Tipping around the world…
To tip or not to tip.. and how much?
Mrs O likes to come up with useful travel tips and is this a tough one or what?
When 5 Europeans go out for dinner in the USA.. they could buy another friend a meal with the tip they will need to leave.. and in Europe, service tends to be included and people leave a token of appreciation.
I came across this image which depicts quite well the tipping process around the world.
In the UK, where I currently live, 10% seems to be the norm, which I personally think it is absolutely appropriate. In Portugal, I tend to leave €5 for lunch (for 2) and €10 for dinner.
Recently, in a well-known and not particularly cheap restaurant in Lisbon, 5 of us decided to tip €25, using the 10% rule. The waiter and owner came immediately back as they were sure it was a mistake. We had to insist we meant to leave €5 each for what was one of my best meals both in terms of food and service in recent times.
I am not sure I entirely agree with the European information, but if this not accurate as we speak, it is certainly the way we are heading. No right or wrong way – it is important that we adapt our tipping to where we are!
Will you share your tipping experiences around the world?
Mrs. O
PS. The original infographic can be downloaded at http://www.mint.com/blog/goals/tipping-abroad-03022011/
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Hey Ana, great to post this. Always interesting. But it also raises issues. I generally leave about 10% when the service is good. A bit more when the service is great and/or I intend to return to the place. But, if the service is really bad, I don’t want to tip at all. And then, like the story of Karen Graham above, you can run into some awkward situations. I think in some places the system is not working very well. Additional money spent is a token of appreciation. If it’s a standard charge, include it in the bill.
Two funny things: in some countries, the word for tip literally translates into ‘for drinks’. Like in France: pourboire.
And of course your post reminded me of that scene in Reservoir Dogs: http://youtu.be/Z-qV9wVGb38
Arjan Tupan recently posted..Valued friend
Pleasure, Arjan. Interesting how the 10% is becoming the norm in Europe
Didn’t know about the “for drinks” thing!
Hi Mrs. O,
I regret have found your blog just now. As I find this article really interesting (and somehow a cultural image of each country), so here is my late comment. I have the luck of being in almost all countries in the map. As a portuguese guy, I share of the opinion of most Portuguese where tip concept is a bit nonsense. Eventhough I leave some money when the service is good (normally between 5 and 10%). In Portugal we have something so logic that I never found in any other country, the legal complaint book, used when the service was really bad. Normally only used in extreme situations and the restaurant being really penalised with it. The Brazilian way of having service already included in the bill, is more “confortable”, no need to think, no need to have real money.. But the perfect scenario is in Japan (I lived there for 3 months), no tip at all (in the map above, where is 90 should be 100), it can in some situations be assumed like an insult accepting extra money than the bill. The funny thing, is the country where the customer service is the best, Japanese have to be perfect in everything and that includes efficiency and kind to the customer. It’s cultural!
Hi Andre, thank you for stopping by
it is very cultural indeed – and amazed how different we all are. I prefer having everything included to be honest!
oOo love chart posts! In California, I typically see 15 and 18% tip suggested at the bottom of the bill. We generally stick to that double the tax rule because it’s easier to calculate. LOL.
Although recently, it’s been a challenge to figure out the tipping rule in Asia. Singapore for instance, won’t even accept the tip if given to them. I find myself not tipping for meals but guided tours and even that is a tough one to figure out. Ugh, tough call.
Kieu ~ GQ trippin recently posted..Sushi to Dai For
This looks like a great guide, which I might refer to next time I travel. Being from Australia, where it is still not the norm to tip (despite what it says on this guide), I’ve been caught out a couple of times, including once when a taxi driver in the US yelled at us for not tipping enough. We did give him a tip, even though he got lost and tried to drop us off at a very scary-looking building that he thought was the youth hostel
I also find it hard to calculate all the extra costs in Vancouver, where my brother lives and I visit often. There’s GST, PST & tipping… and they are all added afterwards. In Australia the GST is already included.
Thanks for the advice. I hope to do better in future
Karen Graham recently posted..My life as a travel writer gone bung?
I used to work waiting tables in the tourist area of Chicago. I wish more travelers would read posts like this before visiting our country or any country. Thanks for raising awareness to the issue.
Traveling Ted recently posted..And the winner of the Uprinting drawing is
Hello Ana,
even though there are customers and clients 
We are far from understanding this … Kiss
Sorry my english. I have two ways of thinking which I think can not be dissociated from one another and I just do not know what to do or do not feel like opinion. At least in Portugal … where there is no obligation to tip, and I think good service should be rewarded of course, but not by customers. The employer must recognize that he has an employee serving in an above satisfactory. Most often these are even good workers who build the houses. Most people are happy with this tip because they see their work recognized by people who may never see again. The other side of it … I also work to serve the public and obviously do not give me tip and I really just love what I do
But I understand by your post how it works in other countries and the reality so different from ours
In the US, 20% is pretty much the norm and it took me a while to get used to it after moving here from Europe. But when in Rome… Useful graphic – it’s good to be prepared before you travel.
It would be nice if there was one simple global rule, but then that would take away the adventure of it all….I usually ask the locals and follow their lead. they know best.
stay adventurous, Craig
Craig Zabransky recently posted..Sunset Sunday – Sunset on the Streets of Quebec City
Thanks for this. Great post. I never know how much to tip people when I travel. In NZ we tip in restaurants sometimes if the service is amazing but otherwise it’s not standard practice.
Katherine | Kapcha The World recently posted..Eating my way around the world
Doing your research before you head to a destination is so important. I like the chart that you posted. In South Korea, one doesn’t tip at all. Not even for cab rides, food service, hair cuts, etc. It was a little hard to get used to. It was even worse when we came back to the U.S. and I almost forgot to tip everywhere we went.
Lessons learned!
Tawny- Captain and Clark recently posted..Getting a taste of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
this is super helpful. we were flustered in egypt–we’re used to tipping, but people would go out of their way to offer us help without us asking (directions, handtowels, maps/fliers for sites & museums) and then ask for tips. it was jarring!
the lazy travelers recently posted..no travel required
Very helpful infographic! I neglected to research how much to tip in Nicaragua before my first meal. Better to leave too much though than too little.
John recently posted..Exploring Outer Space In Broad Daylight at the Griffith Observatory
Very helpful stuff…amazing how different the practice is around the globe. I actually have an article coming on tipping in hotels:)
D.J. – The World of Deej recently posted..Rees Jones – Interview with an Architect
Love the graphic you included! It is always confusing, but I try to research it before I go.
The World Wanderer recently posted..Celebrating St. Stephen’s in Ireland.
Thank you Erin. Has been fun hearing about faux-pas.
I wrote a guide to tipping last year on our blog – see the link below!
http://www.bonvivant.co.uk/blog/2010/02/18/a-guide-to-tipping/
Thanks,
Emyr
Thank you, Emyr
In the US I always leave 20%. A couple of bucks isn’t going to hurt me, but it might help the person waiting on me. I always research the tipping custom before I leave for a trip. I don’t want to insult anyone like I did in Japan. They chased me down to give me back the money I left on the table.
Leah Travels recently posted..Texas Tuesday: Swimming with the Fishes
In the States we do too, and we just take it as a given. Your Japan story is very interesting – heard that in Australia also happens!
i think it’s important to be aware of tipping customs wherever you are traveling but exceptional service should always be recognized – above & beyond. i think it’s often overlooked and only poor service is addressed. good thought provoking post, Mrs. O.
lola recently posted..TBEX afterthoughts…who IS a travel blogging hero?
Totally agree, Lola. Imagine my face when that scene happened at a restaurant in Lisbon. We wanted to give them 10%!
Hi Ana – I’d say 10-15% usually too for restaurants. Always find the system in the US confusing though sometimes you wonder whether you need to tip the doorman who says ‘hello’
Fiona recently posted..The Photo Edit: The Beatles Tour in Liverpool
Interesting, in Ireland it is even higher than in the UK. What about spas and stuff?