Inside America’s lawn care tipping culture

By Emma Peterson. 

A nationwide analysis of more than two million mowing jobs revealed a growing culture of appreciation that is putting extra money in contractors’ pockets. 

For most professionals in the lawn care industry, while tipping is not as expected as it is in the food service, it is always appreciated. As David Beacgh of Westside Mowing in San Antonio put it, “I'm usually [pleasantly] surprised by the tips, positive comments and 5-star ratings.” 

But exactly how common is it for lawn care professionals to see a tip? In 2025, LawnStarters conducted a study of more than two million mowing jobs across the United States and found some interesting data.  

Everything is bigger in Texas, including tips 

The highest tips reports to LawnStarters came out of Amarillo, Texas. The national average for tipping sits at 27%, in Amarillo that number is more than 50%! But even beyond Amarillo, there has been a rise in tipping. LawnStarters reports:  

Something shifted in 2025 — across more than 2,000 cities, the national tip rate jumped from 19.1% to 26.7% in a single year, with 4 in 5 markets posting gains. What’s surprising is that the average tip dollar barely budged. This wasn’t existing tippers spending more — it was an entirely new wave of people starting to tip their lawn pros for the first time. 

When looking into factors that might have driven this, LawnStarts primarily points to a generalized cultural change, similar to that of the food industry decades ago.  

The economical result of this shift 

So, what exactly did this rise in tipping mean for lawn care professionals economically? The tips received ranged everywhere from $11.68 per job (in Chattanooga) to $7.92 (in Houston). Translated into percentages, tips ranged from 19.4% of the bill to 16.4% for an average tip percent of 17.9%. 

These tips translate into very real monetary wins for professionals. LawnStarters gave an example:  

In tips, Chattanooga contractors earn more than double what Orlando pros make ($3.47 versus $1.45). That $2.02/mow gap adds up: At 6 mows/day over a 35-week season, it's worth over $2,100 in additional take-home pay. 

Overall, while tipping is still not nearly as standard in the lawn care industry than it is in the food service industry, it is clearly on the rise. And the result of this increased monetary appreciation has a very real impact on professionals’ wallets.  

Curious to see the specific numbers for your region? Check out LawnStarter’s full 2025 report!