Does Dave Ramsey Always Leave A Tip?

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Ramsey Show Highlights – "Does Dave Ramsey Always Leave A Tip?"

Release Date: July 17, 2025
Host: Ramsey Network
Guests: Dave Ramsey, Jade Warshaw

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In the July 17, 2025 episode of The Ramsey Show Highlights, host Dave Ramsey engages in an insightful discussion with Jade Warshaw about the nuances of tipping in today’s society. The conversation delves into when and where tipping is appropriate, the impact of tipping culture post-pandemic, and the ethical considerations surrounding service gratuities.

1. Understanding When to Tip

Jade Warshaw opens the discussion by addressing a listener's question from Jackie in Massachusetts regarding the growing prevalence of tipping screens at purchase points and seeks clarity on appropriate tipping practices for the average person not following Ramsey’s Baby Step Seven.

"Whenever you're in a restaurant situation where you're sitting down, you're placing an order, there's somebody attending to your table, you should always tip. And I think that you should tip between 18 to 20%. That's just me. I'm a 22% tipper."
— Jade Warshaw [00:10]

Jade emphasizes the importance of tipping in sit-down restaurants, recommending an 18-20% gratuity to acknowledge the service provided.

2. Tipping Beyond Restaurants

The conversation extends to other service industries where tipping is customary. Jade highlights professions such as hairstylists and nail technicians as scenarios where tipping is warranted due to the personal nature of the services rendered.

"Somebody who's cutting your hair, someone who's doing your nails or like, involved in your bodily person while they're doing a service, I think that those people also should be tipped again, 15 is a great place to start on that."
— Jade Warshaw [00:52]

3. Situations Where Tipping May Not Be Necessary

Both hosts discuss instances where tipping might not be obligatory. Jade mentions quick service scenarios, such as baristas, where tipping could depend on the quality of service and familiarity with the server.

"It's like, I got my coffee if it was really good and I know the person, and it's like always the same guy or something. I. I might tip them a little bit."
— Jade Warshaw [01:34]

Dave Ramsey adds his perspective, identifying situations like paying for gas at a station's tip jar as non-tippable services.

"If you can flip that screen at me all you want. I'm not tipping. Yeah, no, you didn't do anything."
— Dave Ramsey [02:22]

4. Tipping as a Gesture of Generosity

Dave shares his personal philosophy on tipping, equating it to an act of generosity and often exceeding customary amounts, sometimes to the point of discomfort for his spouse.

"For me, tipping falls in the bucket with generosity. So I overdo it to the point that my wife cringes."
— Dave Ramsey [01:58]

Jade concurs, highlighting that tipping should reflect appreciation for good service.

5. Tipping in the Hospitality Industry

The discussion moves to hotel tipping practices, with Dave describing his routine of tipping maids daily to ensure consistent service appreciation.

"100% of the time I stay in a hotel, I pinch a 20 and I leave it in a standing on the end of the bed when I leave. Every day the maid gets tipped."
— Dave Ramsey [03:37]

Jade supports the practice, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging the hard work of hospitality staff.

6. Tipping Valets: Balancing Generosity and Appropriateness

Valet tipping becomes a focal point, especially concerning high-value vehicles. Dave criticizes insufficient tips for valets handling expensive cars, stressing the need for appropriate gratuities based on the value and service provided.

"This guy pulled up in a Mercedes, like $130,000 Mercedes, and he's parking a car with a valet and it's raining and he gives his kid $5. Are you. I mean, come on."
— Dave Ramsey [03:44]

Jade and Dave agree on the importance of tipping valets adequately, especially when they provide exceptional service under challenging conditions.

7. Supporting Service Workers Beyond Standard Tips

Jade introduces a strategy to support service workers who are hustling to get out of debt by doubling their tips when they are aware of their financial struggles.

"If doordash or if Domino's or Marcos or Pizza Hut or whoever shows up at your door with a pizza and you say, how are you doing? And they say, better than I deserve. ... You gotta double their tip."
— Dave Ramsey [06:40]

This approach not only provides immediate financial relief but also fosters a sense of community support for those striving to improve their financial situations.

8. Critique of Manipulative Tipping Practices

Both hosts express dissatisfaction with the introduction of tipping prompts during digital transactions, viewing them as manipulative attempts to extract additional funds subtly.

"The spinning of the iPad is a manipulation."
— Dave Ramsey [08:16]

They argue that these prompts undermine the genuine spirit of tipping by making it an obligatory, rather than discretionary, part of the transaction.

9. Ethical Considerations and Personal Responsibility

The hosts conclude by reinforcing the ethical responsibility of consumers to tip appropriately for services rendered, especially in industries where tips constitute a significant portion of workers' incomes.

"If you can't afford tip, you shouldn't go. Because those people are working for tips. They're working hard, and a lot of them aren't being paid well unless they're tipped."
— Dave Ramsey [05:30]

Conclusion

The episode meticulously navigates the complexities of tipping etiquette, emphasizing generosity where due, recognizing when tipping is not required, and advocating against manipulative tipping practices. Dave Ramsey and Jade Warshaw provide listeners with practical guidelines to navigate tipping scenarios thoughtfully and ethically, ensuring that service workers are fairly compensated for their efforts.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• "Whenever you're in a restaurant situation where you're sitting down, you're placing an order, there's somebody attending to your table, you should always tip. And I think that you should tip between 18 to 20%. That's just me. I'm a 22% tipper." — Jade Warshaw [00:10]

• "For me, tipping falls in the bucket with generosity. So I overdo it to the point that my wife cringes." — Dave Ramsey [01:58]

• "This guy pulled up in a Mercedes, like $130,000 Mercedes, and he's parking a car with a valet and it's raining and he gives his kid $5. Are you. I mean, come on." — Dave Ramsey [03:44]

• "If you can't afford tip, you shouldn't go. Because those people are working for tips. They're working hard, and a lot of them aren't being paid well unless they're tipped." — Dave Ramsey [05:30]

• "The spinning of the iPad is a manipulation." — Dave Ramsey [08:16]

This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for listeners seeking to navigate the often perplexing landscape of tipping, balancing personal responsibility with ethical considerations to support service professionals effectively.

Transcript

[A]

Brought to you by why refi refinance your defaulted private student loans [e-mail] Ramsey.

[B]

All right, today's question comes from Jackie in Massachusetts. She says, everywhere I go these days, there's a tipping screen now at the end of the purchase. For the average person who's not in baby step seven, when is it appropriate to leave a tip at coffee shops and restaurants versus not giving one? That's actually a really good question. I mean, I definitely feel like since COVID since the pandemic, tipping has kind of gone into the stratosphere, I think, and there's been some tipping fatigue out there. I definitely think whenever you're in a restaurant situation where you're sitting down, you're placing an order, there's somebody attending to your table, you should always tip. And I think that you should tip between 18 to 20%. That's just me. I'm a 22% tipper. That's my. That's Jade's personal thing. But you need to at least be, I think, 18 at those places. Now, there are, I think, also anything that's really a close. Close. I'm going to call it a closely felt service. Right. So somebody who's cutting your hair, someone who's doing your nails or like, involved in your bodily person while they're doing a service, I think that those people also should be tipped again, 15 is a great place to start on that. Um, things that I don't tip for or, you know, sometimes it's like, it just depends on if it's really great. Would be, I don't know, like a barista service, something like that. It's like, I got my coffee if it was really good and I know the person, and it's like always the same guy or something. I. I might tip them a little bit. Grocery delivery, if it's raining out, always tip them. What about you, Dave? I'm just trying to think, what do you not tip for? I'm trying to think what I don't tip for. I'm a tipper, though. I. I lean heavily for me.

[A]

For me, tipping falls in the bucket with generosity.

[B]

Yeah, I think, me too.

[A]

So I overdo it to the point that my wife cringes.

[B]

Well, we have it on our budget as a line item.

[A]

And she's like, you don't need to leave that match. It wasn't that good. And I'm like, yeah, well, they don't care if it's that good. And, you know, here's the thing. The kitchen might have screwed Up. Not the poor waitress.

[B]

That's right. No, please don't take it out on the wa.

[A]

Sometimes a waitress is an idiot, too. That happens. But in my case, I don't really have a choice because they're gonna have a Dave Ramsey story. It might as well be a good one.

[B]

That's true. You're a known fellow.

[A]

I'm a known felon. So I have to fellow fellow. That too. That too. So I have to leave a tip even when I don't want to. But I want to. I like doing that. But the times that I walk up to the counter and someone spins an iPad at me and I leave a tip is precisely zero. I do not tip there ever. That is not a tippable.

[B]

Well, if I know that person is gonna be touching my food, there's a.

[A]

Tip jar on the counter at the gas station and I just walked in to pay for my gas. No, I'm not tipping. You can flip that screen at me all you want. I'm not tipping. Yeah, no, you didn't do anything. And so sorry, it's not anything. Yeah, but I over tip on everything else. Here's one where people don't tip. And I think, this is horrible. 100% of the time I stay in a hotel, I pinch a 20 and I leave it in a standing on the end of the bed when I leave. Every day the maid service. Yeah, every day the maid gets tipped and my wife is like, well, they didn't even do turndown service. Oh, my God, would you quit with this already?

[B]

So you don't wait till the end. You do it at the end of each day.

[A]

Every day.

[B]

I like that.

[A]

Every day. And you know what? I never have a problem with the room either.

[B]

Yeah, that's true. Ever.

[A]

And the one that drives me real crazy, I saw this happen the other day. This guy pulled up in a Mercedes, like $130,000 Mercedes, and he's parking a car with a valet and it's raining and he gives his kid $5.

[B]

Stop it. I don't like that.

[A]

And I'm like, no, this is just dumb. You just gave him the keys to your $130,000 car. Ferris Bueller, man, he's going to change. Come on, man.

[B]

He's going to change all.

[A]

And you gave him $5. Are you. I mean, come on. So there's certain. You know, I've tipped valets $50.

[B]

You better tip the valet.

[A]

You know what? That car sitting right there when I come out, too, they didn't even park it. It's just sitting there. They didn't even touch it. And so that's good. I like that. So that's good. Service goes with the good tip. So, yeah. And I listen, I used to work.

[B]

In food service, and if I.

[A]

And when I pull up with a valet, in some cases, I almost always hit them on the front end, and then another person brings the car back.

[B]

And get them to.

[A]

And so, no, sometimes I do. But somet I go, hey, other guy. I hit the other guy on the front end. He goes, oh, I heard about it.

[B]

Oh, okay. Yeah.

[A]

At least they knew. They knew what was. So you want to do that. But that. That's a reputation thing, and it's a generosity thing. But this thing of you just poured some coffee at Starbucks and you spin the thing around, facing him. I don't buy coffee at Starbucks. Oh, why am I saying that?

[B]

But I'm saying that I haven't been.

[A]

In a Starbucks in 15 years. So what am I saying? But. But I mean, coffee shop. If I went into a coffee shop and they pour me a cup of coffee and they hand it across the counter, quick serve. No, thank you. I don't tip. Chick Fil A. Yeah, I'm sorry.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

No, it's not what I'm doing. I'm driving through. You're handing me the Jesus chicken out.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I'm gone.

[B]

Now, I do feel like if you can't. Like when you go to actual restaurants, I feel like if you can't afford to leave a nice tip.

[A]

If you can't afford tip, you shouldn't go.

[B]

You can't go.

[A]

Yeah, no, that's for sure. Because those people are working for tips. They're working hard, and a lot of them aren't being paid well unless they're tipped.

[B]

Mm.

[A]

And so.

[B]

And have a nice demeanor towards him, too. Because, listen, back in the day when I worked at Applebee's, I don't want to tell you some of the things I saw back there.

[A]

No.

[B]

When people were acting.

[A]

When tables were acting up, Payback sale on that.

[B]

You don't.

[A]

You don't want to know what happened to your food for. It came out. But the.

[B]

I never did anything. I would never do something like that.

[A]

No, I don't think you would.

[B]

I never would.

[A]

Well, it would be against your religion to mess up food. You like food.

[B]

I love food. I love people. Even if somebody's wilding out, I still would not do some of the things that I have witnessed.

[A]

But I'll tell you the other one. You know what? We used to do. Because one of the things we now everybody doordashes and whatever to get out of debt. That's their get out of debt side hustle. But it used to be that we all just go, hey, go deliver pizzas. And so we had a thing for a long time on this show and we could start it again right now that says, okay, if doordash or if Domino's or Marcos or Pizza Hut or whoever shows up at your door with a pizza and you say, how are you doing? And they say, better than I deserve.

[B]

Oh, that's great.

[A]

There's code for I'm working this job to get out of debt. You gotta double their tip.

[B]

I love that.

[A]

You gotta double their tip.

[B]

I love that.

[A]

And so. Cause they're trying to get out of debt and you're now helping them. They're out here hustling. They're bringing you food in the rain while you're sitting on your butt. So double their tip, man.

[B]

And give it to em. Like, if I catch the doordash person, like over the holidays, you know, you're ordering food and people are always. If you can catch them at the door and give them cash.

[A]

I always do cash. Yeah, I do. I always do cash.

[B]

Yeah. Because if you're. If somebody's working Christmas.

[A]

Well on that kind of thing or you know, valets, that kind of. Now if I'm in a fine dining restaurant, I'm going to pay it part of the bill.

[B]

Yeah, for sure.

[A]

With the debit card. And they always make fun of me. Is this a debit card? Yeah. Well, is this your tip? Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, we'll see how this works. But yeah, anyway, yeah, absolutely. It's a kindness, it's an exchange. But this spin the iPad around is not an exchange. And I got zero obligations if I picked up some queso at the Mexican restaurant to go to take to Rachel's house for Father's Day Sunday night. And I did not tip them. They had the queso at the door. I paid them at the queso. They did not serve my table.

[B]

You drove? Yeah.

[A]

You drove. I walked in, in the rain, got the queso, got in the truck, went to Rachel's house. Yeah, no, we don't tip that.

[B]

Yeah, I don't. I don't tip that. Now if they bring it, there's one restaurant I go to where they'll bring it out to the car to your door. And I'm like, I do tip that one. Because I'm like, you packed it up and you brought it out to me. I did drive that one. I'll tip. That one's up to your discretion.

[A]

Yeah, you can hit in the middle there. But I. This thing of. It's kind of like. It's manipulative.

[B]

Well, you have to.

[A]

The spinning of the iPad is a manipulation.

[B]

Well, then they stand and I don't appreciate you. It's.

[A]

The other one is. Do you want to give to the wounded. Wounded Pet association or something? Do your change up dollar to your groceries. No, if I wanted to give to the Wounded Pet Association, I would have already given them money. I'm not adding it to my grocery bill. And you get the credit for the charity. No. So zero on those. I don't add a dollar for the Blind Cat Society or whatever the heck it is that they put on there. It's just. They come up with some crap, man. It's unbelievable. Or Blind Dog Society. I don't care. Whichever one you want to me. But. Yeah, just. No, we're not. No.

[B]

Not even in 12 months.

[A]

That's not a tip, though. That's a. That's a. But it's a manipulation at checkout.

[B]

It is.

[A]

It's the same thing. It's still a manipulation at checkout. And it's nickel and diming you to death and no thank you. And I don't feel guilty. Why Refi Refinances delinquent private student loans for struggling borrowers. Learn more at Y r e f y.com Ramsey.