7 Helpful Tips for Tipping in Europe

Tipping in Europe is different from tipping in the US.

As a travel advisor, I’ve been asked by many clients about this topic.

Do I tip in restaurants?

Should I tip my guide?

What about housekeeping staff?

Do I tip the taxi driver?

It gets really confusing.

So I want to offer up some helpful tips for tipping in Europe.

Let me start with some disclaimers before we get into the list of tips.

An overview of tipping in Europe 

Tipping in some parts of Europe seems to be changing a bit.

While there has always been a little bit of tipping in Europe, it seems to be a bigger deal now.

The one thing I want to point out is that every country in Europe, including the UK, is different.

So every country’s tipping culture will be different.

But these tips for tipping in Europe will be a good starting point.

#1 Check the bill or the menu

When at a restaurant or cafe, look at the menu or your bill closely to see if they mention a service fee of sorts.

Some countries may add a service fee which is a kind of tip that is already added onto your bill.

Italy, France and Switzerland are countries where you find this is the case.

In the UK, where I currently am, they are beginning to add this as well.

Often it’s a certain percentage of the bill such as 10% or 15%.

If you see this, it means you don’t have to tip as it has already been added to your bill.

However…

#2 Restaurants and cafes

So if you do see this added fee onto your bill you don’t have to tip.

But you certainly can tip a wee bit more if your service at the restaurant was exceptional, especially if you are in a more upscale establishment.

I know.

Tipping in Europe can get confusing.

If you don’t see this added service fee, then you will most likely want to tip at least a little bit.

I say most likely because some countries don’t have as much of a tipping culture.

Most servers in restaurants and cafes make a living wage (unlike in the US), so it’s not really expected.

But it is welcome.

While I would recommend always leaving some kind of tip for nicer restaurants (think mid-price range on up), tipping in a cafe is not as necessary.

Also in some countries you will need to tip in cash.

This is why one of my tips for handling money in Europe is to always have some cash with you.

However, I can attest to the fact that in the UK, you can add your tip to a credit card by simply asking the server to add on a certain amount to the bill.

And I’ve even seen the option for adding 5%, 10%, etc. on the card readers.

This is great when you don’t have smaller notes/coins with you.

#3 Taxi drivers and private drivers

Should you tip your taxi driver in Europe?

Actually, no.

If they help you with your bags, then you probably want to add a little bit, perhaps an extra euro or pound.

But if not, there is no need to tip your driver.

If you do, then just tip a wee bit.

Typically I just round up to the nearest euro or pound.

For instance, if the ride costs €9.30 just make it an even €10.

I always seem to tip my taxi drivers a little bit.

I find that many of them are immigrants from other countries so I guess I just want to help them out.

My driver from the Leuchars train station to St Andrews in early November was actually from Iraq.

He had moved to the UK years ago (pre-war I believe) to make a better life for his daughters.

Stories can move you to give these folks a little something extra.

And they will appreciate it.

However, private drivers are different.

For example, if you hire a private transfer to pick you up from the airport and take you to your accommodation in the city center, then you do want to tips these folks.

This is a higher level of service — especially if they come into the airport to greet you — so you want to tip them.

The general rule is 15-20% of the total fare.

#5 Housekeeping in a hotel or guesthouse

One confusing aspect to tipping in Europe is leaving something for the housekeeping staff.

We don’t tend to do this in the US.

At least I don’t.

But I’m beginning to think we should.

These workers are the ones that come in to clean the bathroom, vacuum, make the bed/change the sheets.

I have tipped housekeeping in some guesthouses/hotels I’ve stayed and not in others.

In all honesty, I often just forget.

However, this is one group of people you shouldn’t forget.

Many of these workers are not as highly paid.

The recommendation is roughly €1 per night.

I can guarantee that it will be very much appreciated!

#6 Bar and pubs

Again this varies country to country.

Germany tends to be a country where you do tip in a bar.

But many bartenders in other countries won’t expect it.

If you do want to tip, often just a few coins is enough.

So leaving 20 to 50 pence or euro cents is enough for one or 2 drinks.

Certainly, if you see a tip jar on the bar, then I’d recommend leaving a wee tip!

*Note: This is only for drinks. If you eat at the pub, then treat it as a restaurant.

#7 When in doubt tip a wee bit

If you are in doubt as to whether you need to give someone a tip, go ahead and leave a little bit.

This may mean as little as a few coins as mentioned above or 5% of the total bill.

Certainly if you are staying in a more upscale hotel, you’ll want to tip anyone helping with your luggage or the concierge if you use their services.

When it comes to tipping in Europe, you really won’t offend anyone if you leave even a wee bit.

It will always be appreciated.

Tipping in Europe can be confusing

Many Americans think that you don’t have to tip in Europe.

I was certainly guilty of this when I first traveled to Europe.

But the more I traveled, the more I noticed that tipping is part of European culture, generally speaking.

So I began tipping.

And I continue to do so.

Americans tend to tip at a higher percentage rate — 15-20% — especially in restauarnts.

I don’t recommend tipping that high.

However, I suggest tipping something — especially if it’s not already included on the bill and/or if you had exceptional service.

What are your thoughts and/or experiences with tipping in Europe?

Leave a comment below or send me a note at Lynne@WanderYourWay.com.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. This means I will earn a commission – at no extra cost to you — if you click on the link and purchase anything from these trusted companies. It helps Wander Your Way, a small business, stay in business. Thanks for your support!

Like it? Pin it!