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The habit of tipping can be a minefield. How much, who should you tip, and when? And when shouldn’t you tip? When is a service cost added in your bill, and when not? How can tourists avoid provoking confusion, offense or even blame of bribery by giving a tip to the wrong person?
Some countries consider tipping as the norm; the most famous of which is maybe American travelers, accompanied by Canadians. In France, there is a difference between service and tipping. However, in some societies, tipping is considered offensive, immoral and even exploitative. Many hotels and restaurants, and even nations, have an official policy of how service employees are paid an adequate wage and don’t need to rely on tips to increase their earnings. Tipping is often forbidden. In Japan and Australia, the donation of a tip is conceived of as being a personal offense.
The trend in some societies is changing. As more and more tourists visit these nations bringing with them their own practices, and citizens travel more themselves, then so tipping is becoming more tolerable.
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Australia
Australian service is often more random than in many nations, even in deluxe inns and restaurants. There are no obligatory rewards or built-in service charges, although a 10 percent Goods and Services Tax will be added in the total price. But, tipping is positively appreciated and seems to be shifting more common, but ordinarily only in expensive restaurants. Australians give 10 percent tips for excellent service or more. In taxis and bars, many people give some of their coin change on the bar after picking up their drink or tell the driver to keep the change. Tipping in hotels is yet uncommon.
Austria In Austrian restaurants, there is usually a service charge added to the bill. Tipping the custom is to round up the bill, which might turn out as more or less than ten percent. For example, in bars you are told a drink costs €5.50 you would say “Here is €6, thank you”. In taxis, it’s common to give an extra 10 percent over the meter check to your driver. In hotels, porters or carriers should receive up to €1 per case.
Bahrain In Bahraini restaurants, there is a service charge added to your bill, but you can round up your bill or leave a 10-15 percent tip for excellent service. In hotels, it’s suitable to tip carriers 0.4 Bahraini Dinar for each item of luggage, and room servants the same for every night of your stop. There is no set tip for bartenders but, if you want, 0.4 Bahraini Dinar per glass is approved. Taxi drivers typically receive an extra 10 percent over the meter tariff.
Belgium Service charges are always added to restaurants, cafes, taxis, and hairdressing bills. But, you can give tips as a sign of appreciation, saying, “Please keep the change.” In hotels, a tip of €1 per case is appropriate for porters.
Brazil Tipping in Brazil isn’t usually given. In restaurants, a service charge of ten percent is added to the bill. It is not necessary but is usually paid unless there’s a good reason not to. In bars, it’s common to get a bill at the end rather than hand over cash each time you buy a beverage. Tipping’s at your choice. To evade taxi drivers having to deal with coins, it’s common to round up your check to the nearest note. Hotel staff appreciates a small tip for bringing your cases.
Canada Canadians tip everyone. They also tip a higher percentage in restaurants (15-20 percent) is the standard. Tips in Canada are a notable addition to the overall earnings of people working on a minimum wage. For taxi drivers, a ten percent tip is adequate. In hotels, tipping is at the choice of the guest, but the Canadian $2-5 tip is usual for bellhops who bring your cases. In bars, you are required to tip too, usually leaving Canadian $0.50-2 per drink.
China In mainland China including Macau tipping, isn’t a part of the culture, and many establishments have a stringent no-tipping policy. It covers all restaurants and services, including taxi. Giving a tip may sometimes even be considered impolite (meaning that the employer undervalues an employee’s work). A tip might be expected only at high-end resorts and restaurants in traveller areas that cater specifically for westerners. In Hong Kong, western ideas are more accepted, and there’s usually a 10-15 per cent service charge in restaurants, tipping is welcomed, and taxi drivers expect to “keep the change.”
Croatia Tipping in Croatia is welcomed but not required. The ‘rules’ are optional, depending on how much you have enjoyed the meal or service. However, about ten per cent is the norm.
Czech Republic Tipping in cheap eating places isn’t assumed. While in traveller areas, foreign visitors are supposed to tip 10 per cent, particularly in high-end restaurants (5-10 percent). In less-visited areas, it’s common to round up your bill by several Crowns, to the nearest note. Rounding up is customary for taxis too. In provincial regions, leaving a tip on the table is not the standard practice and may offend.
Denmark It’s the law in Denmark that any service charge, including tips for waiters, has to be added in the price in restaurants. Taxi drivers in Denmark will automatically add a set tip in their fares, so there’s no necessary to tip. In hotels, as in most states in the world, it’s always good to tip people for transporting your heavy bags – the equivalent of $1 is the standard.
Finland Tipping is not a part of Finnish culture. Service is commonly added in restaurant bills. However, some times people round up the bill to the nearest convenient price.
France In France, it’s deemed flashy to tip for no good reason. In taxis, tipping is sometimes rounding up to evade the annoyance of dealing with fiddly coins. In hotels, tipping is entirely at your choice, with a few Euros being standard.
Germany Value-added tax is added in the menu price in restaurants, bars, and taxis over Germany, but it is common to round up to the nearest full Euro. Tipping is supposed in hotels. Carriers may expect 1-3 Euros per case and your housekeeper 3-5 Euros per night for excellent service.
Greece In Greece, tipping is optional, but it’s acceptable to add a little extra for excellent service. Taxi drivers don’t expect tips, but people usually round up the fare.
India In large restaurants, a 10% service charge is included in the bill, but it’s quite common to leave a tip 100 Indian rupees in a casual place, up to 300 Indian rupees in a five-star restaurant. It’s not common to leave tips in bars. In hotels, it’s usual to tip bellboys about 50-100 Indian Rupees per bag. It’s against the law for taxi drivers to charge more than the price of the trip, but you can round up the price.
Italy Service charges are added in most restaurants, but if not, ten per cent is considered the standard. In bars, Italians often leave small change when buying cocktails, though it’s not obligatory. Taxi drivers like to be tipped, but it isn’t expected, nor is its norm. In hotels, the same as anywhere else in the world.
Japan It is almost right to say that there is no tipping in Japan. The Japanese consider that excellent service is standard and to tip is an offense. You don’t need to tip your taxi driver, tour guide, or any other service provider.
Malaysia Malaysians don’t expect to be tipped. Waiters get a relatively higher fixed basic pay so that tips aren’t factored into it. Taxi drivers and other service providers don’t need to be tipped either nor do they expect to be. The only exception to this is the hotel workers. You are encouraged to tip porters or room service anything from 2 – 10 Malaysia Ringgits.
Mexico Tipping is part of the culture of the Mexican economy. Mexicans working in service businesses earn modest salaries and rely upon tips to increase their weekly take-home pay. In restaurants, there may be a service charge of ten percent in which case tipping isn’t required. In bars, it’s reasonable to tip 10-20 Pesos per drink, or 15 percent at the end of the evening. In Mexico, every service provider hopes for a tip from a few Pesos to twenty percent.
Netherlands All taxes and service charges are added in the prices of hotels, restaurants, and cafes, by law. Even taxi fares have fees and a standard 15% service charge. In the cafe, you can leave some small change. In a restaurant – 1 – 5 euro per person, or 10 percent of the bill. Tipping in hotels isn’t required unless you are staying for a long time, but of course, it’s good to reward room service with 1-2 euros. For taxi drivers, round up the fare by a Euro or two.
New Zealand The government advises tourists that tipping in New Zealand is not necessary – even in restaurants and bars. It is not part of the culture, and indeed, in a recent poll, locals said 90 percent were against tipping becoming the standard. People may feel uncomfortable to be proposed tips, but the more ‘touristy’ places will be accustomed to taking them.
Nigeria In most restaurants and bars, tips are not expected, but 5-10 percent is arbitrary. In hotels, a five percent tip is optional but only for excellent service. Taxi fares are usually raised for travelers, so tipping isn’t as necessary.
Norway Norwegians working in the service industries earn decent salaries and don’t depend on tips. The price of your hotel will include a reward for service workers and, usually, Norwegians suppose to carry their own baggage.
Omar Tipping has not been part of the traditions of Oman. A tip of ten percent or rounding up to the next Rial, and asking them to keep the change is acceptable at more upscale hotels and restaurants. However, elsewhere it is uncommon, and leaving your loose change after a meal may be a confusing gesture for locals. Tipping taxi drivers is not considered to be necessary as they may, as in other nations, increase the price for travelers.
Qatar Though Qatar is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, the workers in the service industry are very poorly paid and tips 10-15 percent in a restaurant; 10-20 Riyals for porters and other service staff is a nice gesture. For taxi drivers, you can round up the fare.
Russia Once, very few places in Russia expected you to tip. Top-end hotels and restaurants in Moscow and other biggest cities add a 10-15 percent service charge. Tips for porters and room service in hotels range from the equivalent of $1-5. For taxi drivers, you can tip using popular mobile ridesharing apps Yandex Taxi or Uber.
South Africa Tipping in South Africa is broadly practiced and well-received. In upper-class restaurants, service charge is likely to be added in the bill (10-15%). In hotels, leave tips for stewardship about 10-15 South African rand per night, carriers may be paid about ten Rand per case. Taxi prices don’t include a tip, and ten percent is the standard.
Spain In restaurants, bills always include service. An additional tip of 5-10 percent on top is standard if you’re eating at a bar round up the bill to the nearest Euro. Tip bartenders €0.20 a drink, depending on the bar. Taxi drivers expect no tip, but you can round up the fare. In hotels, porters receive €1 a bag; for room service €1.
Sweden A service charge is automatically added to most Swedish restaurant and hotel bills, but a small tip of 5-10% is usual for evening meals. Tipping for extra services provided by staff is not expected and is your choice. Porters and cloakroom attendants often charge fixed fees. If you buy a drink at the bar, you can leave any small change on the bar. In taxi fare may be rounded up.
Switzerland There is no necessity to tip in Switzerland because service is included in restaurants and hotels, etc. Rounding to the next Swiss Franc for small amounts, when spending larger amounts in expensive restaurants, is common. As giving a tip is not expected, when it does happen, it’s seen as recognition of excellent service. In the price of booking a taxi, the driver usually will round up the fare to the nearest Franc.
Thailand Tipping is not common in Thailand. In Bangkok, more western standards have been adopted. At the upmarket hotel and restaurants, there’s a ten percent service charge. If there’s none, acceptable tipping for a tourist is either tip up to ten percent or to round up to the closest 20 Baht. Taxi drivers don’t demand a tip. In most hotels, you are not required to tip as well.
Turkey In luxury, restaurants tip 10-15%. In inexpensive restaurants and cafes, 5-10 percent tips are not necessary but are acceptable. It is also customary to tip hotel staff (two Turkish Lira per person). Taxi drivers do not usually expect a tip.
United Arab Emirates Seldom, restaurants and hotels apply a service charge, which split amongst the staff. If no service charge is included at a restaurant, add 10 to 20% of the total to the bill. Tipping in bars is not always expected. In hotels, consider tipping early on during your stay for the same reason. You can tip porters 5 – 10 Dirhams a time. Taxi drivers don’t demand a tip, but you could round up to the next 5 Dirhams.
United Kingdom Tipping is not so much a part of the culture of the United Kingdom. Most hotel bills add a service charge of around 10 to 12 percent. Restaurant bills include a service charge, so check the invoice to avoid tipping double. Where a service charge is not included in a hotel restaurant, it’s usual to tip 10 – 15% of the bill. It’s not customary to tip in pubs and bars or for any over-the-counter service. Taxi drivers usually expect 10 to 15 percent of the fare.
United States In the United States, the tips are generous and factored into the workers’ wages. In restaurants, for meals, it’s 15 to 20 percent, at the bar tip, $1 for every drink bought. Pay an additional twenty percent for spa treatments and other services. One dollar is the going rate for hotel stuff for every baggage carried. For short-term taxi rides, expect to tip one dollar as well, but 15 to 20 percent for trips from the airport.
This is a bad map. Tipping culture is heavily despised in Australia and it’s an obvious sign you’re American if you do.