A Guide to Tipping in Europe

By Briana Seftel


While tips are always appreciated, tipping in Europe isn’t as commonplace as it is in the U.S. or Canada. Service charges are usually included in the bill and workers don’t have to rely on tips to live. While tipping is ultimately up to your discretion, it’s important to learn the local customs when traveling. With this handy guide, learn all about tipping in Europe.

Austria

  • Restaurant/Bar: Restaurants in Austria typically include tax and a service charge (around 12.5%) in the final bill, and it is customary to round up the total when paying. Rather than leaving the tip on the table, hand it to your server with your bill and say "danke." For a bartender, you can round to the nearest euro for good service.

  • Tour Guide: Thank your guide by giving five or ten euros or more depending on the quality and length of the tour.

  • Taxi: Taxi drivers usually receive an extra 10% over the meter fare, but feel free to round to the nearest euro.

  • Porter/Bellhop: While a simple “danke” will do, it’s considerate to give porters or bellhops one euro per bag.

Belgium

  • Restaurant/Bar: Restaurants in Belgium add a 10 to 15% service charge to the bill, so you don’t need to tip. However, if the service was exceptional, you can leave a few extra euros. The same goes for bartenders.

  • Tour Guide: While most tours include gratuity, some do not. If you’re happy with the tour, a few extra euros are always appreciated.

  • Taxi: Tips aren’t expected, but feel free to round up or give a few extra euros if the taxi driver helps with your bags.

  • Porter/Bellhop: Hotel bills in Belgium include services, so tipping your porter or bellhop isn’t necessary, but you could always tip one or two euros.

Pro tip: If you enter a bathroom serviced by attendants, it’s customary to leave a tip of about €0.50 cents.

Croatia

  • Restaurant/Bar: It’s customary to leave a 10% gratuity, even if there is a service charge included on your bill. If you found the service exceptional, you can tip 15%. Bartenders don’t expect a tip, but an extra Kuna will certainly be appreciated.

  • Tour Guide: Feel free to tip your tour guide 10 to 15 Kuna.

  • Taxi: You can round up to the nearest Kuna if you’d like.

  • Porter/Bellhop: It’s considered polite to tip anywhere from 5 to 20 Kuna per bag.

France

  • Restaurant/Bar: Restaurants in France always include a service charge of 15% (known as “service compris”), so tipping is not necessary. For cafes, it’s customary to round to the nearest euro or leave extra change. If you decide to tip, just leave the coins in the plastic tray with the receipt on the table. It’s not common practice to to tip bartenders.

  • Tour Guide: It’s common to tip your guide 10% of the tour price.

  • Taxi: You can tip your taxi driver 10% of the fare.

  • Porter/Bellhop: It’s customary to tip one to two euros per bag, unless the bag is super heavy, in which case you can be more generous.

Germany

  • Restaurant/Bar: 10% is the standard tip amount when it comes to dining out in Germany or 15% if the service was exceptional. Usually, a service charge is included in your bill, known as "bedienung." Always hand the tip to your server; leaving it on the table is considered rude. As a general rule, tip wherever there is table service.

  • Tour Guide: For a good tour guide in Germany, it’s common to tip up to 10%. For free tours, it’s polite to give your guide five euros.

  • Taxi: Tipping isn’t customary in taxis, however you can round to the nearest euro or tip 10% if the service was great.

  • Porter/Bellhop: While not expected, it’s polite to tip your porter or bellhop one euro per bag.

Greece

  • Restaurant/Bar: In many restaurants in Greece, the service charge is already included in the bill. If not, it’s common to tip between 5% and 10%. For bartenders, it’s common to round up and leave any extra change.

  • Tour Guide: It’s standard practice to tip 10 to 15% of the tour price.

  • Taxi: You can round up to the nearest euro or tell the driver to keep the change if it’s near the right amount. Taxi drivers in Greece charge for handling bags, so no need to leave an extra tip.

  • Porter/Bellhop: You can tip one or two euros if someone helps you with your bags.

Iceland

  • Restaurant/Bar: A service charge (around 15%) is almost always included in your bill, so you don’t need to leave a tip. If there isn’t a service charge, 10% is acceptable.

  • Tour Guide: Tour guides don’t expect tips, however you may tip 10% if you found the guide went above and beyond.

  • Taxi: Taxi drivers never expect tips in Iceland because there is a service charge included in the cost of your ride.

  • Porter/Bellhop: A tip isn’t expected, but feel free to tip one or two krona if you found the service to be especially gracious.

Pro tip: Iceland differs from the rest of Europe for the simple fact that tips are quite uncommon. However, if you’re feeling generous, go for it!

Ireland

  • Restaurant/Bar: When dining out at a restaurant in Ireland, you should tip 10 to 15% of your bill. However, you should always look to see if a service charge is included in your bill (if it is, you don’t need to leave a tip). It’s very uncommon to tip in pubs and bars - although you could always offer to buy your bartender a pint!

  • Tour Guide: You should tip your tour guide 10% of the tour price. If you’re on a group tour, the guide may pass around a basket at the end of the tour. Irish are notoriously humble, so insist on giving a tip even if they politely refuse!

  • Taxi: Taxi drivers don’t expect tips, but will certainly return a friendly smile if you choose to round up or give an extra euro or two.

  • Porter/Bellhop: If you’re staying at a hotel, it’s common to tip the porter one to two euros per bag. If you’re staying at a B&B, you don’t need to tip.

Italy

  • Restaurant/Bar: Restaurants in Italy most often than not add a service charge ("servizio") to your bill, so tipping isn’t necessary. If the service isn’t included, a tip of 10 to 15% is encouraged. For cafes and bars, it’s common to round to the nearest euro.

  • Tour Guide: While tipping tour guides isn’t expected, it is very much appreciated. Generally speaking, you can tip five euros for a half-day tour or 10 euros for a full day tour (per person).

  • Taxi: It’s not common to tip taxi drivers, although an extra euro or two is always appreciated.

  • Porter/Bellhop: It is customary to tip one to two euros per bag, depending on size, but no more than five euros.

Netherlands

  • Restaurant/Bar: Many restaurants in the Netherlands add a service charge to the bill, so tipping isn’t necessary. However, for great service, you can tip 5 to 10%. Give your tip to the service person directly rather than leaving it on the table. Bartenders are only tipped for exceptional service.

  • Tour Guide: While you don’t need to tip your tour guide, a few extra euros is always appreciated.

  • Taxi: Paying the exact amount for a taxi is perfectly acceptable, however you may round up to the nearest euro.

  • Porter/Bellhop: If you do decide to tip your porter, you should tip one or two euros per bag.

Portugal

  • Restaurant/Bar: It’s quite common to tip between 5 and 10% of the bill or round it up. Keep in mind Portugal has some of the lowest wages in Europe, so tipping is always appreciated. Sometimes restaurants will add a 10% service charge to the bill, in which case you don’t need to tip. For cafes and bars, you can round up to the nearest euro.

  • Tour Guide: You aren’t obligated to tip your tour guide, but generally speaking five to ten euros for a half-day tour and ten to twenty euros for a full-day tour is acceptable.

  • Taxi: Tipping taxi drivers isn’t common, however you may round up or leave a few extra euros if you found your driver to be particularly helpful.

  • Porter/Bellhop: You’ll certainly be greeted with a smile if you tip one or two euros for help carrying your bags.

Spain

  • Restaurant/Bar: While some restaurants in Spain include a service charge, it’s common to tip 10% for good service. Always tip in cash and leave it on the table. You don’t need to tip at bars, cafes or tapas bars, unless maybe you’re in a group or the service was outstanding.

  • Tour Guide: Tour guides don’t expect a tip, but it’s polite to tip depending on your preference.

  • Taxi: Taxi drivers in Spain don’t expect a tip, but if you offer one it will be appreciated. You can either round up the fare or tip 10%.

  • Porter/Bellhop: If you’re staying at a high-end hotel, you should tip your porter one euro for every one they carry.

Switzerland

  • Restaurant/Bar: Like France, Switzerland adds a service charge of roughly 15% to every bill. While you don’t need to tip, you will certainly add a smile to your server’s face by rounding up to the nearest franc.

  • Tour Guide: Most tours in Switzerland include a service charge, so you don’t need to tip. If your tour guide was exceptional, tip him or her around 10 to 15% of the cost of the tour.

  • Taxi: Like almost every other service, taxi drivers usually include a service charge, so there is no need to tip. For exceptional service, you can round up to the nearest franc or up to 5% of the fare.

  • Porter/Bellhop: It’s customary to tip one to two francs per bag, depending on the size.

United Kingdom

  • Restaurants/Bars: In the UK, it is customary to leave 10 to 15% of the bill as tip when eating out, though some restaurants add on service charge (around 12.5%) instead. It’s not common to leave a tip for bartenders, although you could always leave extra change.

  • Tour Guide: You should tip your tour guide two to four pounds, of course depending on the quality and length of the tour. Generally speaking, it’s customary to tip 10%.

  • Taxis: It is polite to tip 10 to 15% of the taxi fare for black cabs and licensed minicabs. However, many choose to round the fare and tell their driver to “keep the change.”

  • Porter/Bellhop: It’s common to tip porters. The amount is up to you, although two pounds is customary.

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