International Tipping Etiquette: How Much per Country

Tipping is a cultural practice that can shape a travel experience fast. Tip too little in the US and your server thinks you hated the food. Tip in Japan and you may offend someone. Leave cash on the table in Iceland and the server may chase you down thinking you forgot it.

Rules vary by country and by service type. Restaurants, taxis, hotels, hair salons, and tour guides each have their own expectations, and those keep shifting. Countries with no tipping tradition are picking it up through digital payment prompts. Countries with strong tipping traditions are debating whether to abolish it.

This guide covers tipping norms across 30+ countries, organised by region. Use it as a reference before your next trip, or share with someone moving abroad.

North America: Where Tipping Is Expected

United States: tipping is deeply embedded in the service economy. Servers, bartenders, and hairdressers rely on tips as a significant part of their income.

• Restaurants: 18 to 20% of the pre-tax bill. 15% for average service. Never below 10% unless the service was genuinely terrible.
• Bars: $1 to $2 per drink, or 15 to 20% of the tab.
• Taxis/rideshares: 15 to 20%.
• Hotels: $2 to $5 per night for housekeeping, $1 to $2 per bag for bellhops.
• Hair salons: 15 to 20%.
• Food delivery: 15 to 20%, minimum $3 to $5.

Canada: similar to the US but slightly lower norms.

• Restaurants: 15 to 18%. Quebec trends toward 15%.
• Taxis: 10 to 15%.
• Hotels: $2 to $5 per night for housekeeping.

Mexico: tipping is common and appreciated.

• Restaurants: 10 to 15%. Some tourist areas expect 15 to 20%.
• Taxis: round up to the nearest 10 pesos or 10%.
• Hotels: 20 to 50 pesos per night for housekeeping.
• Gas station attendants: 5 to 10 pesos.

Use the Tip Calculator to quickly figure out the right amount in any currency. It splits bills between groups and calculates per-person amounts, which is especially helpful when traveling with others.

Europe: Service Charge Included (Usually)

Most European countries include a service charge in the bill price. Tipping is a bonus for good service, not an obligation.

United Kingdom: restaurants often add a 12.5% service charge. If included, no extra tip needed. If not, 10 to 12% is standard. Pubs: round up or leave coins. Taxis: round up to the nearest pound.

France: service is legally included in all restaurant bills ("service compris"). A few extra euros for exceptional service is appreciated but never expected. Taxis: round up.

Germany: round up to the nearest euro or add 5 to 10%. Say the total you want to pay when handing over your card or cash. Do not leave money on the table.

Italy: a "coperto" (cover charge) of 1 to 3 euros per person is common. Additional tipping is rare. Rounding up is a nice gesture.

Spain: tipping is minimal. Round up or leave a few euros at restaurants. Bars: leave small coins. Taxis: round up.

Netherlands: service is included. Rounding up or leaving 5 to 10% is a generous gesture but not expected.

Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland): service is always included. Tipping is rare and always optional. Rounding up is the maximum expected.

Switzerland: service is included by law. Rounding up is common. 5% extra for excellent service.

Convert between units, distances, and weights before your trip with the Unit Converter so you can quickly translate local tip suggestions into amounts that make sense to you.

Asia and the Pacific: Tipping Can Be Complicated

Tipping customs in Asia range from expected to offensive, depending on the country.

Japan: do not tip. Tipping is considered rude in most contexts. Exceptional service is considered standard. If you try to leave money, it will likely be returned to you.

South Korea: no tipping expected at restaurants or taxis. Some Western-style hotels accept tips. Service charge may be added at high-end restaurants.

China: tipping is not customary in most of mainland China. Some tourist-oriented businesses accept tips. Hong Kong is different: 10% service charge is common at restaurants, and rounding up in taxis is expected.

Thailand: tips are appreciated but not required. Restaurants: 20 to 50 baht or round up. Spas and massages: 50 to 100 baht. Taxis: round up.

Vietnam: not expected but increasingly common in tourist areas. 5 to 10% at restaurants. Small tips for tour guides and drivers.

India: tipping is expected and appreciated. Restaurants: 10% if no service charge. Hotels: 50 to 100 rupees for porters. Taxis: round up or 10%. Tour guides: 200 to 500 rupees per day.

Australia: tipping is not expected anywhere. Service industry workers receive living wages. Rounding up or leaving 10% at a nice restaurant is a bonus. Taxis: round up.

New Zealand: similar to Australia. Tipping is uncommon and never expected.

The Middle East and Africa

United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi): restaurants often add a 10% service charge. An additional 5 to 10% tip is common in tourist areas. Hotel staff: 5 to 10 AED. Taxis: round up.

Turkey: 5 to 10% at restaurants. Hotel staff: 10 to 20 lira. Taxis: round up. Turkish baths (hammam): 15 to 20% of the service price.

Egypt: tipping (baksheesh) is deeply cultural and expected almost everywhere. Restaurants: 10 to 15%. Hotel staff: 10 to 20 Egyptian pounds. Taxis: round up generously. Tour guides: 50 to 100 pounds per half day. Even bathroom attendants and parking helpers expect a few pounds.

South Africa: 10 to 15% at restaurants. Car guards (informal parking attendants): 5 to 10 rand. Gas station attendants: 5 to 10 rand. Hotel porters: 10 to 20 rand.

Morocco: round up at restaurants or leave 10%. Tour guides: 100 to 200 MAD per day. Riads (guesthouses): 20 to 50 MAD for housekeeping per stay.

Kenya and Tanzania: 10% at restaurants if no service charge. Safari guides: $10 to $20 per day per person. Hotel staff: 200 to 500 shillings.

Calculate the percentage tip amounts in unfamiliar currencies to make sure you are leaving an appropriate amount. A 15% tip on a restaurant bill in Egyptian pounds requires different mental math than the same percentage in US dollars.

Digital Tipping and the Changing Landscape

The shift to digital payments is changing tipping culture worldwide. Credit card terminals now prompt for tips in places where tipping was never customary. This "tip creep" phenomenon is spreading through Europe, Australia, and parts of Asia.

Digital tipping differences:

• Tablet prompts: many counters now present tip options (18%, 20%, 25%) on a screen you tap in front of the employee. The social pressure is real. These prompts appear at coffee shops, bakeries, and fast-food counters where tipping was not previously expected.
• Delivery apps: built-in tipping has made tipping food delivery drivers standard worldwide, even in countries where restaurant tipping is not customary.
• Rideshare apps: Uber and Lyft normalized in-app tipping in markets where taxi tipping was uncommon.
• QR code tips: some restaurants provide QR codes that link directly to a tip payment page. This is growing in Europe and Asia.

The general trend is toward more tipping in more places, driven by technology rather than culture. Workers appreciate it. Consumers are divided. The debate about whether tipping should exist at all continues, but for now, the practical reality is that you will encounter tip prompts almost everywhere you travel.

When in doubt, the safest approach is to tip at a level that is normal for the local culture, not your home country. Over-tipping in countries without a tipping culture can create uncomfortable dynamics and set unrealistic expectations for local customers.

FAQ

Should I tip in cash or on the card?

Cash is generally preferred by service workers because it reaches them directly and immediately. Card tips may be pooled, taxed, or delayed depending on the employer's policies and local laws. In countries where cash is declining (Scandinavia, Netherlands), card tips are fine. In developing countries, cash ensures the worker receives the full amount.

What if service was genuinely bad?

In the US and Canada, reducing the tip to 10% sends a message. In most other countries, simply not tipping is sufficient. Leaving no tip at all in the US is considered a strong statement. If service was truly terrible, speak to a manager rather than expressing it through the tip amount.

Do I tip on the pre-tax or post-tax amount?

Traditionally, you tip on the pre-tax subtotal. In practice, most people tip on the total because it is easier to calculate. The difference is small (usually 1 to 2% of the total bill). Either approach is acceptable.

How do I handle group dining with different tipping preferences?

Designate one person to handle the bill. Calculate the tip based on the total, divide evenly or by individual orders, and collect from everyone. The Tip Calculator handles group splitting automatically. Discussing tip amounts openly prevents awkwardness at the table.