How to tip around the world, and how to do it with class
Too little in New York is an insult. Too much in Tokyo causes confusion. What to leave in the places you're most likely to go, and how to do it gracefully.
Tipping is the one piece of etiquette that changes every time you cross a border. Leave too little in New York and you have insulted someone’s income. Leave a stack of notes in Tokyo and you may be chased down the street to get them back. A gentleman doesn’t need to memorise every custom, but he should know the main ones, and he should never make the person serving him feel awkward.
Here is what to do in the places you are most likely to go, and how to do it gracefully when you aren’t sure.
| Where | In a restaurant | How firm is it? |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 15–20% before tax | Effectively expected |
| United Kingdom | About 10–12.5%, if service isn’t already on the bill | Usual, not required |
| Italy | Close to 10%, if you were happy | Optional |
| France | Service is in the price; leave a little extra if you like | Optional |
| Spain | Service is in the price; round up if you like | Optional |
| Germany | Round up, about 5–10% | Usual |
| Dubai | About 10–15%, depending on the service; check the bill first | Customary |
| Australia | Not expected; about 10% for great service | Optional |
| Japan | Don’t tip | Firm |
The three rules that work everywhere
- Read the bill before you do anything. Look for “service”, “servizio”, “service compris” or a percentage. If it has been added, you don’t need to add another tip, though you may leave a little more for very good service.
- Tip the person, not the room. Hand it over or leave it discreetly, with a thank you and eye contact. The way you do it matters more than the amount.
- If you don’t know, ask. Your hotel concierge will tell you the local custom in ten seconds, and it’s one of the things they are there for.
United States
Tipping here is part of how people are paid, so treat it as part of the price. The figures usually quoted from the Emily Post Institute are 15–20% of the pre-tax bill for table service, the same at a bar or a dollar or two a drink, and 15–20% for taxis. For housekeeping, leave a few dollars a day, more at a grander hotel, and leave it each morning with a short note, because different people may clean your room. Keep small notes handy for porters and valets.
If the service was poor, tip less and say why to the manager. Leaving nothing just looks as though you forgot.
United Kingdom
Many restaurants add a discretionary service charge, often 12.5%, so check the bill. If it’s there, you don’t need to add more; if the service was poor, you can ask for it to be removed. If it isn’t there, around 10% is normal. You don’t need to tip at the bar in a pub.
Since 1 October 2024, the law has required employers in Great Britain to pass tips, gratuities and service charges on to workers in full, without deductions apart from tax. So you can tip by card with a clear conscience.
France, Spain and Italy
France: displayed restaurant prices already include tax and service, as the French government’s own guidance sets out. A few euros on the table for good service is a courtesy, not an obligation.
Spain: Spain’s tourist board says tipping isn’t obligatory, as establishments include the service charge. Rounding up or leaving a little change is a pleasant gesture.
Italy: Italy’s official tourism site says tipping isn’t compulsory and there are no established rules, though it’s customary to leave close to 10% if you were happy. You may also see a coperto on the bill, a cover charge for the table and bread. That isn’t a tip.
Germany
Travel guides put a tip at around 5–10%, and the way you give it is the part worth learning. Don’t leave money on the table. When the bill comes, tell the server the total you would like to pay, including the tip, or simply say “stimmt so” (“keep the change”) if you are handing over the right money.
Japan
Don’t tip. The Japan National Tourism Organization’s guide to manners says plainly that there’s no need, even in Western-style hotels. Good service is simply the standard, and leaving cash can cause confusion. Thank people with a small bow and a sincere arigatō gozaimasu; that is the gesture that counts.
The way you do it matters more than the amount.
Dubai and Australia
Dubai: the city’s tourism board is reported as saying there are no fixed rules and that 10–15% is customary, depending on the service. Some bills carry a service charge, so read yours first.
Australia: tipping isn’t expected, because service staff are paid more than in tipping countries. Around 10% is a welcome thank you for truly great service, not a duty.
How to do it with class
- Carry small notes. Fumbling for change, or asking a porter to break a large note, spoils the moment.
- Be discreet. Tipping is a private thanks, not a performance. Nobody needs to see the amount.
- Tip the people you don’t see. Housekeeping is the most often forgotten and often the hardest-working.
- Tip well when you’ve been difficult. The large party, the late table, the changed order: generosity is how you say you noticed.
- A word goes a long way. Thank people by name, and tell a manager when someone has been excellent. It can matter more than the money.
Questions people ask
Should I tip in local currency?
Yes, wherever you can. Foreign coins in particular are a nuisance for the person receiving them, because they can’t be exchanged.
Do I tip on the total or before tax?
In the United States, the usual guidance is on the pre-tax amount. Elsewhere, tax is normally included in the price, so simply work from the total.
What if I really can’t work out what’s expected?
Ask at your hotel, or quietly ask the server whether service is included. Nobody has ever thought less of a guest for asking politely.
How we wrote this: customs vary, so treat this as a guide rather than a rule. Italy, Spain, France and Japan are from those countries’ official tourism or government sites, and the UK law from legislation.gov.uk, all checked on 1 November 2026. The US, Germany, Dubai and Australia figures are widely reported customs, taken from published travel and etiquette guides rather than official sources. The UK service-charge figure is common practice.
