When it comes to tipping what’s right in one country is wrong in another. So spare any embarrassing blushes with our handy guide on what to give and when. Use the navigation tool at the top of this page to discover specific information about the region and country you're travelling to.
Sections
UK
Restaurants (and pubs): Tipping may have originated in Tudor England but that doesn’t mean that even in the UK it’s expected.
You can safely walk out of a restaurant without leaving a penny, but 10 to 20% on top of the bill is polite for good service. Automatically added but non-compulsory charges are increasingly found on bills, so be sure you check before you leave more. If your service wasn’t stellar, you’re well within your rights to ask for it to be reduced or taken off.
Traditionally service charges are only added for at-table service. However, in some pubs and bars there's a trend to add on a gratuity when paying with a credit or debit card, even when you've been served while standing at the bar. Don't feel obliged by the machine to add on the 10% that's prompted.
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Hotels: A £5 to £20 tip if a concierge has done something special for you suffices, while porters will be happy with a £1 or £2 bag. You could also leave £1 per day for housekeepers.
Taxis and guides: In London, particularly when paying for a black cab in cash, telling the driver to “keep the change” is still a common practice. Guides on organised group or private tours may ask for a contribution. Around 10% of the cost of the tour would be about right, if you’re happy with the service
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Europe
Spain
Restaurants: Like France, you will usually find a service charge added. If it’s not, around 10% would be suitable, and this is becoming more expected in high-end restaurants.
Hotels: Porters can get around €1 per bag, housekeepers around €5 per day. You can give a good concierges €5-€10 per stay.
Taxis and guides: Tell taxi drivers to keep the change. Tipping group tour guides isn’t expected, but you can if you want. Private guides, however, are more likely to expect a tip of around 20 to 40 euros depending on the content and quality.
France
Restaurants: This is a nation that prides itself on good service and staff are paid a good wage. You’ll find a service charge (service compris) on your bill in restaurants, and there is no expectation to leave more, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t. If the service was tip-top, add another 5 to 10%.
Hotels: You should tip concierges around €10 per booking, and give porters €1 to €2 per bag and the same for the housekeeper per night.
Guides and taxis: Add round 10% of the fare for taxis. Private guides can expected an extra €25 to €50 euros depending on their expertise.
Germany
Restaurants and bars: Around 10% is common but not a requirement. A service charge is often added to the bill, so be sure to check. Germany is also one of the few countries outside the US where tipping bartenders is the norm. Again, around 10% is the done thing.
Hotels: Porters can expect €1-€3 per bag, and housekeepers €5 per night. Offer a good concierge €20 at the end of your stay.
Taxis and guides: Taxi tips aren’t expected but rounding up the bill is common – or you can tip up to €2 depending on the overall cost of the journey. Around 10% of the cost of a guided tour is generally expected.
Portugal
Restaurants: There is no expectation of a tip and service charges aren’t routinely added to bills, but you can leave around 10% for good service in quality restaurants. It’s really not expected in more humble establishments, however.
Hotels: Leave €1 per day for excellent housekeeping and give porters €1-€2 per bag. You can tip an exceptionally helpful concierge €5-€10 euros, but it’s not routinely expected.
Taxis and guides: Again, tips aren’t expected but round up to the nearest €5 if you want. You should tip generously for any free tours (eg walking or city excursions) you come across as guides work just for the gratuities - around €10 should do. Tips aren’t expected on paid group or private tours but give around 10% if you had a great time.
Italy
Restaurants: Food may be a big deal, but tips aren’t huge. Leave around 10% for quality service and you’ll be good to go.
Hotels: You should tip in higher-end establishments. Porters can get €1-€2 per bag, and housekeepers €2-€5 per day. Excellent service from the concierge warrants €5-€10 to cover your stay.
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Taxis and guides: Tipping isn’t common. Italians might even refuse your first offer, but do try again if you've received excellent service. For taxis, rounding up the fare or adding a few euros will be an appreciated gesture. The same applies to tour guides, who won’t be offended if you don’t tip. You can give private tour guides up to €20.
Croatia
Restaurants: Tipping is common in Croatia. If you’re eating at a local tavern (konoba) you’ll only be expected to leave around 5% of the bill as a tip. In a formal restaurant, you can expect to leave 10 to 15%.
Hotels: Concierges can expect €5-€20 euros depending on the quality of the hotel. Housekeepers should get €1-€2 euros per night and porters the same per bag.
Taxis and guides: Round up the fare to the nearest euro for taxi drivers. Tour guides and private drivers expect around 10% of the charge as a tip.
Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Russia
Scandinavia
Restaurants, hotels, taxis and guides: Northern European countries have a different set of expectations to the rest of Europe. In Scandinavia, prices are high – but so are wages. If a service charge is required, it will be added to your bill. If it’s not, it’s simply not expected. The same is true of guides, taxis and hotel staff. Any offer a tip may be refused.
Hungary
Restaurants: You can leave up to 10% for good service, but there isn’t a huge expectation of a tip. In Budapest, however, high-end restaurants are increasingly adding service charges.
Hotels: Porters should get €1-€3 per bag, housekeepers €3-€5 euros per day and here it’s expected rather than optional. Concierges can get up to €20 euros for quality service.
Taxis and guides: In taxis you can safely round up the fare. Tour guides will expect €15-€30 euros depending on the quality and size of the tour.
Russia
Restaurants: Tipping wasn't a custom in Russia but the country is quickly coming into line with western norms, so you should offer something. Give 10 to 15% in cash. Make sure it goes directly to the waiter, otherwise, they might not see their hard-earned money.
Hotels: Give a 100 rubles (£1.20) to porters and the housekeeper, although the latter is less expected.
Taxis and guides: Agree a taxi fare upfront and add up to 10% if you want. Private guides can get 300 to 600 rubles (£3.50-£7)
USA and Canada
USA
The USA is the tipping centre of the world. You should tip around 15% for any service you receive.
Restaurants: It’s essential that you leave around 20%. Serving staff work for well below minimum wage on the expectation that their earnings are topped up with tips. The same applies to bar bills and buffet restaurants, although it’s ok to leave a little less in the latter where service is minimal. You’ll even find tip jars at tills, but don’t feel compelled to add to them.
Hotels: Porters expect $2-$3 per bag and housekeepers should get $2-$5 dollars per day. The more you give, the better your service will be. A concierge can get $10-$20 dollars at the end of your stay. You should also tip for hailed taxis and any valet service.
Taxis and guides: Up to 15 to 30% for taxis. Tour guides and drivers will expect 15 to 20% depending on the size of the group and quality of the service.
Canada
Restaurants: Local taxes make things tricky but aim for 15 to 20%. Some of this will be covered by automatically added charges – these vary across the country depending on which province you're in – which you’ll need to top up to the right amount. About a 10% tip is more usual outside major cities. You need to tip in bars, too. Try a buck a beer, and more for a fancy cocktail that took some making.
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Hotels: Go for $1-$2 per bag for porters. Housekeepers can expect $5 per day. Tip concierges $10 for each service.
Taxis and guides: Try 10 to 15% for taxi drivers and $10-$15 for tour guides and private drivers.
Central America and Caribbean
Mexico
Restaurants: Tipping around 10 to 20% of the bill is about right in Mexico, where pay is low and workers depend on the extra money. Even though it’s a common custom, it’s still best not to make a show of handing over the cash. Leave pesos if you can. If you need to tips in dollars, leave bills as coins can’t be exchanged.
Hotels: Go for 10 to 20 pesos (£0.40-£0.80) per bag for the porter and a few pesos per night for the housekeeper. The concierge should get 100 (£4) pesos.
Taxis and guides: Taxis drivers won’t expect a tip but tour guides and drivers should get 100 to 200 pesos (£4-£8).
Caribbean
Restaurants and hotels: Most all-inclusive resorts will charge you a flat service fee for your stay, which makes tipping unnecessary. If you leave your resort, check if a fee has been added to the bill. If not, around 15 to 20% should be left. Again, you can top-up tip about $20 (US) for your stay for housekeeping if you want.
Taxis and guides: A few dollars is fine for bus tours, but go for 15% for taxi drivers and private tours.
South America
Argentina
Restaurants: Tips for servers are never added to the bill in Argentina and, while they aren’t expected, leaving up to 10% will be appreciated. If you do see service charges on your bill, it’s unlikely to go to the server, so keep pesos on hand to leave on the table or hand over in person to your server.
Hotels: Give porters one to three pesos depending on how much they have done for you. Housekeepers should get three to five pesos per day. Leave the money in an envelope if you can.
Taxis and guides: Tips aren’t required in taxis but it is typical to roundup to the nearest peso.
Brazil
A 10% service charge (servio) is routinely added to bills and there is no expectation to add more. You can if you want to reward great service, but make sure you do it discreetly and in local currency, the Brazilian real, rather than US dollars.
Asia
CHINA
Tipping is uncommon in China and can be considered rude. Your cash may well be refused. Although, high-end restaurants may add a service charge or expect around 10-20%. The same applies to heavily Westernised areas such as Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, where tipping is more common.
Hotels
Tipping is only common for porters, who usually get around ten yuan per bag.
Taxis and guides
Tipping is unnecessary.
JAPAN
Restaurants, hotels, taxis and guides
Much like China, Japan does not have a culture of tipping and offering may give offence. Politeness, rather than cash, is more highly prized.
SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA
A 10% tip is usually included on the bill. You can leave more if you want, but you aren’t expected to top up.
Hotels
Tipping porters isn’t essential but you can give a one dollar per bag and a few dollars per day for housekeeping.
Taxis and guides
Tipping guides and taxi drivers isn’t necessary.
INDONESIA, VIETNAM, CAMBODIA, THAILAND
Tipping isn’t expected but it’s becoming more common to leave an amount per diner. Leaving around a dollar each or the equivalent in local currency in a fancy restaurant won’t land you in hot water. Street-food sellers, however, won’t expect anything.
Hotels
A 10% service charge is included on your bill so tipping is not necessary. If you want to tip personally for good service, it’s fine to give cash directly to porters and housekeepers.
Taxis and guides
Around 10% of the fare is customary for taxi drivers and private guides can expect between 25 and 40 dollars.
Middle East and Africa
DUBAI
Restaurants, hotels, taxis and guides
10% is added by law to bills in Dubai but you can top this up with a few dirhams if you had a great time.
EGYPT
Restaurants
A small service charge will be included on your bill, however, it is customary to top this up with 5 to 10% more. Tip in dollars, euros or sterling rather than local currency if you can.
Hotels
One dollar per bag for porters and one to two dollars per day for housekeeping. Concierges can make your stay easier so tip them a sum upfront at the start of your stay - say 20 dollars - and see what they can bring to you holiday.
Taxis and guides
Add 10 to 15% to taxi fares and aim for 20 dollars per day for tour guides.
MOROCCO
Restaurants
There’s no rule of thumb for how much to leave at restaurants. You should leave something in local currency but anything over 10% would be generous. Tourist-focused hotels or restaurants may add the charge to the bill, so always check before you pay. It’s also best to be discreet.
Hotels
Two dollars - or equivalent in dirhams - per bag for porters, five dollars per day for housekeeping and an upfront 10 to 20 dollars for the concierge.
Taxis and guides
Round up your fare in a taxi and give tour guides 20 dollars per day.
ISRAEL
Restaurants
Around 10 to 15% is usual and a service charge will often be added to the bill. You can still add a small amount per diner - usually a shekel - if you want to leave more.
Hotels
Go for around six shekels per bag for porters and per day for housekeepers. Give two to four shekels for concierge per service.
Taxis and guides
Top up taxi fares with a 10 to 15% tip and go for 90 to 120 shekels for tour guides.
KENYA
Restaurants
Up to 10% of the bill in local currency is expected in Kenya.
Hotels
Porters should get 50 to 200 shillings depending on how much they have done for you. Housekeepers can expect 200 to 500 shillings per week. Paying upfront should motivate service.
Taxis and guides
Taxi drivers won’t expect a tip but give around 100 shillings if you want. Guides, however, often rely on tips, so generous where appropriate. Tips are less expected on more organised safaris but 100 shillings for the driver and guide would be welcome.
SOUTH AFRICA
Restaurants
Tipping is customary in South Africa, where wages are low. Around 10 to 15% of the bill given directly to the waiter is typical.
Hotels
Porters should get 10 to 20 rand per bag and the same per night for housekeeping.
Taxis and guides
You can safely just pay the fare in kombi (minivan-type taxis) but round up fares in metered cabs to the nearest 10 rand or add 10% to the fare. Guides should get at least 50 rand per person in the group. Highly skilled safari guides, such as ranger and trackers, should get 100 to 300 rand.
India
INDIA
It is usual to hand the waiter 10 to 15% of the bill in rupees. In fine-dining restaurants, you may find 10% charge has been added to the bill. If you want to give more than 10%, you can top this up.
Hotels
Around 50 rupees per bag for the porter is fine. Housekeepers, however, receive lower incomes, so go for 250 rupees per night.
Taxis and guides
There’s no need to tip taxi drivers but it doesn’t hurt to tell them to keep the change. Go for 200 to 400 rupees for a private guide or driver.
Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
Restaurants
There are no circumstances where tipping is essential but rounding up your bill or adding 10% for great service won’t be frowned on.
Hotels
One Australian or New Zealand dollar per bag for porters, one to five dollars per day for the housekeeper and 10 to 20 dollars for a concierge service.
Taxis and guides
Add five dollars for taxi drivers and 20 to 40 dollars for a private tour guides. A few dollars is enough for a bus tour.
SOUTH PACIFIC ISLANDS
Restaurants, hotels, taxis and guides
You shouldn’t attempt to tip in Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, the Cook Islands and other Polynesian islands. It might give offence: a warm welcome and freely given hospitality is a keystone of Polynesian culture.