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To tip or not to tip – that is the question. Whether or not you hand extra money to a bellhop or round up the eatery bill often relies on a country’s local traditions. For instance, if you live in the United States, you know that tipping is pretty much always expected by specific employees in the service industry, like bartenders and servers, who usually rely on tips to make up the prevalence of their earnings. In other nations, like Japan, staff will probably see a tip as insulting.
When traveling globally, the fact that tipping anticipations vary significantly from one nation to another can make some social situations a nerve-wracking experience. Even if you’re assured a tip will be accepted, sometimes it’s unclear how much you should offer. One analysis by Comparethemarket uncovered that British tourists over-tip by about $89 on vacation, and about one in five of those studied found that bewilderment over tipping etiquette had a negative impact on their holiday abroad.
So how much — if at all — should you actually be tipping to service industry staff in different nations? Researchers at the Hawaiian Islands have explored the internet for advice on how much to tip restaurant staff, hotel staff, and taxi drivers in 162 countries to help reduce the stress of dining and getting abroad.
You should give restaurant staff a 10% tip in over a third of countries.
The United States is the only nation where an exact 15% tip is standard for taxi drivers.
You’re never expected to leave a tip in some nations like Japan and South Korea.
How Much You Should Tip Restaurant Staff
In over a third of nations, local etiquette dictates leaving a 10% tip. In comparison, according to Payscale, adding 20% is suggested in the United States, where 58% of a typical server’s income comes from tips.
How Much You Should Tip Hotel Staff
From bellhops to concierges, attentive staff can make all the difference to your stay in a hotel, but how much should you tip them for their hard work? According to TripAdvisor, in 37 countries, it’s suggested that staff be given $1 to $2 in tips. According to Payscale, the recommended tip in the United States — where tips pay up to 39% of hotel staff income — is slightly more costly at $2 to $5.
In 32 countries, hotel staff won’t expect tips at all. Among these countries is Japan, where handing a tip over to a staff member is likely to be met with confusion or even offense.
How Much You Should Tip Taxi Drivers
Whether at home or vacationing abroad, taxi drivers offer an invaluable service if you’re stuck for transport. But when your journey comes to an end, how much exactly should you tip your taxi driver? According to TripAdvisor, in 88 countries, tipping a driver isn’t necessary. In 42 nations, adding 10% to the cost of the journey or simply rounding up the price is the fitting gesture.
In the United States, etiquette dictates tipping 15%, which is on the higher end of the suggested tip amounts worldwide. It’s estimated that 4.3 million workers in the United States supplement their wages with tips.
Methodology
To build a comprehensive guide to tipping around the world, the Hawaiian Islands team searched for each country’s tipping etiquette for restaurant staff, hotel staff, and taxi drivers on each country’s TripAdvisor tipping guide (e.g., for the United Kingdom), then cross-referenced these figures with at least one other source. For countries without TripAdvisor tipping guides, at least two sources were used to find correct tipping amounts.
For restaurant staff, ‘no tip’ is suggested if tips are only locally suggested for exceptional service or if tipping is uncommon.
