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IF TIPPING IS GOOD KARMA then consider this your guide to a better afterlife. As someone who has worked for years in the restaurant industry I command you to know what to tip everywhere you go. You can check your guidebook for tipping etiquette, ask fellow travelers or get the down low from a local, but there is no excuse for not tipping or not knowing what to tip.
Besides if you want to ingratiate yourself to a culture or place it is best to start with the waiter.
Kindly add the tipping etiquette for countries not listed in the comments.
ARGENTINA : 10% if not already tacked onto your bill.
AUSTRALIA : Tipping in cafes and restaurants is not expected, but is welcome as a sign of exceptional service. Round up to the nearest buck or two.
BOLIVIA : Gratuity is included in your bill, but a small tip is welcome and considered polite.
BRAZIL : No additional tip required above the standard %10 service fee. Look for the included gratuity at the bottom of your bill.
CAMBODIA : In modest establishments round up or leave your change. In nicer or ‘Western-style’ establishments leave 10%.
CANADA : Gratuity isn’t included in menu prices, so tip the US standard of 15 to 20%.
Photo by Michael Scott
CHILE : A 10% service charge is sometimes added to your bill, especially in touristy areas. Be sure to check your bill before throwing down the standard 10%.
CHINA : In most of China, tipping is generally not expected and in fact against the law. In more expensive Western-style hotels, such as in Shanghai and Beijing, tipping is much more common.
COLOMBIA : Check the bill for a 8 to 10% service charge, and tip extra – totaling 15 to 18%.
COSTA RICA : Generally restaurants add a 10% charge to the bill, but double check.
CROATIA : If you’re just having a drink, leave your change. For dinner in a tavern, leave a buck or two and for dinner in a nicer restaurant, leave 10 to 15%.
CZECH REPUBLIC : There’s usually a service charge tacked onto your bill, but consider tipping on top of it – up to 15% total.
DENMARK : Tipping is not included in the bill and is not prevalent as it is not the main income for waiters. However a small tip is welcomed.
ECUADOR : A 10% tip is generally added to your bill. However, extra 5-10% for good service in nicer establishments is customary.
EGYPT : The gratuity is included in your bill but consider adding 5 –10% more.
ESTONIA : Not a whole lot of tipping goes down in Estonia. Many locals leave nothing for day time meals. So for good karma leave just a few coins. For dinner in a nicer restaurant tip 5-8% in cash or coin.
Photo by scruffdog1231
FINLAND : Tipping is not customary and is not expected.
FRANCE : Look for a 15% service charge on your bill and consider leaving a few extra coins.
GERMANY : Gratuities are included in the listed menu price in restaurants and bars throughout most of Germany. Like France, it is typical to round up and if you are a group consider adding 5-10% to the amount on your bill.
GREECE : Check for a service chrage, it may or may not be there. In any case make sure you leave 10-20% for the waiter, depending on service.
HUNGARY : For good service leave up to 10% in cash. For drinks and coffee, leave your change.
ICELAND : A 15% tip is automatic, leave up to 5% on top of that, depending on service. For the most part, Iceland does not have a big tipping culture.
INDIA : Leave 5-10% for the waiter. Many swankier spots now include a 10% service charge.
INDONESIA : A 10% tip is included in the bill. Throw down some change on top of that, up to 15% total.
ISRAEL : In restaurants with table service the rule of thumb is to tip the waiter about 12% as most establishments do not include a service charge. If a restaurant does include gratuity, the charge is usually 12%. If this is the case, throw down a little more cash for really good service.
ITALY : Leave up to 10%.
JAPAN : Japan does not have a tipping culture and tipping is rare.
JORDAN : A service charge is nearly always included in your bill; drop an extra 5–10% for the person that serves you.
LEBANON : Tip 10% of the bill.
Photo by Public Domain Photos
MALAYSIA : A 10% tip is included, round up and leave the change.
MEXICO : The standard tip of 10-15% is expected in restaurants and for delivery drivers.
MOROCCO : If service is not included in your bill leave up to 10%.
NEW ZEALAND : Tipping in New Zealand is not customary. Save your dough for more bungee jumping.
NICARAGUA : A 8-10% tip is expected.
PAKISTAN : The gratuity will not be included in your bill and is not mandatory. Tip 5-10% at your discretion.
PARAGUAY : A service charge is included in the bill, and tipping beyond that is uncommon.
PERU : Check your bill for a service charge. Tip, up to 10% for nice meals. for a quick bite leave, your small change.
PHILIPPINES : Check your bill for an automatic 10% gratuity and if you are inclined leave a few dollars extra. If the tip is not included, leave around 10%.
QATAR : A 15-20% tip is expected.
RUSSIA : Hand your waiter 10% of the bill, in cash.
SAUDI ARABIA : Tips are not typically included, so leave 10-15%.
SINGAPORE : A 10% tip is included on your bill. You may leave more, but it’s not expected.
SLOVENIA : Tipping is not customary in Slovenia. In tourist-rich areas, 10% tips are more common place but not obligatory.
SOUTH AFRICA : Tip 10-15% of the bill.
SOUTH KOREA : No tips are required and tax is included in the menu price.
photo by Bryan Bruchman
SPAIN : In bars and restaurants, locals usually leave the change from their payment as a tip, occasionally rounding it up to euro coins. In more posh places leave between 5-10%.
SWEDEN : Tipping is not included in the bill and is not prevalent as it is not the main income for waiters. However a small tip is welcomed, obviously.
SWITZERLAND : While most places include a 15% service charge, a little extra love is always appreciated.
SYRIA : Leave your waiter around 10% of the bill.
TAIWAN : Check your bill, about half the restaurants in Taiwan include a 10% gratuity. If service is not included in your bill leave around 10% percent, higher for exceptional service.
THAILAND : Check your bill, there may be a service charge. In decent, sit down restaurants make sure you leave 10% and for smaller meals everywhere else just leave your coins.
TURKEY : Tip 10% or a bit more, in cash. You may not be able can’t to tip on your credit card.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES : Tip 15-20%. In super-duper swanky restaurants, grease the matre d’s palm with at least $50 to be treated to superior service.
UNITED KINGDOM : Many establishments have a service charge included in the menu price. If not, tip 10-15%.
UKRAINE : Leave 10% for really good service. For not so good service just round up the bill.
USA : Restaurant servers in most American states expect a 15-20% tip. Less that 10% will piss folks off. Typically parties of 8 or more are subject to a automatic gratuity, usually 17-20% of the bill before taxes. If your party is demanding, rowdy, messing, drunk, well to do or stayed for more than an hour, consider leaving extra in addition to the auto gratuity.
VIETNAM : Leave about 10% in cash if gratuity is not included. If the gratuity is already added, toss in a few more dollars and call it good.
YEMEN : Leave a 10% tip in nice restaurants. Otherwise round up the bill or simply leave a few dollars. 
Joshywashington
Joshywashington is a Travel Media Ninja from Seattle who enjoys writing, climbing trees and strong coffee.
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Tips (service=15% beofre VAT (25%) is included in the bill in Denmark, whether its says so or not. Obviously its a bit expensive dining in DK – but then again you dont get served by people who are not paid sufficiently.
Why do we tip resturant workers but not hospital workers? Either tip everyone or no-one.
I would guess the reason why we don’t tip everyone is because some people are actually paid above minimum wage, instead of being paid the lowest of the low. I would say that nurses are more than likely being paid a hell of a lot more than the average Applebee’s worker. When someone is spending 8 hours of their day serving food to strangers, I would think common sense (and common decency) would tell you to tip them. Do you have to tip them 20%? Absolutely not. Tipping is based off of job performance. If your server serves you with a smile, gets your food order right, refills your drink before asking and takes away your plates within minutes of you finishing, then maybe you should whip out a couple bucks to thank them for their service.
And the pretentious snobby high horse people with their “get a better job” bullcrap should really adopt a better attitude. I’ve heard constant nosebleeds can be bad for you.The lowelest of jobs still deserves your respect because they do happen to make the world go round. The person serving you food is doing a service in helping you EAT. You are obviously dining at a restaurant because you either don’t know how to cook, have no time to cook or would prefer to not cook, and so someone is waiting on your every wish, taking your snotty attitude and working for you, all while making $2 an hour.
Sometimes I think it should be mandatory to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes because we seem to be slowly losing our compassion in this world. And a world without compassion is no world at all.
before heading to the airport, consider this.
If you feel like your service was horrible, get the management involved. 9 times out of 10 they will comp things off your bill, or bring you a nice desert, or do anything they can to keep you happy. As for leaving without tipping, please understand that tips are typically pulled in restaurants. So while you think you stiffed your particular server, you have also stiffed the bar, the bussers, food runners, etc. as well. And these are people who may have provided excellent (20% in your words) service. And before you judge, put yourself in your servers place. Are they running around frantically, trying to serve multiple tables, and because of this, they are neglecting you a little bit? This is usually due to being seated too soon, or things happening at other tables, totally out of the server’s control. Was your food incorrect? Almost 100% of the time this is the kitchen’s fault. Your server did not cook your food, and yet they get in trouble by the guest because something is wrong, or doesn’t taste right. If you cannot tip, then DON’T go out to eat. If you feel like you don’t have the time to cook, think about this: by the time you drive to a restaurant, wait 20-30 min for your table, wait another 15-25 min for your food, eat, pay your bill, and drive home, you could have gone to the grocery store, cooked a fabulous meal, relaxed at home, and saved money. And please remember this one simple fact: if you act like a jerk in a restaurant, don’t forget who is handling your food. Some people are more than happy to act like a jerk back.
Jack, I do not act like a Jerk in a restaurant or elsewhere (unlike some servers I have come across, although I must say that 99.9% are decent people) and if your implied threat is to tamper with the customers food then I would remind you that this is a crime in most countries. Neither do I try to “stiff” serving staff or the rest of establishment. I simply respond to the end product and service I receive, and yes I do involve management. Again, assuming you are in the service industry then you are missing the point, I am happy to be understanding of working pressures, but we all have these. However, A tip is based on service received, nothing else. It is not a Human Right, There is no contract between customer and server that says it is compulsory. It is a voluntary gratuity plain and simple. The price of the meal to be purchased is shown on the menu, that’s the contract. If servers et al wish to make something else of it, for example a compulsory service charge, then show this on the menu and let the customers / market decide. You list many problems that are out of the servers control yet as I said previously; they are even more out of the customers control. So servers need to back off from inflexible and confrontational attitudes when they feel they have been “STIFFED” and consider why the customer has exercised their option not to tip. Perhaps THEY need to speak with management….
I can imagine wht they told you…
I don’t agree with the author, too. Here in Italy tipping is not mandatory. Maybe you can tip to the next bill increment, like Keneckert says above, in a (non-touristic) restaurant for an excellent meal. But the waiters are paid by the employer, and they don’t expect to be tipped more than the doctor, or the newspaper seller do.
When I travel abroad I always forget about the tipping custom… not on purpose, poor waiters…