Do I tip at a fast-casual restaurant?
Order at the counter, grab a number, food appears: that is fast-casual, and it doesn't carry a real tip expectation. Zero to a dollar covers it.
Pew Research found only 12% of Americans always or often tip at fast-casual spots with no servers, the lowest rate of any service they measured. Tipping little or nothing here is the norm, not the exception.
The honest exception: if staff run food to your table, refill drinks, and bus your dishes, you've slid into table service, and the usual 15–20% applies. Ask who actually did the work.
Order-and-pickup: $0–$1 is normal. Food run to your table and bused? Tip like a restaurant: 15–20%.
When to tip more
If they bring food to your table, refill your drink, and clear your plates, treat it like a restaurant at 15–20%. A counter handoff with real care still earns a dollar if you like.
Quick questions
How much do I tip at a fast-casual restaurant?
Ordering at the counter, $0–$1 is normal. If they bring food to your table and bus it, tip like a sit-down restaurant at 15–20%.
Is it rude not to tip at a counter?
No. Only 12% of Americans regularly tip at counter-service restaurants, per Pew Research.
Related situations
Verdict based on: The Emily Post Institute (2024), Pew Research Center (2023), CNBC (2024).
Tipping guide · Methodology.
General etiquette guidance, not financial or legal advice. Norms vary by region and situation, and tipping is always your call.