Celebrities Who Are Known for Being Good Tippers

When you’re a member of the rich and famous elite, being a good tipper is probably the easiest way to pay it forward. While the rest of us are typically tipping 18-25% of our restaurant bills, some of these generous celebrity tippers are handing out 100% to servers and bar staff. And if you’ve ever worked in the service industry, you’ll know that they deserve every penny!

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In recent years, celebrities have caught a lot of flak for their tipping habits and treatment of wait staff. In 2020, several viral TikTok video ignited a trend of servers airing out their negative experiences with the stars they encountered at work. Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner and Jennifer Lopez were three of several stars who caught some heat on TikTok.

Then, in 2022, the owner of NYC hotspot Balthazar called out former The Late Late Show host James Corden, claiming he banned the star from his restaurants. “James Corden is a Hugely gifted comedian, but a tiny Cretin of a man. And the most abusive customer to my Balthazar servers since the restaurant opened 25 years ago. I don’t often 86 a customer, to today I 86’d Corden. It did not make me laugh,” he said in an Instagram post.

Yet, amid all these negative stories and some stars who have made it their mission to brighten servers’ days.

Take Naomi Campbell, for example, who has often been unfairly labelled a “diva” due to her determined attitude in the fashion industry. However, the model proved that she knows when it’s time to turn on the kindness when she made headlines for her $$7,893 tip after a meal at a London restaurant.

And Campbell is not the only generous star out there! Here are all the celebrities who are known for being good tippers.

• Naomi Campbell

  
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  After a very A-list evening of drinking champagne and vodka with actress Cameron Diaz in 2011, Naomi Campbell reportedly tipped servers at the London restaurant $7,893, according to a Digital Spy report.

  “The waitress was absolutely shocked. She didn’t know what to think or say. She was totally stunned by Naomi’s generous thank you,” said an onlooker.

• Jessica Simpson

  
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  The same year as Campbell’s London spending-spree, Jessica Simpson also made a similar move in a New York restaurant. After a meal of veal parmigiana, fried Oreos and Mcallan scotch, the singer left a server at NYC’s Lavo a $300 tip on a $500 check.

  “You were amazing and make this world a better place. Love, Jess,” she wrote on the receipt, according to NY Daily News.

• Jamie Foxx

  
  Image Credit: Chelsea Lauren/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images

  Jamie Foxx reportedly had a very generous night in an NYC restaurant after performing at a charity benefit in 2019, according to Page Six.

  After hyping up a crowd at the Prostate Cancer Foundation benefit, Foxx took his entourage of 30 people to Brooklyn Chop House where he partied until 5am and dropped a $2,000 tip. 

• Donnie Wahlberg

  
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  Blue Bloods star Donnie Wahlberg made headlines in 2020 when he tipped an IHOP server in Illinois $2,020 after spending just $75 on New Year’s Day.

  “I couldn’t even believe it. I freaked out at the restaurant,” the server, a single mother, told the Daily Herald. “It was the greatest blessing I could’ve received from anyone.”

• Harry Styles

  
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  Harry Styles also rang in 2020 by tipping a server $2,020 during a January dinner in Aguilla with friends Adele and James Corden, according to People. 

• Tom Selleck

  
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  Tom Selleck quietly participated in the #2020TipChallenge at an New York City restaurant in December of that year.

  The moment was publicized by Wahlberg, his TV son in Blue Bloods. 

  “I found out that my TV Dad #TomSelleck has generously accepted the #2020TipChallenge at Elios Upper East Side!” Wahlberg wrote in a tweet. “Love ya dad. I didn’t start it but I’m proud to be part of it. To those who gave even the smallest extra amount this year — THANK YOU.”

• David Beckham

  
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  David Beckham was praised when he reportedly left a $1000 tip on a $100 bill after dining with some teammates after a charity soccer game in California.

  Then, in 2021, Miami servers praised Beckham and his superstar wife Victoria for their tipping genorisity during a date night at LPM Restaurant & Bar

• Charles Barkley

  
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  NBA legend Charles Barkley is a self-described good tipper, as he said during a 2014 appearance on Conan, via Sports Illustrated.

  “I think it’s important when you’re successful, the waiter, the waitresses, the blackjack dealers, they work extremely hard, they don’t get a great salary,” Barkley told O’Brien.

  “The more successful you are, the more you should tip, I truly believe that. … I never went overboard. I tipped $25,000 before. I won about $700,000 at a blackjack. You have to tip. I probably should have tipped more to be honest with you.”

• Gabrielle Union

  
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  In 2021, Gabrielle Union told Jimmy Kimmel that she’s a strip club “connoisseur,” and drops between $10,000 and $20,000 in tips at the Atlanta strip club she frequents. 

  “You don’t really think about it because — the booze,” she explained. “And you just want to make sure all the ladies go home with a little something.”

• Chrissy Teigen

  
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  In 2017, an Ohio waittress told Associated Press that she was blown away when she served Chrissy Teigen, in husband John Legend’s home state, and ended her night with a $1000 tip from the model.

• Charlize Theron

  
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  In 2014, TMZ reported that Charlize Theron briefly skipped out on paying for her $3.75 frozen yogurt when she realized she didn’t have cash with her. When she returned to the store later, with then-boyfriend Sean Penn, she gave the cashier a $100, leaving a $96 tip. 

• Gabriel Iglesias

  
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  In 2020, comedian Gabriel Iglesias generously tipped staff at Gotham Comedy Club in New York City $3000 after his set ran over time and staff were forced to stay late.

• Jimmy Fallon

  
  Image Credit: Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images

  In 2018, the owner of a restaurant in the Hamptons told Us Weekly that Jimmy Fallon is a generous tipper, saying the late-night host typically tips 30-40 percent. 

  However, he has also paid it forward to other diners, as the restauranteur revealed, claiming he paid for another table’s meal while dining out with his wife.

  “I didn’t hear the whole conversation when he [Fallon] walked over to them, but from what I did gather I heard him say, ‘I appreciate the fact that you gave us privacy and I want to thank you for that and I wanted to do something nice for you,’” the owner explained.

• Drew Barrymore

  
  Image Credit: Michael Buckner/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images

  According to Business Insider, Drew Barrymore got some praise from Ugly Betty actress Anna Oritz who worked as a server before landing her breakout role.

  Oritz says she served Barrymore twice and both times was tipped twice the amount of the bill!

• Taylor Swift

  
  Image Credit: Monica Schipper/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images

  Not only was Swift seen handing out wads of cash to servers at a Kansas City Chiefs game in December, she was also praised for tipping servers at a Philedelphia restaurant $500 and two tickets to her next show in 2013.

• Jay-Z

  
  Image Credit: Tommaso Boddi/Variety via Getty Images

  In 2011, Jay-Z left a $50,000 tip at a Miami venue after a lavish night of drinking expensive champagne, according to People.

  Then, in 2018, he dropped an $11,000 tip on an $80,000 bar tab at a New York City venue, per Business Insider.

• H.E.R.

  
  Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

  In 2020, Page Six reported that singer H.E.R. tipped a server $1000 after a meal out for a friend’s birthday.

• Rihanna

  
  Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/` via Getty Images

  Rihanna has proved she’s a generous tipper on many occasions.

  In 2013, the singer spent $80 on a night at the Laugh Factory and asked her server what the biggest tip he’s ever received is. When he told her it was $100, Rihanna reportedly handed him $200 and said, “Now I’m your biggest tip.”

  Then, in 2016, it was reported that Rihanna tipped $200 on an $82.25 tab. 

  Rihanna proved her kindness once again in 2022 when she stayed and helped staff clean up at an NYC restaurant after her girls’ night out forced staff to stay late.

• Michael Polansky

  
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  While the duo were on a date night, Lady Gaga’s beau Michael Polansky tipped almost $700 on a $60 bill, according to a photo of the receipt posted on Twitter.

• Nev Schulman

  
  Image Credit: Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images

  Catfish host Nev Schulman very kindly left a pregnant server at a Denver airport a $926 tip after he learned her due date was September 26, his birthday!

  “It means the world to my baby and my family … we never expected that ever to happen to us,” the server said in an interview after sharing the news.

• John Leguizamo

  
  Image Credit: Steve Eichner/`/Penske Media via Getty Images

  In a 2023 interview with Good Morning America, John Leguizamo revealed that he regularly carries $100 bills so he has cash to tip servers and valets.

  “Come on, this ain’t the ’70s,” Leguizamo said. “You can’t tip with $20 bills. People are going to throw that back at you.” 

  “You’ve got to give back,” he continued. “If people are giving you their best service, and you don’t tip them? Come on, who are you? I’m not a cheapskate.”