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Tipping by country: how much to tip where you are going
Tipping is one of the easiest things to get wrong abroad, because the rules flip completely from one country to the next. In the US it is effectively part of the bill; across most of Europe you just round up; in Japan it is not done at all and can even cause offence.
Here is the honest, country-by-country picture for 2026: what to leave in restaurants, the local habit for taxis and hotels, and the catch in each place. Every country links to its source.
| Country | What to tip in restaurants | Norm |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 15–20% in restaurants, effectively expected | 15–20% expected |
| United Kingdom | 10–15% in restaurants (check the bill) | About 10% |
| Ireland | 10–15% in restaurants | About 10% |
| Greece | 5–10% in restaurants | About 10% |
| Turkey | 5–10% in restaurants | About 10% |
| Hungary | 10–15% in restaurants | About 10% |
| United Arab Emirates | Discretionary; a ~10% service charge is often added | About 10% |
| France | Round up; service is already included | Round up |
| Italy | Round up; coperto is on the bill | Round up |
| Spain | Round up / small change | Round up |
| Portugal | Round up, or 5–10% for good service | Round up |
| Germany | Round up, around 5–10% | Round up |
| Austria | Round up, around 5–10% | Round up |
| Czech Republic | Round up to about 10% | Round up |
| Netherlands | Round up / 5–10% | Round up |
| Japan | Do not tip | Not customary |
Not customary · Round up · About 10% · 15–20% expected
United States 15–20% expected
15–20% in restaurants, effectively expected
In the US, tipping is not really optional. Table-service restaurants expect 15–20% of the pre-tax bill, because servers are often paid below the regular minimum wage and rely on tips.
Tip taxis and rideshares about 15%, bartenders $1–2 a drink, hotel housekeeping a few dollars a night, and bellhops $1–2 a bag. Card machines and even counter-service spots now prompt for a tip too.
The catch: Large groups often have an automatic gratuity (18–20%) added, so check the bill before you tip again. Leaving nothing is read as a complaint, not a choice.
Source: NerdWallet (how much to tip)
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United Kingdom About 10%
10–15% in restaurants (check the bill)
In the UK, restaurants with table service usually warrant 10–15%, but many, especially in London and pricier places, already add a 'discretionary service charge' of around 12.5%.
There is no need to tip in pubs where you order at the bar; for taxis, just round up.
The catch: Check whether a service charge is already on the bill before adding a tip, so you do not pay twice. It is discretionary, so you can ask for it to be removed if the service was poor.
Source: Wikipedia (tipping customs: UK)
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Ireland About 10%
10–15% in restaurants
Ireland leans a little more towards tipping than mainland Europe: 10–15% is normal for good table service in restaurants.
Pubs where you order at the bar do not expect a tip; for taxis, round up to the nearest euro or two.
The catch: Larger restaurants sometimes add a service charge for bigger groups, so check the bill before adding more.
Source: Wikipedia (tipping customs: Ireland)
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Greece About 10%
5–10% in restaurants
In Greece, 5–10% is a normal restaurant tip for good service, a little more at smarter places.
Round up for taxis and leave small change at cafes and bars.
The catch: Hand the tip directly to your server rather than leaving it on the table, where it may not reach them.
Source: Rick Steves (tipping in Europe)
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Turkey About 10%
5–10% in restaurants
In Turkey, a 5–10% tip is appreciated in restaurants, usually left as cash even if you pay the bill by card.
Round up for taxis, and small lira notes (a couple of euros' worth) are welcome for hotel porters and housekeeping.
The catch: Some restaurants add a service charge (servis ücreti); if so, an extra tip is optional rather than expected.
Source: Wikipedia (tipping customs: Turkey)
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Hungary About 10%
10–15% in restaurants
Hungary tips a touch more than its neighbours: 10% is standard and Budapest restaurants often expect 10–15%.
Tell the server the total you want to pay when settling, rather than leaving cash on the table.
The catch: Some Budapest restaurants add a service charge of around 12.5%; check the bill so you do not tip on top of it.
Source: Wikipedia (tipping customs: Hungary)
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United Arab Emirates About 10%
Discretionary; a ~10% service charge is often added
In Dubai, tipping is discretionary. Many restaurants add about a 10% service charge, and beyond that an extra cash tip, rounding up or a little more for good service, is appreciated but optional.
Tip taxis by rounding up, and a few dirhams is normal for hotel porters and valets.
The catch: The 10% service charge on the bill is not necessarily the staff's tip, so a small cash gratuity on top is welcomed, though not expected at a US-style rate.
Source: Visit Abu Dhabi (taxes, service & tipping)
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France Round up
Round up; service is already included
French law builds a service charge into menu prices (service compris), so a tip is genuinely optional.
For good service most people just round up or leave a euro or two; a little more at a nice restaurant.
The catch: You are not expected to add a US-style percentage. The 'service compris' line means the service is already paid.
Source: Paris je t’aime (eating out, tipping)
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Italy Round up
Round up; coperto is on the bill
In Italy tipping is not expected. Many restaurants add a coperto (cover charge) per person, and sometimes a servizio, which already covers service.
Leaving a few euros for great service is a kind gesture, never an obligation.
The catch: The coperto and servizio on the bill are not tips for the waiter, but they do mean no extra is expected.
Source: Wikipedia (tipping customs: Italy)
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Spain Round up
Round up / small change
Tipping is not customary among Spaniards. Rounding up the bill or leaving small change is polite for good service.
At cafes and bars, leaving the loose coins is plenty.
The catch: A full US-style percentage is not expected anywhere, and locals tip far less than visitors often assume.
Source: Wikipedia (tipping customs: Spain)
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Portugal Round up
Round up, or 5–10% for good service
Portugal does not require tips, but rounding up or leaving 5–10% for good service is appreciated, a little more in tourist areas.
Small change is fine at cafes and bars.
The catch: Service is not automatically added in most places, but a big percentage is not expected either.
Source: Rick Steves (tipping in Europe)
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Germany Round up
Round up, around 5–10%
In Germany you round up or add about 5–10% for good restaurant service.
The custom is to tell the server the total you want to pay as you hand over the money, rather than leaving coins on the table.
The catch: Say the amount including the tip when you pay (for example 'make it 50'); leaving money on the table afterwards is not the norm.
Source: Wikipedia (tipping customs: Germany)
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Austria Round up
Round up, around 5–10%
Austria works much like Germany: round up or add roughly 5–10% for good service, and tell the server the total as you pay.
Small change is fine at cafes.
The catch: As in Germany, the tip is stated to the server at payment, not left on the table.
Source: Wikipedia (tipping customs: Austria)
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Czech Republic Round up
Round up to about 10%
In the Czech Republic you round the bill up, which usually works out to around 10%.
Tourist-facing restaurants in Prague increasingly expect close to 10%.
The catch: Some Prague restaurants now add a service charge; check the bill before tipping again.
Source: Wikipedia (tipping customs: Czechia)
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Netherlands Round up
Round up / 5–10%
Service is included in Dutch prices, so tipping is relaxed. Rounding up or leaving about 5–10% for good restaurant service is normal.
Small change is plenty at cafes and bars.
The catch: Nothing is expected beyond rounding up; a US-style percentage is not the norm.
Source: Wikipedia (tipping customs: Netherlands)
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Japan Not customary
Do not tip
Japan does not have a tipping culture. Good service is the standard, and leaving extra money can confuse or even offend staff, who may chase you down to return it.
This holds in restaurants, taxis and hotels alike.
The catch: Do not leave a tip. If you want to thank someone at a ryokan or a private guide, a small gift or a sealed envelope is the rare exception, not loose cash.
Source: JNTO (official: tipping in Japan)
Explore JapanTipping: quick answers
No. Across most of Europe service is included and you simply round up or leave about 5–10% for good service, not the 15–20% expected in the US. The UK and Ireland sit slightly higher at 10–15%.
No. Japan has no tipping culture, and leaving extra money can confuse or even offend staff. Excellent service is simply standard; a polite thank-you is all that is expected.
"Service compris" (France) means a service charge is already included in the price, so no tip is needed. An Italian "coperto" is a per-person cover charge, and a "servizio" is a service charge; none of these are an extra tip you must add.
Often, yes. Many UK restaurants add a discretionary service charge of around 12.5%. If it is on the bill, that is the tip, so you do not need to add more, and you can ask for it to be removed if the service was poor.
It varies. Card terminals across the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands increasingly prompt for a tip, but in many countries (and especially in Turkey and Greece) it is still best to leave the tip in cash so it reaches the staff.
Tipping is custom rather than law (with a few exceptions like France's service compris), so we cross-checked official tourism sources, the Wikipedia tipping-customs reference and local guidance, linked under each country. Norms shift, so use this as a guide and watch the bill for an existing service charge. Last updated June 12, 2026.
Photo credits
Photos: David Köhler, Patrick Tomasso, Benjamin Davies, Gregory DALLEAU, Constantinos Kollias, Anna Berdnik, Ervin Lukacs, David Rodrigo, Léonard Cotte, Logan Armstrong, Aayush Gupta, Florian Wehde, Jacek Dylag, Ouael Ben Salah, Adrien Olichon, Su San Lee on Unsplash.