Global Tipping Guide
Tipping in Japan can be offensive. In France the tip is often already on your bill. In the US, skipping it is unforgivable. Select any country to get the full picture — then calculate exactly what to leave.
60+ countries with tipping etiquette
We'll show you the local tipping etiquette, any service charge warnings, and a calculator if tipping is expected.
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In Japan and South Korea, excellent service is a point of cultural pride — not something that needs a cash reward. Tipping can be seen as insulting or even embarrassing for the server. Don't do it.
French law requires restaurants to include a service charge in the bill. But many establishments still print a blank tip line on the receipt. You've already paid — you don't owe anything extra. A few coins for exceptional service is optional and always appreciated.
In the US, servers are often legally paid as little as $2.13/hr — tips aren't optional, they're how workers pay rent. 18–20% is the standard. Less than 15% signals dissatisfaction. Always tip in cash when you can.
Tipping is one of the most confusing aspects of international travel. The rules change at every border, the etiquette can be deeply tied to local culture, and getting it wrong — in either direction — can range from socially awkward to genuinely insulting. This guide explains the broad patterns so you can navigate any country with confidence.
Tipping cultures are shaped primarily by how service workers are paid. In the United States, federal law allows tipped workers to be paid a "subminimum wage" as low as $2.13 per hour, with the expectation that tips will bring earnings up to or above the regular minimum. Tipping isn't generosity in the U.S. — it's how rent gets paid. This is why American tipping percentages (18–25%) are dramatically higher than nearly anywhere else in the world.
In contrast, most of Europe, all of Scandinavia, and most of East Asia pay service workers a full living wage with benefits. Tips are an optional bonus for excellent service, not a structural requirement. Some countries — Japan and South Korea most notably — have cultural traditions where excellent service is considered a point of professional pride that shouldn't be cheapened by cash. Offering a tip in these contexts can feel insulting, like leaving a few coins for a teacher or a doctor.
Many countries fall in between, with their own specific quirks. France has "service compris" (service included by law) but restaurants still print blank tip lines on receipts — paying twice is one of the most common tourist mistakes in Europe. Italy charges "coperto" (cover charge) for the table and bread, separate from any tip. Brazil adds a 10% "taxa de serviço" automatically. Each of these is in the country guide above.
If you remember nothing else from this guide, remember these three rules. They'll keep you out of trouble in nearly any country:
Many countries automatically add a service charge or tax to your bill. Look for line items like "service charge," "service compris" (France), "servizio" or "coperto" (Italy), "taxa de serviço" (Brazil), or "discretionary service charge" (UK). If service is already included — even partially — you've already tipped. Adding another 15–20% on top is unnecessary and increasingly costly the more upscale the restaurant.
Cash tips go directly to the server. Card tips often go through the restaurant first, may be split with the kitchen and management, can be subject to processing fees, and in some countries may be taxed differently. In some places (Hungary, parts of Eastern Europe) you tell the server the total verbally when paying rather than leaving cash on the table — the country guide above flags these specific cases. If you must tip on a card, make sure the tip line is filled in before the receipt is taken away, not after.
If you're at a small local restaurant, tea house, or family-run place — somewhere off the tourist track — watch what locals do when they pay. If they leave nothing, you can comfortably leave nothing or just round up the bill. If they leave 10%, do the same. Tourist-heavy restaurants will often expect higher tips because they're used to American customers, but local establishments operate on local norms.
Restaurant tipping gets the most attention, but several other services have their own customs:
In Japan, South Korea, Iceland, and a handful of other countries, tipping isn't just unnecessary — it can be genuinely awkward or even insulting. Service workers in these countries take pride in their work as a profession, and offering money can feel like you're suggesting they need charity, that their employer isn't paying them properly, or that good service requires extra incentive. Some Japanese restaurants will literally chase you down to return cash you "forgot" on the table.
If you want to express extra appreciation in non-tipping cultures, the right gesture is a sincere verbal thank-you, a positive online review, or — at a hotel or restaurant you'll return to — a small wrapped gift like souvenir candy from your home country. These are far more meaningful than cash in cultures that don't operate on the tipping model.
A note for American travelers: The single biggest mistake American travelers make abroad is over-tipping out of habit. Leaving 20% in a country that doesn't tip can feel generous, but it can also signal cluelessness or even create awkwardness for the server. Use the country guide above to calibrate your expectations before you arrive — it's free, takes 30 seconds, and consistently saves money and embarrassment.
Federal law allows tipped workers in the US to be paid as little as $2.13 per hour in base wages, with the expectation that tips bring earnings up to minimum wage. This means tips aren't a bonus — they're how rent gets paid. Most other countries pay servers a full living wage with benefits, making tipping optional or nominal.
Generally no, especially in Japan, South Korea, and Iceland where tipping can be culturally awkward or even insulting. In countries like Switzerland and the Netherlands, tipping isn't expected but rounding up the bill or leaving small change for excellent service is acceptable. When in doubt, follow what locals do.
Look for line items like "service charge," "servizio," "service compris," "taxa de serviço," "propina," or "discretionary service charge." These are typically itemized at the bottom of the bill before the total. If you see one, you've already tipped — adding more is optional, not expected.
Cash is almost always preferred. Card tips may be subject to processing fees, taxes, and may be split or held by management before reaching the server. In some countries (Hungary, Germany, Austria), you tell the server the total verbally including the tip when paying — leaving cash on the table after paying is not customary. The country guide above flags these specific cases.
For food delivery in tipping countries: $3–5 or 10–15% of the order is standard. For takeout you pick up yourself: tipping is generally not expected, though tip jars at counter-service restaurants accept whatever you'd like to leave. For coffee shops and quick-service spots, rounding up or dropping in spare change is sufficient.
Group tour guides typically receive $5–10 per person per day in tipping cultures, more for full-day or multi-day tours where the guide goes above and beyond. Private guides receive 10–20% of the tour cost. Always check your tour confirmation — many operators include explicit tipping guidance, and some all-inclusive tours have gratuities already built in.
In the US, leaving 10% or less for genuinely poor service is acceptable, though many people prefer to talk to a manager rather than penalize an individual server who may have been overwhelmed by the kitchen or the floor. In countries where tipping is automatic (UK service charges, Italian coperto), you can usually ask to have the charge removed if service was egregiously poor — this is your legal right in many jurisdictions, including the UK.
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