Tipping Guide
Last updated: 6 August 2026
Reviewed by Gavin Meiring, Lead research and primary author · Doctoral Candidate (Corporate Governance) · Research and drafting assisted by AI
Tipping Guide
Tipping is one of the few travel rituals that can make or break a first impression, and the rules change completely at every border. In the United States, leaving 15 to 20% at a restaurant is expected and wait staff depend on it. In Japan, pressing cash into someone's hand can cause genuine embarrassment. In Egypt, baksheesh is woven into daily life, while in Australia a tip is a rare and pleasant surprise. This guide covers the tipping norms for the world's top 30 destinations: how much to leave in restaurants, whether to tip taxis, what hotel staff expect, and, just as important, when not to tip at all.
How to Use the Tipping Guide
- Find your destination in the interactive list above, each entry shows the headline rule (for example, "15 to 20% in restaurants" or "No tipping").
- Tap any country to read the full breakdown covering restaurants, taxis, hotels, and porters.
- Use the search box to filter by country or by the rule itself (try "no tipping" to find every destination where you should keep your money in your pocket).
- Check the quick-reference tables below for the region-by-region pattern.
- Remember that norms vary within countries, high-end hotels and tourist areas often add service charges, so always check the bill.
The Three Kinds of Tipping Cultures
Understanding why norms differ helps you remember them. Tipping cultures fall into three broad groups.
Tipping-dependent cultures (the Americas): In the United States and Canada, service workers earn a large share of their income from tips, and a sub-minimum wage for tipped staff makes the tip part of the bill. Fifteen to twenty percent in restaurants is not generosity; it is the price of the meal.
Service-included cultures (most of Europe, East Asia, and Oceania): In Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, and New Zealand, staff are paid a full wage and service is included in the price. Tipping is unnecessary, can be refused, and in Japan is considered insulting, it implies the employee needs charity. Most of Europe sits in the middle: prices legally include service, but rounding up or leaving 5 to 10% for good service is normal and appreciated.
Baksheesh and tipping-welcome cultures (the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa): In Egypt, India, and much of the region, small gratuities are part of everyday economic life, guides, drivers, porters, and even washroom attendants expect a little something. In the UAE and Saudi Arabia, restaurant service charges are common but an extra 5 to 10% is still welcomed. In Thailand and Vietnam, tipping is not required but small amounts are warmly received, especially in the tourism industry.
Restaurant Tipping by Destination
The Americas: United States and Canada, 15 to 20%. Mexico, 10 to 15% (sometimes added to the bill). Brazil, a 10% serviço charge is automatically added, nothing more is required. Argentina, 10% in cash is the norm.
Europe: United Kingdom, 10 to 15% unless a 12.5% service charge is already on the bill. France, service compris means the 15% charge is in the price; leave small change or round up. Germany, round up or add 5 to 10%, handed directly to the waiter with "stimmt so". Italy and Spain, service is included, round up, or leave 5 to 10% in tourist restaurants. Switzerland and the Netherlands, rounding up is standard. Greece, 5 to 10% is common. Turkey, 5 to 10% when no service charge is added.
Asia: Japan, China, and South Korea, no tipping, service is included and tips can be refused or cause offence. Thailand, not required, but leaving the change or 20 to 50 baht is appreciated; a 10% service charge appears in upscale tourist restaurants. Vietnam, 5 to 10% in tourist restaurants. Indonesia, a 10% service charge is added to most bills.
Middle East and Africa: UAE, 10 to 15% with a service charge often included. Saudi Arabia, 10% when no service charge is present. Israel, 10 to 15%, check the bill, as many restaurants add it automatically. Egypt, 5 to 10% if no service charge, plus baksheesh for guides and porters. South Africa, 10%, often pre-added as a service charge. Russia, 10%, preferably in cash.
Taxis and Transport
In the United States and Canada, tip taxi drivers 15 to 20%. Across most of Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, Greece, Turkey, rounding up the fare to the nearest euro or pound is the accepted norm. In Japan, China, and South Korea, pay the meter exactly; no tip. In Australia and New Zealand, pay the metered fare. In Mexico, rounding up is fine. In Thailand and Vietnam, rounding up ride-hailing fares (Grab, Gojek) is not expected. In India, round up auto-rickshaw fares. In Egypt and much of Africa, rounding up is standard and drivers appreciate a small extra for airport runs.
Hotels and Porters
Hotel tipping largely tracks the country's restaurant culture. In the US, porters get $1 to 2 a bag and housekeeping $2 to 5 a night. In Canada, about $2 a bag. Across Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, porters receive €1 to 2 (or £1 to 2) a bag. In Japan, China, and South Korea, hotels include service and expect nothing, though porters at international hotels in China may quietly accept a small tip. In Thailand, 20 baht a bag is appreciated; in Vietnam, 20,000 to 50,000 dong. In the UAE, porters get 5 to 10 dirhams; in Saudi Arabia, 5 to 10 riyals; in Israel, 5 to 10 shekels. In South Africa, R10 to 20 a bag. In Australia and New Zealand, porters get A$1 to 2 or NZ$1 to 2, a courtesy, not a requirement.
When NOT to Tip
Knowing when to keep your wallet closed is as valuable as knowing when to open it. Do not tip in Japan, South Korea, or China, it can cause confusion or offence, and staff may chase you down the street to return the money. Do not tip where a service charge is already on the bill (common in Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, Israel, and upscale restaurants across Europe and the Middle East), read the bill before adding anything. Do not tip at counter-service cafés in Italy, tapas bars in Spain, or pubs in the UK. And in Australia and New Zealand, no tip is expected anywhere, leaving one for merely adequate service can even feel awkward.
The Golden Rules
First, check the bill: service charges are more common than ever, and tipping on top of a 12.5% charge is double-tipping. Second, prefer cash: card tips do not always reach staff, particularly in Argentina and Russia. Third, when in doubt, round up, it is the universal, safe default in service-included cultures. Fourth, in no-tipping cultures, a sincere thank-you or a small gift (the Japanese way) is worth more than money. Finally, when you genuinely receive exceptional service in a culture that tips, be generous, and in a culture that does not, a small tip quietly given is usually accepted with grace.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the standard tip for restaurants in the United States? Fifteen to twenty percent of the pre-tax bill, with 20% or more for excellent service. Wait staff in most states earn a tipped minimum wage well below the standard minimum, so the tip is a core part of their income, not a bonus. Never skip it unless the service was genuinely poor, and if it was, mention it to a manager rather than leaving nothing silently.
Is tipping rude in Japan? Yes, tipping is not practised in Japan, and offering cash can confuse or offend. Good service is the standard, not something to be purchased, and hotels and ryokan include service in their rates. If you want to thank someone, a small, neatly wrapped gift is the culturally appropriate gesture.
Why do some restaurant bills already include a service charge? In many countries, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, Israel, and across much of Europe, restaurants add a service charge (10 to 12.5% typically) directly to the bill, sometimes as a legal requirement (France's service compris is built into menu prices). When a charge is present, an additional tip is optional; when it is not, the customary percentage applies. Always read the bill before deciding.
Should I tip taxis abroad? It depends on the country. In the US and Canada, tip 15 to 20%. Across most of Europe and much of Asia, rounding up to the nearest euro, pound, or note is the accepted norm. In Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, pay the exact metered fare, no tip is expected.
How much should I tip hotel porters? In tipping cultures, porters typically receive $1 to 2 a bag (US and Canada), €1 to 2 a bag (Europe), 20 baht (Thailand), or 5 to 10 dirhams (UAE). In no-tipping cultures like Japan, South Korea, and Australia, nothing is required, though a small note for a porter who goes out of his way is always accepted with thanks.
Is a 10% tip enough in the UK and Europe? In the UK, 10 to 15% is standard where no service charge is added. Across continental Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands, service is included, so 5 to 10% or simply rounding up is appropriate; 10% is generous but never wrong. The key is checking whether the service charge is already on the bill.
Worked example
On a bill of R450, a 10% tip is R45, 15% is R67.50, and 20% is R90. On a bill of $85 in the United States, the same rates give $8.50, $12.75 and $17.00. For a fast mental check, move the decimal one place for 10%, then add half of that for 15%, and double it for 20%. The guide's per-country table shows which rate is customary where you are dining.
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Extended Reference Notes
The notes below cover the broader context that informs how to use the Tipping Guide well.
When to Use This Tool
Use the Tipping Guide when you have the inputs to hand and want a single, reliable answer quickly. The Tipping Guide fits a well-defined question where the inputs are known and the output is a number you can act on. If the problem needs scenario modelling across many changing variables, a spreadsheet or a dedicated planning tool gives you more room than the Tipping Guide to compare outcomes side by side.
Why tipping norms vary so much
The single biggest driver of tipping culture is wages. Where service staff are paid a tipped minimum wage (the US, Canada), tips are functionally part of the bill. Where staff are paid a fair, living wage (Japan, Australia, New Zealand, much of northern Europe), tipping is a genuine extra and often unnecessary. Where wages are low but gratuities are customary (Egypt, India, parts of Southeast Asia), small tips serve as an informal supplement. The second driver is history: France's service compris dates to a time when waiters were paid by diners, and the practice was codified into law to protect them. Understanding these forces makes the rules far easier to remember than memorising thirty separate percentages.
Getting the details right
The Tipping Guide gives you the headline norm for each destination, but fine print matters. In tourist-heavy areas, restaurants add service charges that locals would never pay on top of. In upscale hotels, a service charge is frequently folded into the room rate. Currency denominations matter too, in Japan and China, the refusal of tips is sincere, while in Egypt and Vietnam small notes are expected to change hands for everything from guiding to parking. When travelling, carry small denominations of local currency; it is the practical key to tipping correctly in every country in this guide.