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The Ultimate Guide to Tipping in Every European Country

Travel
by Nickolaus Hines Apr 2, 2019

Tipping in Europe is nothing like tipping in the US. While it may be hard for regular American tippers to leave a table or bar without tacking on an additional 15 to 20 percent for the waitstaff, restaurants and hotels generally already include a 10 to 15 percent service fee in Europe.

Most countries in Europe pay the staff minimum wage at the least. Don’t feel guilted into tipping on bad service, and don’t tip if the place is self-service. However, different countries have different customs when it comes to restaurants, bars, taxis, and hotels. This tipping guide to every country in the European Union will help you out wherever you are.

Quick tip: Tip in cash, and give the tip directly to the person you intend it for. Well, you should probably do this everywhere in the whole world.

Austria

Restaurants and bars: A standard service charge is usually listed on the bill, so check for that first and leave 10 to 15 percent. Round up and leave the change when paying cash.

Taxis: 10 percent

Hotels: one euro per bag for porters

Belgium

Restaurants and bars: Service charge included in your bill, no need to tip.

Taxis: Not required, but you can round up to the nearest euro and let the driver keep the change.

Hotels: Service charge included in your bill, no need to tip.

Bulgaria

Restaurants and bars: Tip 10 percent or less in restaurants and a couple Bulgarian levs per order of drinks.

Taxis: Round up and let the driver keep the change.

Hotels: Tip porters one to two Bulgarian levs per bag and leave the same for housekeeping.

Croatia

Restaurants and bars: Service charge usually included in your bill at restaurants, so no need to tip. If the service is good, tip up to 10 percent. In bars, rounding up and letting the bartender keep the change is sufficient.

Taxis: Service charge included in your bill, no need to tip.

Hotels: Tip porters up to 10 Croatian kunas per bag.

Cyprus

Restaurants and bars: Service is usually included, but it’s customary to round up or leave 10 percent for exceptional service. Don’t tip at bars.

Taxis: Round up and leave change as a tip.

Hotels: Tip porters €1 to €2 per bag, and leave the same for housekeeping.

Czech Republic

Restaurants and bars: Leave a 10 to 15 percent tip at restaurants. Round up after a round of drinks at the bar, and let the bartender keep the change.

Taxis: Service charge included in your bill, no need to tip.

Hotels: Tip around 40 Czech korunas per bag the porter carries for you.

Denmark

Restaurants and bars: Restaurants include service charge, so no need to tip. It’s fine to tip up to 10 percent at nicer restaurants for exceptional service. Round up and leave the change as a tip at bars.

Taxis: Service charge included in your bill, no need to tip.

Hotels: Porters receive around five Kroners per bag they carry for you.

Estonia

Restaurants and bars: Not required and a tip usually isn’t included on the bill. For nicer places and good service, leave five to 10 percent. No need to tip in bars or self-service places.

Taxis: Tip up to 10 percent.

Hotels: Tip €1 per bag the porter carries.

Finland

Restaurants and bars: Service is included in restaurant bills, but it’s not unheard of to tip five to 10 percent for good service at restaurants. Round up and leave change for bartenders.

Taxis: No need to tip.

Hotels: No need to tip.

France

Restaurants and bars: Round up for smaller meals at restaurants, and five to 10 percent at nicer restaurants (check for a service charge that’s normally included on the bill). Tip €1 to €5 per round of drinks at the bar, depending on the drink ordered and how many drinks ordered.

Taxis: Tip 10 percent.

Hotels: Tip room service and porters €1 to €2, and leave the same for housekeeping.

Germany

Restaurants and bars: Service charge included in restaurant bills, but an additional five to 10 percent is normally added (just keep things to the nearest euro). Rather than bringing back change, the wait staff will tell you your total and you tell them how much you want to pay including tip. They’ll bring back the correct change based on how much you stated as your total.

Taxis: Typical to tip five to 10 percent.

Hotels: Porters get around €1 a bag and leave €1 to €2 for housekeeping.

Greece

Restaurants and bars: Service included in your bill and is often listed on the menu, but leave the change as an additional tip when paying with cash. The included service charge can be higher during the holiday season.

Taxis: No tip necessary.

Hotels: Tip porters €1 per bag.

Hungary

Restaurants and bars: Tip 10 to 15 percent of the bill at both restaurants and bars.

Taxis: Tip around 10 percent on the price of the ride.

Hotels: Tip around 500 Hungarian forints if a porter carries your bag.

Ireland

Restaurants and bars: Service charge is generally listed on restaurant bills, but add on 10 to 15 percent if not. Tip €1 to €2 if you order more than a single drink at bars.

Taxis: Round up and leave the change as a tip, or up to 10 percent if the driver provided extra service.

Hotels: Tip porters €1 a bag they carry for you and leave €2 a night for housekeeping.

Italy

Restaurants and bars: Service charge included at restaurants and bars. If not, leave 10 to 15 percent tip. Round up and leave the change as a tip at bars.

Taxis: No tip necessary.

Hotels: Tip porters and doormen a couple euros per bag, and leave €1 for housekeeping a night.

Latvia

Restaurants and bars: Service is usually included in the bill. If not, tip around 10 percent. Tip the same at bars for table service but not if you ordered a drink at the bar.

Taxis: Not obligatory, but can add up to 10 percent.

Hotels: Tip €1 euro per bag the porter carries for you.

Lithuania

Restaurants and bars: Tip up to 10 percent at nicer restaurants. Don’t tip at bars.

Taxis: No tip necessary.

Hotels: No tip necessary, but fine to give a small amount to porters if they’re especially helpful.

Luxembourg

Restaurants and bars: Service charge included on the bill. Add up to an additional 10 percent for good service. Round up and leave the change as a tip at bars.

Taxis: Tip up to 10 percent.

Hotels: No need to tip.

Malta

Restaurants and bars: Service usually included on the bill. If not, tip five to 10 percent. Don’t tip at bars unless it’s table service, in which case tip five percent.

Taxis: No tip necessary.

Hotels: Tip porters and housekeepers €2 to €3.

Netherlands

Restaurants and bars: Service charge included in the meal, but you can leave up to 10 percent if you were especially pleased. Round up to the nearest euro at bars.

Taxis: Round up to the nearest euro and leave the change as a tip.

Hotels: Tip porters €1 to €2 per bag.

Poland

Restaurants and bars: Tip around 10 to 15 percent at restaurants.

Taxis: No tip necessary.

Hotels: No tip necessary.

Portugal

Restaurants and bars: Service is generally included in the bill at restaurants, but add 10 percent if not. At bars, leave €1 or €2 for good service.

Taxis: Round to the nearest €5.

Hotels: Tip €1 to €2 per bag the porter carries.

Romania

Restaurants and bars: Tip 5]five to 15 percent at restaurants depending on the service, and five to 15 percent at bars depending on the quality of the bar and drinks.

Taxis: No need to tip.

Hotels: Tip two to four Romanian leu for porters and housekeepers.

Slovakia

Restaurants and bars: Leave 10 to 15 percent tip at restaurants and bars if it’s not already included on the bill.

Taxis: Tip up to 10 percent.

Hotels: Tip €1 euro to porters and housekeeping.

Slovenia

Restaurants and bars: A service charge is generally included in the bill, but leave 10 to 15 percent tip if not. Don’t tip at bars.

Taxis: Round up to the nearest euro and leave the change as a tip.

Hotels: Tip porters and housekeeping €1.

Spain

Restaurants and bars: Tip five to 10 percent at restaurants and round up. Leave the change as a tip after a round at bars for drinks and tapas.

Taxis: Tip 10 percent of the total fare. Rides from the airport may automatically include the tip as a fee.

Hotels: Tip porters, room service, and doormen around €1.

Sweden

Restaurants and bars: Service charge included in the bill at restaurants, so no need to tip. Can leave up to 10 percent if service was exceptional. At bars, round up and leave the change as a tip.

Taxis: Round up and leave the change as a tip.

Hotels: No tip required.

Switzerland

Restaurants and bars: No need to tip, all service charges are included.

Taxis: Add up to five percent.

Hotels: Add one to two Swiss francs per bag a porter carries for you.

United Kingdom

Restaurants and bars: Don’t tip when you order your food at the counter. Service charge is automatically added at some sit-down restaurants, but leave 10 to 15 percent if not. Don’t tip at bars.

Taxis: Round up to the nearest pound and leave the change.

Hotels: Tip porters two British pounds for carrying your bags.

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