gold standard for excellent service. And while 8% of respondents tip more than 20% of the bill, 19% tip less than 10% for their meal. Watch out, waiters.
On the bright side, 33% of survey respondents largely indicated that they tip more than they did before COVID, while 62% of respondents tip about the same.
Dinner’s On The Way
Delivery was already a popular dining method before COVID, but its meteoric rise during lockdown, coupled with the rise of companies like Uber Eats and Grubhub, has ensured that getting breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in-between delivered to your door is here to stay. According to our survey, 40% of respondents are ordering delivery more than they did before COVID. When they do, they’re sure to leave a tip, too.
The truth is, meals can cost more on apps like Grubhub and Uber Eats because of the markup price, which is usually 15-20% more than the actual restaurant. So that you’re not spending more for the same meal, always check the restaurant’s price first. If a menu item is 15% more through an app like Grubhub, you’ll want to avoid that purchase. You can also prioritize apps that have no fees.
According to our veteran savings analyst, Jessica Hayes, individuals can essentially triple their savings when dining out. “Here at CouponCabin, we offer cash back on the purchase of gift cards. So, you can earn cash back on a Grubhub gift card and look for any other deals. Then, place an online order through a Chase Sapphire DashPass membership to get a $0 delivery fee. These stackable savings will lower your overall total.”
Breaking Down Delivery Tips
Of those who order for delivery, 88% leave a tip in 2025. And when they do, they make sure it’s meaningful. Of those who choose to tip for their delivery, 71% indicated that they tip 10% of the bill or more. While 10% was the most popular tip, 17% of respondents said they tip 20% or more for their delivery on average.
That said, there are certainly outliers. While a lucky few delivery workers encounter the 3% that tip more than 20%, 11% of respondents indicated that they only tip 5%, with 9% tipping just 4% or less!
When it comes to fees on delivery apps, it pays to read the fine print. According to Diane Lourmas, veteran savings analyst, shoppers can skip the $2.99 Priority Delivery fee on Uber Eats and put that money to better use. “This fee simply changes the order in which food is delivered. Skip it since your order should still arrive in a reasonable amount of time, and put that $2.99 toward the tip instead so you’re not spending extra for little added value.”
It’s for Pickup
Tipping while dining in or ordering delivery may be the norm, but what about those ordering food for pickup in 2025?
Cheaper than dining out, but more expensive than cooking, picking up your food from a restaurant is a happy medium for price-conscious consumers, and based on the results of our survey, it looks like it’s becoming even more popular: 45% of respondents order food for pickup more than they did before COVID, and the majority of those who order pickup are providing a tip, even without any table service to show for it.
Among those who tip for pickup, 10% of the bill was the most popular amount. However, tipping between 11% - 15% of the bill wasn’t far behind, proving generosity isn’t dead after all. Tipping 5% of the bill did come in third, but the fourth most popular response was a whopping 20% of the bill!
Skip Dessert?
While it’s clear that consumers aren’t forgoing the indulgence of dining out, they are doing their best to avoid sticker shock when they receive the check. When asked about ways to save money while dining out, survey respondents’ most popular selection was skipping dessert (61%). Ditching drinks (55%) and appetizers (51%) were also popular options, while tipping less was selected by just 12% of respondents.
Another popular choice? Saying ‘no’ to optional fees. When asked about the optional fees restaurants can charge, such as 3% fees to help restaurants handle rising operating costs, the majority of respondents indicated that they have selected to opt out at least once before.
Always ask about an optional fee if you’re not sure what it’s for. If you’re tipping in-person, look towards the bottom of your receipt for an asterisk that will explain the tip for more information.
Interestingly, when dining out with friends, the majority of survey respondents indicated that they evenly split the bill rather than itemizing it. Now that’s what friends are for!

Dining Out in 2025

Dining out has rebounded in a big way since COVID, but how people approach meals, tips and even splitting the check has clearly evolved. Consumers today are balancing generosity with practicality, rewarding service with 20% tips or more while cutting back on extras to avoid sticker shock.

At CouponCabin, we track these consumer behaviors closely to help shoppers save wherever they eat, whether that’s at a local diner, through delivery apps or while picking up takeout on a busy weeknight.

As tipping culture and dining habits continue to shift, one thing is clear: Americans are still embracing the joy of eating out, just with a more budget-conscious mindset.