There are few things more American than tipping. Whether you’re grabbing your morning coffee from Starbucks, out to eat on a Friday night, or placing an order for pizza delivery, you’re expected to tip the person making your latte or serving you your food.
But what about your budtender? You get your flower, various edibles, and some change, and the tip jar stares you in the face, leaving you wondering if you’re supposed to tip the budtender, and if so, how much?
The short answer is yes: You should tip your budtender for their service.
But why? What’s fair? And what if you can’t afford to tip much? Let’s hash it out.
We interviewed staff from three legal markets and gathered a few tips on tipping, including why it’s recommended and how to be a good dispensary customer.
Find a dispensary near you and order weed for pickup or delivery.
Yes, tip your budtender
They may not be expecting anything, but the gesture goes a long way.
Just like delivery, bartending, and waiting tables, budtending is a service.
And like most service worker rates, a budtender’s hourly rate typically doesn’t factor in the extra work they do — being a cannabis sommelier and natural health consultant, all while doing their job as a salesperson and cannabis expert.
When a budtender gets tips, it helps bridge the gap between their base pay and the true value of their multifaceted role. That extra income recognizes the specialized knowledge and customer care that make their service more than just a transaction.
The economics
Tips can account for $1 in every $4 a budtender takes home each week. That’s right — 25% of their take-home pay can be tips.
The reality of being a cannabis clerk is similar to that of baristas or servers. Base wages can vary by state, city, and company. According to Indeed.com, U.S. budtenders earn an average of $16.42 per hour before tips, indicating that this role may not accurately reflect their years of experience. And those checks don’t go far in high-cost states like California and Colorado.
Janina Rudzinski, a cannabis consultant at 7 Stars Holistic Healing Center in Richmond, California, recalls getting a $78 tip after picking out a custom top-shelf flower ounce that represented “the secret sauce of the universe,” she said.
“He loved that. That’s going to stick with me forever.”
Budtenders said they spend tip money on Christmas gifts, monthly splurges, cannabis, gas, or even basic necessities.
“For me, it’s grocery money,” said Marshall Wiley at Good Day Farm, in Kansas City, Missouri.
What budtenders actually do (and why their skills merit a tip)
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Budtenders are the oracles of understanding weed. Their deep knowledge of strain profiles, consumption methods, and cannabinoids allows them to educate customers on cannabis and make personalized suggestions for products that will suit their lifestyle and preferences.
They’re also:
- Aware of the latest cannabis trends and popular products
- Experts at deciphering confusing cannabis labels
- Acquainted with industry pros, like growers and hash-makers.
- Familiar with all the sick deals to save you some green
How much to tip
So, how much should you tip? Here’s a quick primer:
- Standard tip: $2–$5 per order, or 10–20% of the total
- Quick pickup: $1–2
- Extensive consultation: 15–20% or more
- Delivery: 15–20% (same as food delivery)
- On a budget?: Even $1 shows you care.
“We always appreciate it, but it’s never expected,” said Denver Kush Club‘s Naomi S., who has years of budtending experience and is now an inventory manager.
Tips often scale by effort, and no amount is too small to show you care.
| Situation | Tip amount | Notes |
| Standard visit | $2–5 or 10–15% of total | You come in, ask what’s new, and re-up. Quick rule: Round up to the nearest $5 or $10 |
| Quick pickup (online order ready) | $1–3 | You got carded, went to the pickup line, and got handed a bag. It takes time to get an order right and save you time |
| Extensive consultation | 15–20% or $10 minimum | First-timer with lots of questions who needs meaningful help? Think of it like tipping a personal sommelier |
| Delivery orders | 15–20% minimum, more for bad weather, far distances, large orders | You got carded, went to the pickup line, and got handed a bag. It takes time to get an order right, and save you time |
| Returns or exchanges | $1–2 | It’s a pain to deal with the shop’s inventory system for returns and exchanges |
| Budget shopping | Even $1 matters | Just grabbed a pre-roll for a penny? Even $1 shows respect for their time |
| Large orders ($200) | 15–20% | Did the budtender just personally mix and match out the ultimate flower ounce for your trip? That takes time and skills |
| Multiple staff interactions | Tip reflects total service | If 2–3 people help you, remember that tip jars are usually shared |
Tips for tipping your budtender
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- Standard tip: $2–$5 per order, or 10–20% of the total
- Quick pickup: $1–2
- Extensive consultation: 15–20% or more
- Delivery: 15–20% (same as food delivery)
- On a budget?: Even $1 shows you care.
“We always appreciate it, but it’s never expected,” said Denver Kush Club‘s Naomi S., who has years of budtending experience and is now an inventory manager.
Tips often scale by effort, and no amount is too small to show you care.
Tip sharing
Tip sharing (or tip pooling) is when all the tips earned are pooled at the end of the day and split equally among everyone who was part of the service. Shared tips help keep things fair when some registers are slower.
Some dispensaries allow individual tips, in the form of cash, to be given directly to a budtender. Just ask the budtender how tips work at the dispensary, and they’ll fill you in.
Cash vs. card
Cash is king. Leave the banking system out of it and tip cash if you can.
Of course, plastic has increasingly become the norm, so look out for a tip line when entering your PIN or approving the charge. Often, there will be an ATM debit charge at the register, rounded up to the nearest $5 or $10 amount — such as a $65 debit card charge for a $61 purchase. When they refund you that $4 cash, put that in the jar.
Don’t see a tip jar? Some states may have a rule prohibiting the use of jars. Again, just ask.
When you can’t tip
Hey, if the struggle is real and you can’t spare a penny, budtenders say that’s fine. They see it all the time. Some medical patients and seniors are on fixed incomes. Don’t skip out on medicine (or food) so that you can tip.
“It’s not a big deal if they’re on a tight budget,” said Naomi S. at Denver Kush Club. “Customers feel bad if they don’t tip, but we all understand.”
A warm thank you and eye contact are free. Compliments are also free. Think positive online reviews with personal budtender shoutouts, referring friends, and being a return customer.
Again, anything is better than nothing, and everyone has something they can give to keep the circle going — even a smile.
“It could be one penny,” said Rudzinski.
Beyond tipping
Regardless of whether you tip, always strive to be a good customer — it’s part of being a classy person who appreciates their interactions with others. It all adds up.
Bring a valid ID, know your budget, and have a clear understanding of your needs.
Have patience. If you come at rush hour and end up behind a beginner, take a breath and practice some mindfulness. It’s not their fault you’re running late.
Ask specific questions related to the effect, flavor, or price you’re looking for. Budtenders love some good feedback on what’s working for you.
Practice your people skills and remember their names to get extra attention.
Bottom line
America is more than ever a service economy where tipping makes the whole enterprise pencil out.
Your budtender is part sommelier and part herbalist, and sometimes part therapist. There’s no law mandating tips, but it shows class and empathy. That couple of bucks adds up to a significantly better life for all involved.
