Tipping Tips

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On Common Sense Stuff

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Logo by Stefan Strasser

Tipping is not an exact science. In fact, it is not scientific at all. The system is powered by black magic as influenced by the phase of the moon and the general mood of some schizophrenic monk somewhere in Mongolia.

The good news is that around the world the very divergent practices are coming closer together. The bad news is that the trend is toward the US system (leave your car and first born son if the service was good) rather than the Japanese (tips are insulting).

The following is gleaned from books, websites, and years of experience. But use it with the understanding that you will find differences and contradictions.

Notes:

1. Be sure to look for situations where the service is included (service compris), which is very common in Europe. If it is included, only a little (very little) extra is expected or appropriate for exceptional service.

2. Some out of the ordinary tipping situations will become obvious if you are half-way observant: the usher with his hand out, the basket with coins in it in the restroom.

3. Even with this superb guidance, mistakes will be made. Get over it and move on. There was, however, this one tour bus driver in Denali Park (I think his name was Jim) who did an outstanding job, but at the critical moment as we got off the bus I was distracted and wound up walking away with the tip still in my hand. Jim, if you see this, drop me a note and I’ll send you your tip.

Choose your country alphabetically:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W XYZ

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America Restaurants Porters Taxis

(United States) 15-20% $1-$2 per bag 10-15%

Argentina Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag 10% or round up

Armenia Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% 50 cents to $1 per bag Not expected

Australia Restaurants Porters Taxis

Not expected $1 to $2 per bag Round up

except in fine

restaurants where

10-15% is norm

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Austria Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 to $2 per bag Round up

Azerbaijan Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% 50 cents - $1 per bag Not expected

Bahamas Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag 10%

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Bahrain Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 to $2 per bag 10%

Belgium Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag Round Up

or (some disagreement here)

not expected not expected

Bolivia Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% 75 cents per bag 10%

Brazil Restaurants Porters Taxis

10-15% $1 per bag 10%

A note from a reader: Most of the regular restaurants (in Brazil) are strictly no tipping, it is included in the price you pay. Maybe, some high end white table cloth restaurants will get up to 10%, but that is still rare.

Britain Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag 15%

Brunei Restaurants Porters Taxis

None None None

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Bulgaria Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag Round Up

Canada Restaurants Porters Taxis

15% $1-$2 per bag 10%

Cayman Islands Restaurants Porters Taxis

15% $1 per bag 10%

Chile Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% in $1 per bag None

addition to

service charge

China Restaurants Porters Taxis

3-5% $1-$2 Total None

China’s tipping style is changing rapidly, trending toward

that of the western world.

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Columbia Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% 75 cents per bag None

Costa Rica Restaurants Porters Taxis

None $1 per bag 10%

Cuba Restaurants Porters Taxis

$1-$2 $1-$2 $1-$2

Czech Republic Restaurants Porters Taxis

5-10% $1 per bag Round Up

Denmark Restaurants Porters Taxis

None $1 per bag Round Up

Ecuador Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% 75 cents per bag None

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Egypt Restaurants Porters Taxis

5-10% in $1 per bag Round Up

addition to

service charge

England Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag 15%

Estonia Restaurants Porters Taxis

Not expected Not expected Not expected

Fiji Restaurants Porters Taxis

None None Round Up

Finland Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag Round Up

France Restaurants Porters Taxis

5-10% in $1 per bag Round Up

addition to service,

which is included

by law

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Germany Restaurants Porters Taxis

5-10% in $1 per bag Round Up

addition to

service charge

Greece Restaurants Porters Taxis

5-10% in $1 per bag Round Up

addition to

service charge

Guatemala Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% in $1 per bag 10%

addition to

service charge

Holland Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag Round Up

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Hong Kong Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% in $1 per bag Round Up

addition to

service charge

Hungary Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% None Round Up

Iceland Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag Round Up

India Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag Round Up

Indonesia Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% 50 cents total Round Up

Ireland Restaurants Porters Taxis

10-15% $1 per bag Round Up

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Israel Restaurants Porters Taxis

12-15% $1 per bag 12-15%

Italy Restaurants Porters Taxis

5-10% in $1 per bag Round Up

addition to

coperto

(service charge)

Japan Restaurants Porters Taxis

None None None

Tipping is considered insulting, but look for those special

situations: tipping cup, envelopes marked “Tips”.

Kenya Restaurants Porters Taxis

5% 50 cents per bag None

Korea Restaurants Porters Taxis

None None None

Service charges are commonly added, but tipping can

be insulting.

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Luxembourg Restaurants Porters Taxis

5-10% in $1 per bag Round Up

Macao Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag Round Up

Madagascar Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% 50 cents per bag Round Up

Malaysia Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag Round Up

Mexico Restaurants Porters Taxis

10-15% $1 per bag Round Up

Tip for everything.

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Morocco Restaurants Porters Taxis

Leave loose 50 cents per bag Round Up

change

Netherlands Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag Round Up

New Zealand Restaurants Porters Taxis

None None None

Nicaragua Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag 10%

North Korea Restaurants Porters Taxis

No info No info No info

You’re on your own on this one. Let us know what you

find out.

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Norway Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag Round Up

Oman Restaurants Porters Taxis

None None None

Paraguay Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% 75 cents per bag 10%

Peru Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% 75 cents per bag None

Philippines Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag Round Up

Poland Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag Round Up

Portugal Restaurants Porters Taxis

10-15% $1 per bag Round Up

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Romania Restaurants Porters Taxis

10-15% $1 per bag Round Up

Russia Restaurants Porters Taxis

10-15% $1 per bag Round Up

If tipping in dollars, you can back off a bit.

Saudi Arabia Restaurants Porters Taxis

10-15% $1-$2 per bag 10%

Samoa Restaurants Porters Taxis

None None None

Scotland Restaurants Porters Taxis

10-15% $1 per bag Round Up

Singapore Restaurants Porters Taxis

None None None

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South Africa Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% 50 cents per bag 10%

South Korea Restaurants Porters Taxis

None None None

Service charges are commonly added, but tipping can

be insulting.

Spain Restaurants Porters Taxis

5-10% $1 per bag 10%

Sweden Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% if no $1 per bag Round Up

service charge

Switzerland Restaurants Porters Taxis

Round up $1 per bag Round up

Tanzania Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% None None

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Taiwan Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag None

Thailand Restaurants Porters Taxis

0-5% None None

Turkey Restaurants Porters Taxis

Round up $1 per bag Round up

Ukraine Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag Round up

United Arab Emirates Restaurants Porters Taxis

None None None

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United Kingdom Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag 15%

United States Restaurants Porters Taxis

15-20% $1-$2 per bag 10-15%

Venezuela Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% 75 cents per bag 10%

Vietnam Restaurants Porters Taxis

None None None

Tipping is illegal, but service charges sometimes added.

Wales Restaurants Porters Taxis

10% $1 per bag 10%

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