Tipping/gratuity guide for Germany/Austria/Italy/Swiss/France

[Mastervic27]

What is the custom and rule of thumb to tipping in Europe? I assume we'll need to tip the driver for the shuttle service from airport to hotel. What about at restaurants?

[AIRPOWER]

Tipping in Europe is NOT the same as the states. The tip is already in the bill for restaurants. However if the service was good it is customary to round up a "few" euros (i.e. if the bill is 67 euros...give them 70). Taxi's are the same way.

Been living in Europe for 10+ years now. Hope this helps.

[AIRPOWER]

Originally Posted by Railgun

Some, not all restaurants. 10-12% is a general guide if not included. For taxis, a couple euro is ok depending on the fare

I have actually only seen this in chain restaurants like Hardrock and one other that I can't remember the name of in the main square in Nuremberg (where the Christmas market is) but they highlighted that the tip is not included as this is uncommon.

[IM2C]

Originally Posted by AIRPOWER

The tip is already in the bill for restaurants.

Can confirm. Spent 2 weeks in France last year.

[igom3]

Originally Posted by AIRPOWER

Tipping in Europe is NOT the same as the states. The tip is already in the bill for restaurants. However if the service was good it is customary to round up a "few" euros (i.e. if the bill is 67 euros...give them 70). Taxi's are the same way.

Been living in Europe for 10+ years now. Hope this helps.

+1

[Mastervic27]

Thanks! Good to know. We should do the same in the States - automatically include 10% gratuity.

[schnell325]

Excellent question.

[Mark's M]

Oh and if you happen upon any of the Autogrill highway rest stop restaurants in Italy, their washrooms have what appear to be elderly "attendants" who sit in a chair outside the washroom door. They do absolutely nothing and are certainly not an official Autogrill employee but if you give them a euro "to get in" they are most appreciative and make you feel like a king. Also ran into a couple of Autogrills outside of Italy where there was an official 1euro fee to pee but you got a 1 euro voucher in exchange that you could use to buy something like one of their fabulous (and I'm not kidding) expressos.

Little things like this and the other tiping customs mentioned above quickly train you to carry a handful of 1 euro coins in your pocket at all times, makes life easier over there IMO.

[slynchRVA]

Originally Posted by Mark's M

Oh and if you happen upon any of the Autogrill highway rest stop restaurants in Italy, their washrooms have what appear to be elderly "attendants" who sit in a chair outside the washroom door. They do absolutely nothing and are certainly not an official Autogrill employee but if you give them a euro "to get in" they are most appreciative and make you feel like a king. Also ran into a couple of Autogrills outside of Italy where there was an official 1euro fee to pee but you got a 1 euro voucher in exchange that you could use to buy something like one of their fabulous (and I'm not kidding) expressos.

Little things like this and the other tiping customs mentioned above quickly train you to carry a handful of 1 euro coins in your pocket at all times, makes life easier over there IMO.

Completely agree. Having a few 1 or 2 euro coins in your pocket at all times is a lifesaver. I hate carrying around change but the benefit is worth the "cost"

[slynchRVA]

Also, if you want to roll tip into your main payment then I'd suggest saying "I'll pay X.XX" rather than "bring me back Y.YY" which I feel is more common in the States. For example, if your tab is 45 and you want to tip 2 while paying with a 50 bill, then I'd say "I'll pay 47" as opposed to "bring me back 3"

[F80NJM3]

Being in the restaurant business, I tipped a lot higher than what's common for Europe, but 10% is usually a good number, although some restaurants include the tip.

[firevincen]

Originally Posted by Mark's M

Oh and if you happen upon any of the Autogrill highway rest stop restaurants in Italy, their washrooms have what appear to be elderly "attendants" who sit in a chair outside the washroom door. They do absolutely nothing and are certainly not an official Autogrill employee but if you give them a euro "to get in" they are most appreciative and make you feel like a king. Also ran into a couple of Autogrills outside of Italy where there was an official 1euro fee to pee but you got a 1 euro voucher in exchange that you could use to buy something like one of their fabulous (and I'm not kidding) expressos.

Little things like this and the other tiping customs mentioned above quickly train you to carry a handful of 1 euro coins in your pocket at all times, makes life easier over there IMO.

oh my oh, those expresso in Autogrill, makes me want to stop at every Autogrill. I still remember driving from Nice to Venice, and by crossing Italian border, the coffee quality is night and day, no offense to our French friends.

[AIRPOWER]

If you happen to make it down to Rome, the absolute BEST expresso/cappuccino is in the Piazza della Rotonda which has the Pantheon in it, directly across from the Pantheon is a little cafe called Tazza D'ora. Even if you ask local Italians from all over Italy they will say the same. They have a website as well. After you have that coffee, buy 10 kilo's to take home with you, you won't tolerate Autostrada choke and puke truck stop coffee again.

[Jedi_M]

Tipping depends on the country.

GERMANY

Hotels (Tip Good Service)
In Germany tipping is expected in hotels. If you receive good service you should tip your porter 1-3 Euros per bag and your housekeeper 3-5 Euros per night (you can leave the tip on the bed or nightstand). If your concierge provides good service, you can tip up to 10-20 Euros.

Restaurants (10% or Round Up)
Simply round up to the next Euro. Or add a few Euros (5% - 10% for good service). No need to over-tip, don’t overdo it. Give the tip directly to the waiter, or just add it to the bill. Most restaurants and stores, and even hotels, only accept cash in Germany. Don’t tip if you receive bad service.
Paying the bill
You will generally not get a check/bill, the waiter will tell you how much you owe instead. Then you tell the waiter how much you want to pay: if the bill is 8 Euros, you can just say 10 when handing over the money. If you give a 20 Euro bill, the waiter will give you 10 Euros change. Do not leave your tip on the table.

Taxis (Round Up)
Tipping isn’t necessary, but most round-up the fare to the nearest Euro. Don’t tip more than 10%.


AUSTRIA

Hotels (Tip Good Service)
Hotel bills often include a service charge. However, you can also tip for good service. Generally, you can tip the bellhop/porter around 1 – 2 Euros per bag. You can tip the housekeeper 1 - 2 Euros per night – leaving the tip on the bed. These tips aren’t necessary but appreciated for good service.

Restaurants (Tip 5%)
If you receive good service you can tip around 5%, or round-up the bill – the same applies for bars and cafés. There is often a service charge already added to the bill (around 12.5%), but it’s customary to round-up the bill in addition to this. Only tip if you are happy with the service.
Give the tip as you are paying the bill. For instance, if the bill is 18.50, you can simply give the waiter/waitress 20 and say danke (thank you). However, don’t say danke if you want any change back! Don’t leave the money sitting on the table.

Tours (Tip 1-2 Euros)
You can tip your tour guide 1 – 2 Euros, or more if you find the service is exceptional.

Famous tour guides
Guided tours are available all over Austria. You can take a Sound of Music tour, visiting all the famous spots from the movie, and taking in beautiful Austrian countryside. Take a tour of Vienna with all its’ museums, musical history sites and beautiful buildings. Or take a tour of Salzburg, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. You could also incorporate Austria as part of a Central European vacation: Budapest and Bratislava are close by.

Taxis (Tip 10%)
Tipping is expected. It is common to round up the fare in Austria, or give 10%. You can order a taxi from your concierge, if you are staying in a hotel.


ITALY

Hotels (Tip Good Service)
Tipping at hotels in Italy is not required but appreciated. You can tip the porter, usually no more than 5 Euros. You can tip the concierge, 1 – 2 Euros if he provides good service. You can tip the housekeeper, in which case 0.75 – 1.50 Euros per day is appreciated. It is recommended you tip around 0.50 Euros for a valet and the same for room service.

Restaurants (Don't Tip)
You are not expected to tip in Italy. A service charge is sometimes added to the bill, ranging from 1 to 3 Euros, or 10% - 15%. This charge must be indicated on the menu. Some may also add an extra charge for the diner ware and extras (tablecloth, silverware, plates, bread, etc.), this is normal. But check your bill!

Tours (5 Euros)
Tipping tour guides is very much appreciated but not expected. Common practice is in the range of 5 Euros for half a day, or 10 Euros for a full day, per person.


SWITZERLAND

Hotels (Tip 1-2 CHF)
Tipping is usually expected for hotel staff in Switzerland. You should give around 1-2 CHF for each bag that the bellman carries. If you are in a hotel shuttle or car park shuttle, you should give the driver a small tip, perhaps CHF 1. Also, you should tip the maid around CHF 1 a day. If you are staying at a resort hotel, you may want to leave a little more. If you are staying for more than a few days, you may want to give the manager your tips and let him or her distribute them to the appropriate personnel.

Restaurants (Don't Tip)
A service charge is typically added into your bill at restaurants in Switzerland. If this is the case, you do not need to leave an additional tip. However, if you are exceptionally happy with your service, you can round the bill to the nearest franc. For example, if your meal costs CHF 47, you could leave CHF 50. If the service is lousy, don’t leave a tip at all. At the end of the day, eating out in Switzerland can prove to be expensive when compared with surrounding countries (e.g. France and Italy); therefore, this ought to be taken into consideration when thinking about tipping etiquette in Switzerland.

Tours (Don't Tip)
Most tours in Switzerland include a service charge so you won’t need to tip your tour guide any additional amount. If your tour guide was exceptional, tip him or her around 10-15% of the cost of the tour. If you don’t want to tip them that much, then tip them between 1-5 CHF. Again, in Switzerland, whilst tips are always very much appreciated, you will not keep the service provider on the breadline if you prefer not to leave a tip.

Taxis (Don't Tip)
Typically, you are not expected to tip your taxi driver in Switzerland. However, a service charge may be added. Round up or add 5% if you are happy with your service or even more if your taxi driver has been exceptionally helpful.


NETHERLANDS

Hotels (Don't Tip)
In the Netherlands tipping isn’t expected unless you are staying for a long time, or is you receive extra services. Even then tipping is at your own discretion. There is often a 15% service charge already added to the hotel bill. If you do decide to tip your porter you should tip 1 or 2 Euros per bag.

Restaurants (Tip 5-10%)
In the Netherlands tipping is expected in restaurants for good or exceptional service, around 5-10% of the bill. If the service was average, you can round-up the bill or leave the change. Give your tip to the service person directly. Don’t tip for bad service. Sometimes a service charge is already included. You don’t need to tip extra, but you can if the service was exceptional.

Cafe (Round Up)
In a café or bar leave small change behind or round-up the bill. You can leave this on the counter or table, or give your tip to the waiter directly.

Tours (Tip Exceptional Service)
You don’t need to tip your tour guide. If you receive exceptional service and feel the need to tip, tip a few Euros.
There are guided tours available for Amsterdam and the Netherlands. Some include multi-city European tours, where you can visit many European capitals and cities.

Taxis (Don't Tip)
Tipping a taxi driver in the Netherlands is not common, but you can round-up the bill, or leave 1 or 2 Euros for really good service.

[AIRPOWER]

Are you going to cover the 23 other countries in the EU?

General ROT is the same in all, round up a few euros for good service whether it be a taxi or restaurant.

Cant say I remember the last time I left the maid something but that's a good idea.....only if they leave me a mint on my pillow!

[///bproden]

Thanks for the advice onyourleft

[Bluex]

Perfect, thanks greatly OnYourLeft

Just what I was looking for with our ED.

[IRNM4N]

Sounds like you are doing a very similar trip to the one we are on now. We are doing all you mentioned plus Monaco. It is an amazing experience...