Tipping around the world: who to tip, where and how much

The bill comes, there is a line for a tip, and you have no idea whether leaving nothing is rude or leaving something is odd. Tipping is one of the most local habits in travel. The same gesture can be expected in one country, unnecessary in the next, and slightly awkward in a third.

No guide can give you exact rules, because customs shift between cities, venues and generations. What it can give you is the general picture by region, a handful of principles, and a way to find out when you are unsure.

The principles that hold almost everywhere

• Tipping is about who earns what. In places where service staff are paid a low base wage and expected to make up the rest in tips, a tip is part of the price. In places where wages are higher, a tip is a small thank-you rather than a duty.
• Look at the bill first. Many restaurants add a service charge. If it is already there, you are usually not expected to add much more, if anything.
• Cash is often better than card. In many places a tip left on a card does not reach the staff in the same way as notes in a hand. If you can, leave coins or notes on the table or hand them over.
• Round up, don't calculate. In most places where tipping is a small gesture, rounding up to the next sensible number is enough.
• Never feel pressured. A tip is for good service. If it was poor, leaving less is allowed.

North America

In the United States and Canada, tipping in restaurants is firmly part of the system. Staff usually rely on tips for a large part of their income, and in most restaurants with table service a tip is expected. It is common to tip a percentage of the bill, and the card machine often suggests amounts. Bartenders, taxi and ride-hailing drivers, hairdressers, hotel porters and housekeeping are usually tipped too.

Counter service and takeaway are the grey area. A prompt on a tablet is not a requirement; use your judgement.

Europe

Across most of Europe, tipping is smaller and less automatic. In most restaurants a service charge is either included or the price is meant to cover it. A common habit is to round up the bill or leave a few coins for good service. In some countries leaving nothing at a casual café is entirely normal; in others a modest tip at a sit-down meal is usual.

Taxis are usually rounded up. Hotel staff are tipped lightly, and mostly for personal help such as carrying bags.

The country guides add local detail, for example France, where service is typically included on the bill.

Asia

Practice varies a lot, so treat it by country rather than by continent.

• East Asia. In several countries, tipping is not expected and may even cause confusion or be politely refused. Good service is considered part of the job. Japan is the clearest example.
• South and Southeast Asia. Tipping is more common in tourist-facing places, in small amounts, and it is often appreciated by guides, drivers, and hotel and restaurant staff. A service charge is often added in larger hotels and restaurants.

Middle East and Africa

In much of the Middle East and North Africa, a tip is a normal part of everyday life, often small and given to many people: drivers, porters, guides, café staff. Restaurants often add a service charge, but extra change for the person who served you is usually welcome.

In sub-Saharan Africa, tips for guides, drivers and trackers on safaris or tours are an accepted way to reward good work, and many operators suggest how to do it. Ask your tour company, and carry small notes.

Latin America

In most restaurants, a service charge is either added or a tip in the region of a common local percentage is usual. Check the bill. Tour guides, drivers and hotel staff are tipped modestly, and small notes in the local currency are the easiest way to do it.

Australia and New Zealand

Tipping is not expected in most places. Wages are comparatively higher and the habit is far less ingrained than in North America. A tip for exceptional service is welcome but optional.

Who you might tip, and when

| Situation | General custom | |---|---| | Sit-down restaurant | Check for a service charge, then follow the local habit | | Café or bar | Often loose change, if anything | | Taxi | Rounding up is common in many places | | Hotel porter | Small amount per bag, where tipping is normal | | Housekeeping | A small amount left daily or at the end, where normal | | Tour guide or driver | Customary in many countries, often more for full-day tours | | Hair, spa | Usually where tips are normal for the service |

These are tendencies, not laws. They are described as customs because the exact amount changes with time and place.

How to find out what is normal

When you are unsure, there are easy ways to find out:

1. Ask your hotel or host. They know the local habit and will not mind.
2. Watch what locals do. If everyone leaves coins on the table, do the same.
3. Check the receipt. A service charge line tells you most of what you need.
4. Read a destination guide before you go. The country guides cover tipping under money and costs.
5. Ask the tour operator. Group tours often say what is customary for the guide and driver, and some include it already.

Tipping as a group

On a group trip, tipping becomes a small cost of its own. If one person pays the bill with a card, a cash tip may come out of someone else's pocket. Decide early whether tips are part of the shared costs, then log them like any other cost; how to split travel costs with friends covers how to keep the arithmetic calm. Carry small notes in the local currency, because change is rarely available when you need it.

Before you go

Look up the habit for each country on your route, keep a few small notes or coins for each, and remember that a warm thank-you and a smile mean something everywhere. If you only remember one thing: check the bill for a service charge before you add anything.