Great "How much to tip overseas?" Hunt

[MSE Martin]

What's it about?

Do you tip when you're abroad? If yes, how much do you feel you should tip? Do you tip just in restaurants or cabs too? What rate country by country? In some cultures tipping is an obligatory custom, in others you needn't bother. So how do you obey local cultures, but not spend too much?

So everyone can easily read the info please reply in this format:

Country:
Tips amount (and what should you tip for):
Other Info:

[jenniferpa]

USA
15-20%
If you're a large party (generally 8 or more) you may well be charged a flat service charge, so check. Also it is customary to tip in bars, even if when sitting at the counter (although not not 15%).

[richardw]

Australia
0%
It is all included

[spirit]

Jordan

about 1/2 to 1 JD at current exchange rate 1 JD = �1 ish.

hotel porters, taxi's, boat drivers (whatever they are called) coach drivers. it's not expected but is accepted gratefully as they are really not paid terribly well at all.

[saintscouple]

Rhodes, Greece
10-15%
Tips at restaurants / bars / cabs.
Though seems to be a custom in Pefkos, Rhodes where we go that, that if you tip in the bars on your last round - they insist on you having another drink on the house???

[robdog]

South Africa

Porters @ airport if they are wearing a numbered tabbard R10 [ £1]
resturants 10%
petrol pump attendants R3-5
if you have your car looked after in a car park R2-5

[penypincher]

USA
15-25% Restaurants
In the states, most restaurants do not even pay the waitstaff minimum wage. However, waitstaff is EXPECTED (by the taxman) to make the rest of their wage in gratutity! They are actually taxed on a percentage of their sales, so if you do not tip accordingly, they have to pay taxes on money they haven't recieved. It used to be 15%, but now that is considered the standard, so if you really appreciate your waitstaff (they have kept your free drink refill topped up, kids meals specially cooked, held the onions, etc..), you should tip 20-25%.
Porters
$1 a bag, plus extra if they are heavy!
Taxis and Car service
10-15%... at the very least, if the fare is $14.10, don't wait for the .90 cent change!

What is the UK standard for tipping? I seem to get lots of thanks from waitstaff!

[spursman]

Hi all
probably off topic but what the hey
in 1991 i went to Thailand(Pattaya) with my wife, we went to a very nice restaurant(RUIN THAI probably spelt wrong but it is/was Egon Ronay listed)we had a five course meal + drinks & it came to £14 for the whole meal i was expecting the meal to be about £70 so it was a lovely surprise. i paid the bill & left about £5 tip we left the restaurant & the waiters started chasing us across the bridge & down the road when they caught us 5 miles later(joke) they gave us our £5 back we tried to explain it was a tip but they said people only got tipped because service was poor( we think they meant if customers thought the waiters were poor) they steadfastly refused to take a tip of any sort & in fact took us back inside for a drink(free) for the upset they had caused.
we have been back to Thailand twice since(never back to Pattaya) & this has not happened again & we doubt whether it still does but it was a pleasant change from having American waiters chase us down the road because the tip wasnt ENOUGH(yes this has also happened)
anyway sorry for the aside
all the best
Spursman

[KeithH]

I returned from a short trip To berlin the other day, and whilst there, when ordering drinks for my wife and I, which came to around 8 euros, I gave them a 10 note and said "keep the change", and tried to give it them back, and decline the offer of change (I cant speak German). ie give it as a tip.

When I did this, they seemed offended and FORCED the change upon me ! does anyone know why this is ? Is there no tipping in Germany ? Had I offended them in some way ?

[Loobeylou]

USA
15-25%

Like anywhere else in the States, you get bad service, good service, and way over the top service.

The way over the top service is smarmy at times, and can be quite a nuisance, but I guess at the end of the day they are trying hard to make their tips.

For the OTT service and the good service, tip accordingly.

For the bad service - and believe me my other half and I have had really bad service - just don't bother to tip. Brave it out and leave nothing. We have had several experiences where the service to us was just so poor, while Americans around us were being well looked after.

We have had the waiting staff ask us if we knew "that in the States the tipping rate is 15-20%" which to be honest just annoys the heck out of me - we have been to the States numerous times and we do not need to be told how much we should tip! I think they see us Brits coming, hear the accent and assume that we are not going to give anything, or at least very little.

My advice for what its worth is tip accordingly. Do not be browbeaten into giving if you are not happy with the service. Just because it is their policy does not mean to say that you need to be over generous, and certainly not for indifferent service or bad food. Only go along with their 15-20% if they are willing to do their job as they are meant to. But do not be stingy if everything is lovely and they have tried hard.

I understand that waiting staff do not get good wages from their employers and have to work for it, but to be honest you can give away an absolute fortune in tips on a two or three week stay in the States. This seems to be steady creeping up to 20-25% and if you think about having to give 25% on top of a $75 meal (for example) then you are getting through serious dosh just in tips.

PS: Would't you think that the employers could pay decent wages in the first place?

[KK]

Just got back from the States and was told by an Englishman living there that the general rule is to take the state tax and double it - approx 15-20%. Sometimes this seems ludicrously expensive on top of an expensive meal, at other times, cheap if you've had a good, but cheap meal. We stayed in Las Vegas for one night at a fairly smart hotel and had to tip twice to get our bags taken to our room. Once for the bellboy who unloaded the bags from our car and took them to a secure storage area, carefully labelling each bag, then another tip for the guy who brought them up to our room. There is a tips bowl/jar left at every counter serving food, even if it's a take away. I began to resent it in the end. Other than that we had a good money saving holiday on the whole. We got excellent priced flights on Virgin, then spent most of the flight out at the Upper Class bar drinking free drinks (just good luck I think, the staff were bored and really friendly), we really shopped around for accommodation in San Francisco and Yosemite, and Las Vegas and got competitive prices for good accommodation. We got our cash commission free and delivered to our door by First Direct. We bought a tent and sleeping bags in Target and camped for a few nights (tents and equipment much cheaper in USA), bought loads of cheap clothes (most are $ for �s e.g. $20 in Gap = �20 in UK!!), got a fabulous fully loaded SUV and free tank of gas (inc. in car DVD player!) for �300 for 2 weeks unlimited mileage (great as we did 2,200 miles), we had a wonderful holiday and made use of the many wi-fi access points in places like Starbucks to send our emails home! It was still an expensive trip, but we penny pinched in as many painfree ways as possible.

[Ozone]

Originally Posted by jenniferpa

USA
15-20%
If you're a large party (generally 8 or more) you may well be charged a flat service charge, so check. Also it is customary to tip in bars, even if when sitting at the counter (although not not 15%).

I agree, The Brits have got a bad name in Florida for not tipping. The yanks get taxed on it regardless of whether you tip or not! They also, like some in our country, (ie waiters rely on it to make up very poor wages). If the service is good we normally leave between 15-20%, 10% in bars, but we do check in case service is included. Its mostly quite inexpensive anyway so whats the problem with leaving a tip? Of course if the service is crap they dont get a tip - but we tell them why - we dont just slink off.... If you can afford to go long haul, you can afford to tip.

[Dormouse]

Country: Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark
Tips amount (and what should you tip for): None!
Other Info: Tipping is not expected, even for taxi drivers or hairdressers. In restaurants, you could tip if the service has been outstanding, but no-one will bat an eyelid if you don't.

[valmiki]

Japan

no tipping! ever!

though, a short bow is more than enough to acknowledge good service.

seriously, if a country was ever renowned for it's service, it's got to be Japan.

Watching the ground crew when we boarded the return flight from Tokyo Narita airport, they even bowed to the plane as it taxied out of the gate

[little acorn]

I'm told that a tip is not expected if you have a set menu in France but if you eat a la carte 10-15% is reasonable. Leave your small change in cafes/bars - but often it won't even be returned to you!

[ManAtHome]

Just love the Greeks - almost everywhere you become a 'regular' the second time you go into a place. It is real friendly service as well, not the "half my wage is tips" kind of service, so normally 15% ish plus a bit to cover some of the freebies - crisps, peanuts, starters, grapes, wine, Raki (evil-evil stuff..) etc.

Biggest percentage tip was a Chinese in Benidorm - starter, main and a beer was e3 so paid e5 (just over £3 at the time) still not sure how they managed to make a profit.

[jenniferpa]

Re tipping in the USA.

My DH (an american) is a proponent of tipping a ludicrously small amount when you want to make a point about poor service. His rationale is that then they know you haven't forgotten. It makes me crazy, but I sometimes let him get away with it (it's good to let him feel he has some control LOL). I personally prefer to point out why they're not geting a tip.

I would also put in a plea here for waitstaff (is that a word?). If the service has been good, but the food bad, I ALWAYS take it up with whoever is in charge. I have been known to refuse to pay a bill for bad food, but still left an appropriately sized tip.

[livinginitaly]

Italy:
This can very much vary on where you go. In Rome, any restaurant with a view of a fountain will 'probably' attempt to serve food of the minimum quality whilst adding a cover charge (for cleaning the tablecloths!?) and still expect a 'tip'.

Occasionally, should you 'forget' to leave the customary 10% - 15%, then the waiter will gently remind you with a whisper that "service is not included".

Further away from the tourist hotspots however, 'tips' are certainly not expected and when given can result in either bewilderment or genuine gratitude.

A point to keep in mind though, is that Italians NEVER 'tip'. So do you want to look like a tourist or a local?

Note: Always examine the menu carefully, service is occasionally included in the price and this will be stated in very, very 'small print' somewhere. Should you miss it however, don't expect the waiter to refuse your 'additional' offering!

In the theme of 'moneysaving', generally the best value is to go for the Tourist Specials that are displayed everywhere. As these are the 'hook' used to entice you in, they represent good value for money.

For even better savings, walk one street back from the fountains for better food and a more appreciative service together with a saving of upto 30%.

[jasoneboyd]

New Zealand
You get looked at a bit strange by most people in NZ if you want to tip, but most think if you want to give away your money, it may as well be to them. Tipping should only be reserved for excellent and friendly service and is seen as a reward, not an expectation. Tipping is generally more accepted in Auckland and Wellington (due to foreign influences), urban rather than rural and in the North Island rather than the South.

[ags]

Japan
Wonderful service everywhere and NO tipping !

Thailand
As previous user implied about experience at Reun Thai in Pattaya (i Know it well ! ) this is not un-common in well run restaurants in Thailand but in general the "farangs" ..foreign visitors, tip much too much and no more than 10% is expected. The Thai people do not tip very much. But as the meals are so cheap 10% of 1000 baht meal for many people, is not a great deal (100 baht = �1.42 ! )