How much should I leave as a tip at the car wash? Or are tips expected? I don’t want to snub anyone but I also don’t want to leave a tip if I’m not supposed to.
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Typically, it’s expected that you tip 15% of the cost of the entire service at a car wash if you get your car fully detailed. If you just got a basic wash and dry package, you can tip the attendant based on the size of your car:
For an economy-sized car, you can typically tip two dollars.
If you also get your economy-sized car vacuumed, up the tip to three dollars.
For larger vehicles, like vans, SUVs, or trucks, you should tip four dollars, since the car wash attendant will have to cover more surface area.
If you also get your larger vehicle vacuumed, it’s a good idea to tip five to six dollars.
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