Media Blog
Tipping Around the World
Some countries expect tipping, while others consider the practice to be rude, limited to those who want to “show off” their wealth. Some cultures expect the traveler to be an honored guest, and behave as such, which means no helping with serving, clean up, or tipping allowed. What’s more, it will help to know that some service people, such as bartenders, housekeepers, or bellmen, pool their tips with the rest of the staff, so a tip isn’t always a communication of a job well done. Meanwhile, the amount of polite tipping changes between locations, with some expecting up to 20%, and others finding as little as 5% acceptable.
So what countries expect tips, and how much is expected? Read the following list for some of the planet’s top destinations, and how they expect a traveler to tip politely. Then, proceed to XchangeforAmerica to buy foreign currency to cover tips for provided services. Remember that this list is an overview; some regions have different rules – for example, tipping in Hong Kong is different than tipping in the rest of China due to its Westernization.
China – A mere 5% is expected here for restaurant service, and only if the service is above standard. Any mediocre or bad service deserves no tip in Chinese custom, so the amount you leave will be a message to your server. 5% is expected for taxi drivers, and hotel porters expect approximately a dollar of the local currency. However, make sure to check before tipping, as tipping in some sections of China is considered rude.
Estonia – Only tip for great service, and research the area in which you are traveling to determine the standard tip total.
Denmark – Tip 10% to wait staff only for excellent service. Round up for taxi drivers, and expect the tip to be part of the overall hotel bill for porters.
Belgium – 10% is standard for service workers, as is rounding up the overall amount. Watch the bill, however, because most businesses will add a service fee, which means you may not have to tip at all.
Brazil – Only tip for great service here, and tip the standard 10% across all service industries. However, some industries include the tip, so double check the bill.
Switzerland – Round up, as the service fee is typically included in the bill.
Don’t tip in French Polynesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, or Italy. Additionally, countries such as France add the tip into your bill automatically, so rounding up on the dollar, or Euro, is customary. However, you may not be able to tip with a credit card, which makes carrying a small amount of Euros convenient.
No matter where you travel, you’ll need to do your homework and find out how the locals feel about tipping. If you can’t find specific information through an Internet search, ask your travel agent. Make sure to work tipping information into your budget, and make sure to buy enough foreign currency to cover tips. Most locals appreciate local currency, but again, it’s wise to check before you exchange your currency.