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Tipping customs by country
This page covers only the 27 countries where we have a written source. Everything here is a plain-English summary of Wikipedia’s “List of tipping customs by country”, which is community edited and still marked as needing more citations. Treat it as a guide and look at the bill: a service charge may already be included. For countries not shown, we have no sourced statement, so we say nothing. Data checked 2026-10-27.
Tipping by country
| Country | What the source says |
|---|---|
| Albania | Very much expected almost everywhere. Around 10 percent of the bill is customary in restaurants. |
| Austria | Not required but often expected. Roughly 5 to 10 percent is common in restaurants, or round up to the next euro. |
| Canada | A 15 to 18 percent gratuity is fairly common when food is served. Tipping is otherwise less widespread than in the United States. |
| China | Traditionally there is no tipping. Hotels that regularly serve foreign tourists accept tips, as do tour guides and their drivers. |
| Czechia | Optional but polite and welcome, especially in restaurants. The usual practice is to round the bill up, which tends to be around 10 percent. |
| Denmark | Not required, because service charges must always be included in the bill by law. Tipping for outstanding service is optional. |
| France | Neither required nor expected. A service charge (usually 15 percent) is included in menu prices. After excellent service it is customary to round up. |
| Hungary | Widespread. How much is expected varies with the price, type and quality of the service. |
| Iceland | Not customary and never expected. |
| India | Not normal in hotels and restaurants but may be appreciated. When people do tip, it is usually rounding up the bill or about 5 to 10 percent. |
| Ireland | Optional. Some people tip in restaurants and for food deliveries, often by letting the change be kept. |
| Italy | Not customary and given only for special service. Many restaurants add a service charge (coperto or servizio), usually listed on the menu. |
| Japan | Not generally practised. A service charge is typically included in hotel and restaurant bills, and a tip handed over loose can cause confusion. |
| Malaysia | Not the norm and not expected. Restaurants may add a 10 percent service charge to the bill. |
| Mexico | Common in larger, mid-range and upscale restaurants, customarily 10 to 15 percent of the pre-tax bill. Small economy restaurants usually do not expect a tip, and tips to taxi drivers are unusual. |
| New Zealand | Not a traditional practice and not obligatory, even in restaurants and bars. Tipping for good service is at the visitor’s discretion, according to New Zealand government tourist advice quoted in the source. |
| Norway | Uncommon for taxi drivers and hotel cleaning staff. More common in restaurants and bars but not expected, often 5 to 15 percent or rounding up. |
| Pakistan | Not an obligation. Cheaper restaurants often round the bill up and leave the change; hotels and more formal restaurants add a 10 percent service charge. |
| Slovenia | Common, but most locals only round up to the nearest euro. |
| South Korea | Not customary and not expected. High-end hotels and restaurants often include a 10 to 15 percent service charge in the bill. |
| Spain | Not generally considered mandatory and depends on the service. Higher percentages are expected in upscale restaurants; in bars people often leave small change. |
| Sweden | Commonly not expected, but practised to reward good service, usually by leaving small change or rounding up the bill. |
| Turkey | Usually optional and not customary in many places. A tip of 5 to 10 percent is appreciated in restaurants, usually by leaving the change. |
| Ukraine | Tips usually range from 5 to 15 percent; 10 percent is the most common amount. |
| United Arab Emirates | Optional but common in restaurants, hotels and tourist-facing services. Some venues already include a service charge. |
| United Kingdom | Not expected the way it is in some other countries, but customary in some circumstances as a sign of appreciation. A service charge may be added to the bill, especially in London or at expensive restaurants; it is compulsory only if it is displayed or stated before the meal. |
| United States | In restaurants with table service, 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax check is customary for good to excellent service, and 10 to 15 percent in buffet-style restaurants. Tips are also generally given for taxis, hotels, salons and food delivery. |
Frequently asked questions
Why are so few countries listed?
We only publish tipping guidance where we have a written source. Tipping is not covered for the other countries, so we leave it out rather than guess.
Is a service charge the same as a tip?
No. A service charge is added to the bill by the venue. If one is included, a further tip is usually optional. Check the menu or bill.
Check before you travel
Data checked 2026-10-27. These facts are compiled from public datasets and are shown only where at least two independent sources agree. GeoKnow is an independent site and is not an official source: rules, plugs, emergency numbers and currencies can change. Before you go, confirm anything important with your government’s travel advice, the destination’s embassy, your airline, hotel or phone provider. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
More travel basics
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Sources: Plugs, voltage and frequency: Wikipedia “Mains electricity by country” and worldstandards.eu. Driving side: Wikipedia “Left- and right-hand traffic” and Wikidata. Emergency numbers: Wikipedia “List of emergency telephone numbers” and Wikidata. Calling codes: Wikipedia “List of telephone country codes”, Wikidata and REST Countries. Currency: REST Countries and Wikidata. Languages: REST Countries and Wikidata. Time zones: the IANA time zone database, cross-checked against Wikipedia or Wikidata. Tipping: Wikipedia “List of tipping customs by country” (single source, community edited).