To tip or not to tip? That is the question. Europe is a large and diverse place, so the rules of tipping can vary. Whether it’s in a restaurant, a hotel, or a taxi, here’s what you need to know about the tipping rules for some of the most popular destinations in Europe.
A tip for your tips: don’t stress over it! Tips will always be appreciated, but there’s no need to whip out the calculator to formulate exactly the right amount. Tips in Europe are not as necessary and expected as they are in places like the USA. Most hospitality and service industry workers are paid a salary or a wage that doesn’t rely on tips. That said, if you’re leaving a tip, always do it in cash, not by credit card! This ensures your money will go directly to the staff who helped you.
TIPPING IN THE UK 🇬🇧
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In the UK, most bills include a service fee. Adding extra is up to you, however, a tip is usually expected at luxury hotels and restaurants.
Restaurants: A service charge is usually included on your bill, which is usually around 10-15% of the total. If service charges aren’t included, it’s common to tip 10-15% anyway for good service.
Bars and cafes: It’s not common to tip servers in UK pubs or cafes, though many places have tip jars near the till. Here, you can leave some pocket change if you’d like to support your servers, though doing so is completely optional!
Hotels: Tipping porters and housekeeping a few pounds is considered polite and acceptable. For porters, tip £1 – £2 per bag. For housekeeping staff, you can leave a few pounds on the bedside table. If you’re staying somewhere more upscale than a Travelodge, upping your tip to around £5 is good form.
Taxis: It’s not expected to tip taxi drivers in the UK, though you can always round up to the nearest pound if you like.
TIPPING IN FRANCE 🇫🇷
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Tipping in France is typically used to show your appreciation for great service.
Restaurants: At the end of your bill you may find a service charge (often called service compris). This is sometimes written as SC or STC. It’s usually around 10% of the total and no additional tip is necessary. Most locals will leave a few extra euros if the service was good and may tip up to 15% for excellent service.
Bars and cafes: Tipping in bars and cafes is not common in France, though you can leave some spare change on the bar if you like.
Hotels: Tip your porter 1€ – 2€ per bag. At upscale hotels, tip staff members if you request any extra services such as making reservations.
Taxis: A 10% tip for taxi drivers is usually expected, though it’s also acceptable to simply round up your fare to the nearest euro.
TIPPING IN SPAIN 🇪🇸
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Tipping in Spain is a casual affair, with most locals rounding their bill up to the nearest euro. Leave a tip (in cash) to reflect your satisfaction with the service, but don’t leave more than around 13%.
Restaurants: Tipping in Spanish restaurants is optional, and you should tip only if you’re getting good service. In casual settings, round up your bill to the nearest euro, but in higher-end eateries tip between 7 – 10%. If you’re unsatisfied with the service, it’s acceptable to leave without adding anything extra after your bill.
Bars and cafes: If you’re getting table service at a Spanish cafe or bar it’s a good idea to round up your bill. Otherwise it’s not common to tip your server.
Hotels: Tip your cleaning staff a few extra euros each day, plus 1€ per bag for the porter.
Taxis: Taxi drivers appreciate it if you round up to the nearest euro, but tips are not typically expected.
TIPPING IN ITALY 🇮🇹
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It can be common in Italy for your tip to be refused the first time you offer it – but don’t be put off. This is an expression of politeness and if you offer again the tip will be accepted.
Restaurants: You may see the words pane e coperto or servizio incluso on your bill. The first refers to a bread and cover charge: this covers the basket of bread before the meal, the tablecloth, and water. It’s usually a couple of euros. Servizio incluso means that the restaurant has already included the tip, often around 10%. If your bill says servizio non incluso, leave a cash tip of around 10% on your table.
Bars and cafes: In Italian bars, skip the tip or leave a little loose change. For the treasured Italian pastime of espresso counters, it’s good to leave a tip of no more than 1€ if you stand and drink at the counter.
Hotels: Porters, concierges, and housekeeping staff usually expect a couple of euros.
Taxis: Taxi drivers in Italy, along with gondoliers, aren’t customarily tipped. Round up the taxi charge if you’ve been given great service.
Italy is an easy country to fall in love with! If you’re considering moving to Italy, learn more about it here!
TIPPING IN GERMANY 🇩🇪
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Unless your experience was genuinely bad, leave a small tip when traveling in Germany. However, most German service workers earn a decent wage, so tipping isn’t strictly necessary.
Restaurants: While restaurants in Germany usually include a service fee in the bill, it’s good to tip your server around 5 – 10%. Don’t leave your tip on the table, instead hand it directly to your server.
Bars and cafes: It’s usual to have a tab open in German bars and pubs, so when you pay your tab you can also give your tip. Simply round your bill up to the euro.
Hotels: Tip your porter 1€ – 3€ per bag, housekeeping 5€ per night, 4€ for room service, and if the concierge has been particularly helpful to you, tip them around 20€.
Taxis: Round your taxi fare up by 0.50 to 1€. Add a few extra euros if the driver helped you move your luggage into the taxi (2€ per bag is a good rule of thumb).
TIPPING IN GREECE 🇬🇷
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Restaurants: For cheap meals leave a tip of around 10%, while for a more expensive meal you should leave around 5%. In a casual eatery, a few euros per person is fine. Make sure to check with your server whether service is included with the bill.
Bars and cafes: Most locals don’t tip in Greek bars and cafes.
Hotels: Tip a few coins to the concierge and cloakroom attendant if there is one. It’s also polite to tip the porter 1€ per bag and housekeeping 1€ per day.
Taxis: It’s not expected to tip taxi drivers, but if you’d like to round up your fare it will always be appreciated. If your driver helped with your bags, add an extra euro.
TIPPING IN CZECH REPUBLIC 🇨🇿
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Tipping in the Czech Republic is usually expected in most service industries and reflects your satisfaction with the experience. If you can manage to throw in a few words of Czech, you’ll often get even better hospitality!
Restaurants: Tipping in Czech restaurants is normal and encouraged, usually 10 – 15% of the bill. You can also round up to the nearest 20 – 50 CZK. Like in Germany, you should hand the tip directly to your server rather than leaving it on the table. It’s important to note that some restaurants in Prague have signs stating that service is not included – but this doesn’t mean you need to increase your tip. Under Czech law, service is included in the bill, but tips are not. It’s just a reminder that you can decide whether or not to tip.
Bars and cafes: A tip of 10% is advisable in bars and in cafes with table service. If you’re just getting a coffee to go there’s no need to leave a tip.
Hotels: Tip your hotel porters around 40 CZK.
Taxis: It’s not necessary to tip taxi drivers, but you can round up the fare if you want to.
TIPPING IN HUNGARY 🇭🇺
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Restaurants: As with most of the destinations on this list, 10 – 15% is the usual tip for good service in Hungarian restaurants. Give your tip directly to your server and don’t leave cash on the table as it’s considered to be rude. Before paying, make sure to check whether a service charge is included on your bill. It’s often 12% and there’s no need to leave an extra tip.
Bars and cafes: A few coins after a coffee is an acceptable tip in Hungarian cafes, while some change for the bartender is appropriate when buying drinks at a bar or pub.
Hotels: Tip your porter 500 forints, your housekeeper 200 – 300 forints a day, and if your concierge is exceptionally helpful you should tip them between 500-1000 forints.
Taxis: Taxi drivers in Budapest have been known to overcharge tourists, so it’s advisable to call a taxi company and request a fare estimate. You can tip your driver 5 – 10% of the fare or round up.