To Tip or Not to Tip? A Guide to Looking Good Around the World

To tip or not to tip? Where and how much? When traveling, it can be hard to know whether to tip a few coins to the waiter who served us or the taxi driver who took us to the hotel. If we’re not well informed, it’s easy to get caught because tipping has a cultural basis. In some Asian countries, it’s seen as disrespect or a strange bribe. In other places, like the United States, it’s practically mandatory and another expense to consider when planning your trip. Whether you see it as a thank-you for a job well done or are convinced that it’s the backbone of a poor wage system that highlights the subservience of workers, this tipping guide is for you.

US

In the United States, tipping is not mandatory, but it is the norm, as it has historically been part of waiters’ pay. However, since the pandemic, regulations regarding waiter and restaurant worker wages have changed in several states. In 2022, the District of Columbia approved an increase in the minimum hourly wage for restaurant workers, leaving Washingtonians in a state of confusion every time they have to calculate their tip. The receipt usually always suggests a fork of 15% to 25% of what was paid. Although there are also places (both in DC and in other states) where the price of the meal already includes the tip, so the tip suggested at the end of the receipt is considered extra. Antonia Crespi Ferrer, Washington

Electric rain unit

The UK does not have the same tipping culture as the US, but it is becoming more and more like it. The custom of leaving a few coins at the end of a service was relatively rare on the islands: a non-obligatory gesture intended to show appreciation for a job well done. But especially in restaurants, especially upscale ones, but not only, it has become a common charge at the time of paying the final bill, with the added coercion of finding an option on the data phone, when paying by card. In this case the most common rate is between 10% and 12.5%. But there are establishments where it can reach 15% or 20%. Pubs have been exempted from this practice, but the abandonment of cash and the spread of electronic payments has encouraged the same kind of coercion as in restaurants, although it is not widespread. Until recently, in taxis ( black cabs) Tips were discretionary, but the tyranny of data phones ended up happening too. Import the Uber model. Kim Aranda, London

France

In France, leaving a tip in bars or restaurants is not mandatory, and in fact, many French people do not do it. Service is included in the price. However, you can leave a tip if the waiter was particularly nice and we liked the way they treated us. The most common tip is between 5% and 10%. According to a YouGov survey, only 34% of French people regularly leave a tip after lunch or dinner in a restaurant. It is not considered impolite not to do so.

In other contexts, such as taxis or hotels, leaving a tip is less common, but also possible. You can round up the cost of the taxi ride or leave a euro for the hotel staff who collect your bag. In contrast, in some small theatres, guides are not paid and only receive tips. In this case, it is almost mandatory to tip. Usually, there is a sign warning the viewer before entering the room that the guides’ salary comes exclusively from tips. It is customary to leave at least one euro. Laya Fores, Paris

China and Japan

In China, there is no custom of tipping. In restaurants, whether they are street bars or elegant establishments where the bill is brought to you in a box, no one expects a customer to leave more money than is precisely stated on the bill. Taxi drivers and hotel staff do not expect tips either. The tradition of the communist state is that workers are paid, not servants. The concept of tipping is not understood and the Chinese consider the bill to be all-inclusive. In addition, cash is practically no longer used and payment is made via mobile phone. So leaving coins is practically impossible. In many restaurants and bars, you can scan a QR code to access the menu and order directly and pay. It is also true that the service does not meet the standards that govern the West. For example, it is common for a taxi driver not to move from the steering wheel while waiting for a customer to load or unload their bags. Not so in Japan, where the service can be described as excellent, but tips are not expected either. There is pride in a job well done, and getting extra money is uncomfortable. If, exceptionally, you want to give a tip, for example to a guide, the money will never be handed over: it must always be in an envelope. Dolores Rodriguez, Puerto Rico, Beijing

Culture of bargaining

In African and Middle Eastern countries, the culture of bargaining is widespread. For this reason, it is very likely that when we walk around the markets or shops, we find that there is no fixed price for goods. When we want to buy something or even access certain services, we have to negotiate the price with the seller. Then we enter into a kind of dance in which both parties compromise until they find a price that suits them.

In this context, talking about tips doesn’t make much sense. Since the buyer already has the right to suggest a price that seems fair, the reason for tipping (rewarding a good product or service) disappears. If you think the item or service you want to buy is worth it, suggest a higher starting price or accept what the seller suggests. In general, it is advisable for your first offer to be 25% to 30% lower than the seller’s suggested price. The first price the seller offers already takes into account that the buyer will ask for a discount, while asking for half the price could be insulting.

Do not use for advice.