How to Tip Around the World

To tip or not to tip isn’t so much the question when you’re traveling. It’s more like how much to tip, to whom, and where? It can be one of the most confusing (and expensive) decisions you make on a trip. Read on for our guide to tipping in countries around the world…and now that you won’t be wasting money on overtipping, you can go ahead and book a cool hotel on Gogobot.

United States
Sometimes it seems like you tip just for receiving a smile in the U.S. these days. With tip cups at takeout coffee shops, tips for manicures, and suggested 25% tipping in NYC taxis, any budget for a traveler to the U.S. should include some contingency and cash for tipping, as it is considered offensive NOT to tip.

Restaurants: 15-20% is pretty much standard. Servers get their main income from tips, so they’re hefty. There is a growing trend in the restaurant world to do away with tipping, however, so check on the place’s policy.

Taxis and Other: At least a few dollars is expected in a taxi, for bellhops and concierges, for beauty treatments, for basically everything that is service oriented.

United Kingdom
Restaurants: Expect to tip between 10-15% at restaurants, though many now add on a 12% optional service charge to the bill.

Taxis and Other: Don’t bother tipping in a taxi, but leave a few quid (pounds) at hotels.

France
Restaurants: Between 1 and 3 euro for a casual meal and around 5% of the bill for a fancier meal is normal.

Taxis and Other: Taxi drivers tend to receive 10% of the fare, and at hotels 1-2 euro per bag or a little more for a complicated concierge request.

Italy
Restaurants: You’ll hear that around 10% is customary, though I’ve only ever seen Italians leave some change, or at most 10 euros on a large bill where the service was very good.

Taxis and Other: Taxis are not a tipping situation. It’s really not a tipping country.

Read more about Italy’s lesser-known wine region, Piedmont.

Greece
Restaurants: At restaurants, most locals round up the bill and leave some spare change. There is not a huge tipping culture in general.

Taxis and other: See above

Russia
Restaurants: Leave 10% of the bill, more or less: maybe more on a small bill where you liked the service and less on a big bill.

Taxis and other: People don’t tip taxi drivers in Russia, but do round up the fare to the closest 100 rubles.

Israel
Restaurants: Tip between 12-20% in restaurants. Some Israelis also cover the tip with their hands and call the waiter over, in what seems to be a move to protect the tip. Tips should also be in cash: not left with the check.

Taxis and other: Best to leave a taxi driver small change from your trip, and at hotels, NIS 10 to 20 is customary both for the bellhop and the room cleaning.

Brazil
Restaurants: Most restaurants include a 10% service charge in the bill
Taxis and other: Everything else (drivers, hotels, etc) is up to you. Tipping in general is not a major part of Brazilian culture.

Peru
Restaurants: At a restaurant, leave a few soles (local currency) if you liked the service. The American 15-20% is unnecessary and unexpected.
Taxis: Agree the price before you get in. Then, no tip is necessary.

South Korea
Restaurants, Taxis, and everything: There’s no tipping culture in Korea. If ‘tipping‘ happens, it is from someone higher older or more senior to lower level personnel. If the service staff is older than you, it can be considered as rude to tip them, especially if you are handing them money. Also, the service industry is seen as for people without much education or not in a good financial situation.

India
Restaurants: between 5-10% of the bill depending on the size of the bill is right. For bills under INR 300 stay on the 10% end and over 1000 INR go down to 5%. At hotels, use the communal tipping box rather than giving individual tips.

China
Overall: In China, the tipping customs depend more on Westernized places and wealth than a homegrown tipping culture. Tipping in Chinese restaurants and taxis is not expected, but increasingly in Shanghai and Beijing you may find a 10% service charge added to a bill. Tipping is in general more associated with Western culture.

Do you have tips on tipping in more countries? Add them in the comments!

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Source: gogobot.com

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