Tipping is a custom that changes depending on which part of the world you’re in. This guide will shed some light on how much you should tip your server, bellhop, or taxi driver.
Europe
Restaurants and Bars
In Europe, generous tips (15% and up) aren’t necessary. Many countries within the EU have standardized gratuity. Countries like Germany, France, Hungary, Ireland, UK, Portugal and Spain often add service charge to a bill. If it’s not added, you can leave 5-10% and your server will be happy.
Austria, Italy and Russia don’t add a service charge to a bill. If you were given very good service, you can always tip your server directly. Meanwhile, in Iceland and Scandinavia (Norway, Denmark and Sweden), you’re not expected to tip your server as this is already covered in the price of the meal. As for bars and pubs, tipping is not expected but feel free to round up the bill.
Hotels
For many European countries tipping housekeeping staff is considered uncommon. But if you want to, you can always give €1 per bag to the porters and up to €5 to housekeeping staff. In Russia, tipping is more common. Porters usually get 200 and 250 rubles housekeeping staff around 100 to 200 rubles. For Scandinavian countries and Iceland, tips are not expected among hotel staff.
Guides
In Central and Eastern Europe as well as Italy, tour guides expect 10 to 20% tip for each day of the tour. In Western Europe like Spain, France and UK, , €25 to €40 per day is customary for tour guides while drivers are usually given €10 to €15. In Russia, guides and drivers get around 3000 rubles.
Taxi Drivers
Taxi tipping is rather straightforward in Europe. Taxi drivers don’t generally expect tips but rounding off the fare is much appreciated.
America
Restaurants and Bars
In Canada and the USA, restaurants don’t usually add the service charge to the bill so it’s expected that you tip around 15 to 20%. In bars, you can tip $1 per drink. For buffets like Wicked Spoon, tipping $2 per person served is acceptable.
In South and Central America such as Mexico, Argentina, Nicaragua and Peru, service charge is usually added to the bill. But feel free to tip your server directly with 10-15%. Tipping in bars isn’t common.
In the Caribbean, if you’re dining outside a posh resort, you should check your bill if gratuity or service charge is already added. If not, you can tip up to 20%.
Hotels
It’s common practice to tip housekeeping $3-$5 per day in the USA and Canada. Porters get a dollar per bag. In Central and South America, you can tip $1 per bag for the porter and $1 a day for housekeeping. In South America, leaving $10 to $15 tip for your whole stay will be much appreciated.
Tours
In the US, Canada, Central and South America, it’s generally expected that you tip $10 per day for a tour guide. In Brazil however, tourism workers rely mostly on tips so giving them more would be greatly appreciated.
Taxi Drivers
Tipping taxi drivers between 10 to 15% of your fare is common practice.
Asia
Restaurants and Bars
In Singapore, China, Myanmar, and Taiwan tipping in restaurants is not customary. However in Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia, restaurant staff are more accustomed to tips. You can leave between 5-10% as tip except if it’s already added to the bill.
Hotel
In China, you can give your porter 5 yuan per bag. Housekeeping staff doesn’t need to be tipped since there’s usually a 10% service charge in your bill. In Japan, tipping is also not expected. But if you like, you can leave 5000 yen in an envelope in your room.
India’s hotel employees, however, are often poorly paid. The same is true for the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and other southeast Asian countries which is why you should be generous about tipping them. Give your porter at least $1 per bag or its equivalent.
Tours
China does not expect you to tip tour drivers and guides. South Korean and Taiwanese tours expect around 10% of the cost to be split between the driver and guide. In Japan, 2500 to 5000 yen tip is sufficient for a full day tour – be sure to hand it in an envelope. In India, tip 200 to 500 rupees to the driver and guide. In the Philippines and Singapore, as well as other SE Asian counties, it should be 10% of the overall cost of the tour.
Taxi Drivers
Giving your taxi driver 10% of the overall fare as tip is customary in Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia. In Thailand and Cambodia, give your driver $1 tip. In Japan, Singapore and Vietnam simply round up the bill. In South Korea and China, there’s no need to tip.
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