You may have the art of tipping down at your local pizza parlour and hairdresser, but do you know how much to tip the top-notch waiter at the gastropub where you’ll be indulging in a beyond-good pile of fish and chips on your next get-away to London? What about the chap who taxis you from the airport to your beach-side bungalow in Australia, or the Italian guides who take you to Italy’s secret gems? And we mustn’t forget the cook fueling your trek through Nepal alongside one of the country’s many adventure guides.
Tipping is a tricky trade – there are no hard and fast rules – but the good news is we’ve broken the how much and who down for you according to country. Bearing in mind that context is everything (workers at western-style resorts in countries where handing out gratuities is not the norm may expect a little something), and, barring “discretionary service charges” (i.e., built-in tips that make cash gratuities superfluous), there are standards. Here is the lowdown of the world’s tipping do’s and don’ts, invaluable information I sure could have benefitted from before being chased down the cobblestoned streets of Paris by a waiter I naively failed to tip. Heed our advice, and watch the locals: if they leave extra cash on the table at a French bistro, so should you. (I learned the hard way.) Oh, and when it comes to tour guides or adventure guides, our recommendation is no matter where you are in the world, a tip is a respectful way to show them how much you enjoyed their company.
Beyond the $1 dollar fall-back trick that goes along the lines of $1 per bag for a bellhop, $1 a day for hotel cleaning staff, $1 for a local taxi ride, and $1 for every $10 on your restaurant bill, here’s the scoop on how to tip the right way overseas. But first, some rules of thumb:
Tip based on your own means to pay, and whatever you think is appropriate. When your waiter goes beyond the call of duty consider tipping more than standard
Use “keep the change” appropriately: Unless your service in a restaurant borders on dire, leaving a few pennies in tip-expectant countries is insulting; instead, reserve “keep the change” for places like gas station mini marts where tips are not the norm, and thus the few extra pennies is more a show of respect
In bars that don’t present a bill but rather ask you to pay at the bar, once per night per bartender, hand over more money than the cost of the drink, saying, “And a drink for yourself”
In some instances, service charges are automatically added to the bill, such as when you’re a large party at a restaurant. When this occurs, leaving an additional amount is unnecessary. However, see the next point:
Automatic service charges are not set in stone: if your service truly does not warrant the restaurant’s pre-set amount, speak up; almost always, they will remove the charge
Tip in local currency
USA & Canada
Be sure to calculate tips pre-tax
Restaurants and room service: 15-20%
Cafes: 10%
Delivery, or a complicated order at a take-out joint: 10%
Bars: $1-2/ drink
Spa services (including hair and nails): 15-20% of the total (split between those who helped)
Valet: $2-5
Hotel chambermaids: $2-3/ night (more at high-end hotels, and leave it in plain sight with a note saying thank you to make it clear the money is for them)
Taxis: 10-15%
Bus tours (several hours or less): 10-20% of the cost of the tour
Charter and sightseeing bus drivers (when they double as guides): $3-$5 per person per day, but if the tour is longer and there is no built-in gratuity, tip the driver and guide $10 each
Hotel porters and airport parking lot shuttle drivers: $1/ bag
Brazil
Restaurants and cafes: 10-15%, but watch for service charges
Hotel luggage transfer to the room: R$5-10
Hotel chambermaids: R$5/ night
Taxis: 10%, or simply round up to the next Real
Tour guides: 10-20% of total cost
Gas station attendants (there are no self-serve gas satiations in Brazil): R$1-2
Australia
Fine dining: 10% (tipping is not expected in anything less than upscale restaurants, but it is always appreciated)
Hotel porters: 2 AUD/ bag
Taxis: round up
Fun fact: In Australia, the word tip also means garbage dump
Nepal
Tipping isn’t expected, so unless a service worker has done something extraordinarily well, keep the amount low (around 5-10%)
Guides: 1,445 NPR/ day
Cooks on trekking excursions: 7 NPR/ day
Porters: Rs20/ bag
France
Considering the country’s law-enforced 15% service charge, only leave an extra 10% for deserving service
Taxis: round to the nearest Euro, or tip 10%
Hotel, train, and airport porters: 1 EUR/ bag
Hotel chambermaids: 1-2 EUR/ night
Museum guides: 2-3 EUR
Bus drivers for guided excursions: 1-2 EUR
Spa service providers (hairdressers etc.): 10%
Germany
Restaurants (if no service charge is applied): 5-10% of the total bill
Bars: 10% of tab
Taxis: round to the nearest Euro
Hotel porters: 1-3 EUR/ day
Hotel chambermaids: 3-5 EUR/ night
Italy
Rural Italians may see tips as insulting
As for all of Europe, beware of service charges
Typically, leave a few coins that amount to 5-10% of the bill
Taxis: round to the nearest Euro
Hotel porters: 1-2 EUR/ bag
Hotel chambermaids: 2 EUR/ night
Spain
Tipping is infrequent, and unnecessary at bars and cafes, so it’s best to save your gratuities for the street performers
Upscale restaurants: leave coins up to the nearest EUR, or tip up to 5-10%
Taxis: tips for helping with baggage is included in pre-set luggage charges
UK
Restaurants: 15-20% (if there isn’t a service charge)
Tipping is not expected in bars
Taxis: 15%
Hotel porters: 2 GBP/ bag
Hotel chambermaids: 2 GBP/ night
Spa services: 10%
Greece
Restaurants: 15%, but if there is a service charge, leave a few Euro for the waiter, and also some change for the busboy
Taxis: 10%, or round up
Hotel porters: 1 EUR/ bag
Hotel chambermaids: 1-2 EUR/ night
Public toilet attendants: small change
Amsterdam
Round the bill to the nearest Euro, or add 5-10%; tipping is not expected
Taxis: round up to the nearest Euro
Hotel porters: 1-2 EUR/ bag
Hotel chambermaids: 2 EUR/ night
Ireland
Restaurants: 10-15% if no service charge is included
Tipping is not expected in bars, but if you get table service or buy a round of drinks, tip 1-2 Euros
Taxis: round to the nearest Euro, or go with 5-10%
Hotel chambermaids: 1-2 EUR/ night
Hotel porters: 1-2 EUR/ bag
Spa: no tip expected
Hairdresser/ manicurist: 10%
Sweden
Taxis and restaurants: round up (for example, if your restaurant bill comes to 121.60 krona, leave 130)
Hotel chambermaids: 13 SEK/ night
Hairdressers, manicurists, etc.: No tip expected
Norway
Tipping in Norway is little to none primarily because it is one of the most pricey countries
Restaurants: If there is no service charge, tip 10% of the bill, or round up to the nearest 10 or 100 NOK
Taxis: round up to the nearest kroner; drivers always appreciate the gesture
Hotel chambermaids: 5-15 NOK/ night, but tipping cleaning staff is uncommon
Spas: Tips are not expected, but if you insist on leaving a little something, gift 10% of your total bill
Denmark
Restaurants: Because there is a service charge automatically added to the bill, only tip an additional 10% for exceptional service (waiters do not expect tips, so do not worry about being chased down the street for not leaving one)
Taxis: round up to the nearest krone
Hotel chambermaids: 10-15 DKK/ night
Spas and hairdressers: Again, gratuity is included in the bill, so tip at your discretion
Iceland
Taxis and restaurants: tipping is not expected, so it would just be a kind gesture to round up to the nearest kroner (for example, if your meal comes to 16,600 ISK, leave 17,000), or add 10% of the total bill
Hotel chambermaids: 230 ISK/ night
Spas and hairdressers: no tip necessary, but 10% or so is always appreciated
China
Restaurants: 3% (in major cities only; tips are not expected)
Hotel porters: 5-15 RMB/ bag
Taxis and bars: no tipping
Tour guides: tip 30-60 RNB (5-10 USD), or leave small gifts, such as cigarettes, wine, candles, or chocolates
Egypt
Restaurants: 5-10% service charge covers the tip
Hotel porters: 7-14 EGP/ bag
Hotel chambermaids: 15-20 EGP/ night
Taxis: round up
Tour guide: 50 EGP/ day per person
Bus driver tour guide for large groups of : 10 EGP/ person per trip
Bus driver tour guide for small groups: 30 EGP/ couple or person
India
Restaurants: 10% (if no service charge), and just a few rupees at smaller eateries
Hotel, train, and airport porters: 20 Rs/ bag
Taxis and tuk-tuks: no tipping necessary, but if you want to, simply round to the nearest rupee
Day drivers: 300 Rs
Guides: 500 Rs
Group tours: 30-50 Rs/ person
Japan
Avoid tipping; it is perceived insulting. However, if you can’t fathom not showing your appreciation with a tip, place the money in a small envelope and hand it to the deserving person. The envelope makes the money exchange seem less rude. Small gifts, like souvenirs from your hometown, can replace money.
Malaysia
Tips are not expected in Malaysia as service charges are aplenty. That said, if you do want to leave those who help you a treat, proceed as follows:
Restaurants: round up the bill
Taxis: 25-50 RM
Hotel porters: 2-10 RM/ bag
Hotel chambermaids: 2-10 RM/ night
Private tour guide: 20-40 RM/ day per person
Group tour: 10% of the total price
Singapore
Tipping is not standard, so simply round up your bills, or leave the likes of hotel porters 2 SGD/ bag
Mexico
Restaurants: 10-15%
Bars: 15-25 MXN/ round of drinks, or 15-20% of tab
Hotel porters: 15 MXN/ bag
Taxis: no tip expected, but if they help with baggage, offer 15 pesos/ bag
Grocery store bagging clerks (often children): 10-15 pesos
Spa service providers: 15-20% (no tip is necessary if the treatment is provided by the owner of the establishment)
Hotel chambermaids: 20-60 pesos/ night
Large tour: 60-70 pesos
Small tour (i.e., just your family): 15-20% of tour cost
Chartered fishing trip: 15-20% of trip cost
Musicians and bands: 60-70 pesos for a night of entertainment
Morocco
Restaurants and cafes: loose change, or an additional 10-15% of the total bill
Hotel porters: 5-10 MAD/ bag
Hotel chambermaids: 20 MAD/ night
Taxis: round up to the next 10-dirham note
Spas: 20-25 dirhams/ person
Hairdressers: 10%
Russia
Restaurants and bars: 10-15%
Hotel porters: 35-70 RUB/ bag
Hotel chambermaids: 60-120 RUB/ night
Taxis: round to the nearest ruble
Tour guides: 715 RUB/ eight hours of work
South Africa
Restaurants and bars: 10% (if no service charge)
Hotel porters: 15 R/ bag
Hotel chambermaids: 50 R/ night
Taxis: 10%
Petrol station and parking attendants: 2-5 R
Private tours: 80 R/ person per full-day
United Arab Emirates
Restaurants: 10-15% (if no service charge)
Hotel porters: 5-10 AED/ bag
Hotel chambermaids: 10-20 AED/ night
Taxis: round up to the next 5 dirhams
Grocery store bagging clerks: 5 AED
Dominican Republic
Restaurants: 15%
Hotel porters: 90 DOP/ bag
Hotel chambermaids: 100 DOP/ night
Taxis: round to the nearest peso
Turkey
Restaurants, cafes, and bars: 5-10%
Taxis: round to the nearest lira (for example, a fare of 9.60 TL will become 10 TL)
Hairdressers: 10%
Airport porters: 2-3 TL/ bag
Hotel porters: 5 TL (the smallest paper bill)
Hotel chambermaids: 5-10 TL/ night
Concierge: upon checking out, it’s common to tip 20-50 TL
Turkish bath attendants: 10-20% split among them
Musicians: if you do not wave strolling musicians away, be sure to slide a 5 or 10 lira note behind the strings of the violin when the violinists leans over the table at the end of the song, or simply drop the money into his pocket
Tour guides: 20-30 TL (as a group)
Balearic and Canary Islands
Restaurants: 5-10%
Hotels and taxis: no tip expected
Cyprus
Restaurants: 5-10%
Hotels and taxis: no tip expected
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