Tipping Tactics for Europe
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| No matter where you are, tip extra if the service has been especially good. |
Tipping in Europe isn't as automatic and generous as it is in the United States, but in many countries, tips are appreciated, if not expected. As in the United States, the proper amount depends on your resources, tipping philosophy, and the circumstance. That said, there are big tippers and misers the world around.
Tipping varies widely by country, but some general guidelines apply:
At restaurants, check the menu to see if service is included; if it isn't, a tip of 5–10 percent is normal (see more details below). For taxis, round up the fare.
Tipping for special service is optional. It's thoughtful to tip a couple of euros to someone who shows you a special sight and who is paid in no other way (such as the man who shows you an Etruscan tomb in his backyard). Guides who give talks at public sites or on bus or boat tours often hold out their hands for tips after they give their spiel. If I've already paid for the tour, I don't tip extra (if you feel you must tip, a euro or two is enough for a job well done). I don't tip at hotels, but if you do, give the porter a euro for carrying bags and leave a couple of euros in your room at the end of your stay for the maid if the room was kept clean. In general, if someone in the service industry does a super job for you, a tip of a couple of euros is appropriate...but not required.
When in doubt, ask. The French and British generally tip hairdressers, the Dutch and Swedish usually don't. If you're not sure whether (or how much) to tip for a service, ask your hotelier or the TI; they'll fill you in on how it's done on their turf.
Tipping in Restaurants
Restaurant tips are more modest in Europe than in America. In Europe, 10 percent is a great tip. If your bucks talk at home, muzzle them on your travels. As a matter of principle, if not economy, the local price should prevail.
Tipping is an issue only at restaurants that have waiters and waitresses. If you order your food at a counter (in a pub, for example), don't tip.
Menus in any country will usually state — at the bottom of the menu — if service is included (e.g., in Italy: servizio incluso). In this case, a service charge of about 15 percent is included in the menu price or added automatically to your bill. When the service is included, you don't need to tip beyond that, but if you like to tip and you're pleased with the service, you can round up a few euros.
If the menu states that the service is not included (e.g., in France: service non compris or s.n.c.), tip 5–10 percent by rounding up or leaving the change from your bill. Typically, it's better to hand the tip to the waiter when you're paying your bill than to leave it on the table, particularly in busy places where the wrong party might pocket the change. In Germanic countries, rather than physically leaving a tip on the table, it's considered discreet and classy to say the total number of euros you'd like the waiter to keep (including his tip) when paying. So, if the bill is €78, hand him €100 while saying, "85." You'll get €15 back and feel pretty European. In some places, such as Italy, it's best to tip in cash even if you pay with your credit card. Otherwise the tip may never reach your waitress.
Read what Europeans themselves have to say about tipping…
For lots more tips, check out our best-selling Europe Through the Back Door travel skills guidebook.