The rules for tipping around the world: When you should tip, and how much

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The rules for tipping around the world: When you should tip, and how much

By Brian Johnston
The rules for tipping aren't complicated and apply in most places, particularly on the international tourist circuit.

The rules for tipping aren't complicated and apply in most places, particularly on the international tourist circuit.Credit: iStock

Australians have traditionally avoided tipping, and enjoy dramatising its supposed complications. Dwelling on the misguided oddities of foreign behaviour is a staple of the traveller's repertoire. But is tipping that confusing? You only need a few rules of thumb, plus extra guidelines for the US, to put the issue to rest.

First, an observation. The notion that tipping is un-Australian, annoying or illogical is irrelevant; as a respectful traveller, you wouldn't extend that argument to other cultural habits. Accept it with good grace. Withholding tips through feigned ignorance of local custom is poor form. Budget accordingly, remember the when-in-Rome adage, and you'll enjoy a more relaxed holiday.

The rules of thumb aren't complicated and apply in most places, particularly on the international tourist circuit, where Americans have fostered a supranational tipping culture that trumps local custom, especially in better hotels and restaurants. Only Japan is immune: don't even think of tipping there.

If a service charge has been added to your restaurant bill (as in most of Europe and Latin America) then no tipping is required. Without a service charge, tip 10-15 per cent as a courtesy, not a must. Otherwise, or for small orders in bar and cafes, leave a few coins; the Germans call it Trinkgeld or drink money. If paying electronically, round up the total.

Do the same when paying for taxi rides. Tip porters a dollar or two. Tip personal guides the equivalent of $A20, tour guides $5-15 depending on the length and quality of the tour. Hotel housekeeping staff don't expect tips except in five-star hotels.

That's it. Simple. OK, rules vary. In Turkey, for example, it's the habit to tip 10 per cent in restaurants despite a service charge, while Austrians and Portuguese are more likely to leave Trinkgeld than a full tip. But as a general guideline, the above rules work across the international tourist world.

America isn't so different, but in restaurants tipping 20 per cent of the pre-tax bill has become the norm, rising to 25 per cent in posh establishments. Also, consider tipping an obligation equivalent to a service charge rather than a courtesy or reward. Confrontation might ensue if you don't tip.

The other difference in America is the range of workers who expect tips. Tip taxi drivers 10-15 per cent and housekeeping $US5 a day. Scatter small notes at bartenders, coach drivers, valet parkers and anyone who clears your dishes in a buffet restaurant. You don't need to tip servers in a fast-food joint, food truck, bakery or at a takeaway counter, where the tip jar is discretionary.

If in doubt, ask. Many Americans also fret over how much and when to tip, and a spate of recent US media articles has addressed tip fatigue after the COVID-19 pandemic saw thoughtful patrons over-tipping service workers to assist during hard times. But this should remind us that, while we're enjoying our holiday, others are working hard and often at a minimal wage to make it pleasurable. Be nice, and the world will be nice back.

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