Tipping Abroad: A Country-by-Country Guide

Tipping is one of the most travel-specific cultural practices, with conventions that vary wildly by country. Tipping in Japan is mildly insulting; not tipping in the United States is meaningfully cheap; tipping in France depends on which kind of restaurant. Getting it wrong embarrasses both parties. Here's the country-by-country reference for the places American travelers actually visit.

United States. The outlier in global tipping. Restaurants: 18 to 22 percent of the pre-tax bill, with 20 percent as the standard. Bars: $1 per drink minimum, 15 to 20 percent of the tab. Taxis and rideshares: 15 to 20 percent. Hotel housekeeping: $2 to $5 per night. Hotel bell staff: $1 to $2 per bag. Hairdressers: 15 to 20 percent. Tour guides: 15 to 20 percent of the tour cost. The US is the country where tips are explicitly part of service workers' wages; under-tipping is genuinely cheap, not just culturally awkward.

Japan. Don't tip. Tipping is not part of Japanese service culture and can confuse or offend. Service is included in published prices. The single exception is high-end ryokans where the okami (innkeeper) may be tipped via a sealed envelope at check-in or check-out — and even this is optional and culturally specific. If you receive exceptional service, a sincere verbal thank-you (arigato gozaimasu) lands meaningfully harder than a tip.

Most of Europe. Service is generally included in published prices. Restaurants: round up the bill or add 5 to 10 percent for excellent service; some travelers leave the equivalent of €2 to €5 cash on the table. Italy, Spain, France, Germany — the convention is similar. The exception is the UK, where 12.5 to 15 percent has become standard at sit-down restaurants and is sometimes auto-added as 'discretionary service.' Cabs: round up to the nearest pound or euro. Hotel housekeeping: €1 to €2 per night, though many European travelers don't tip housekeeping at all.

Mexico, Costa Rica, and Latin America generally. Restaurants: 10 to 15 percent. Some restaurants auto-add 'propina' to the bill — check before adding more. Taxis: round up; longer trips get 10 percent. Hotel housekeeping: $2 to $5 USD per night; bell staff $1 to $2 per bag. Tour guides on guided day trips: 10 to 15 percent of the tour cost. The convention is closer to the US than to Europe in most of Latin America.

Southeast Asia. Tipping is becoming more common in tourist-facing service but is not historically expected. Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos: 5 to 10 percent at restaurants is appreciated but not expected; many menus already include service. Round up taxi fares. Tip tour guides $10 to $20 per person per day for full-day private guides. Hotels: $1 to $3 per night for housekeeping at mid-range and above; bell staff $1 per bag.

China and Hong Kong. Mainland China traditionally does not tip, but tipping in tourist contexts has become acceptable. 5 to 10 percent at restaurants in tourist areas is appreciated but not required. Hong Kong has a 10 percent service charge auto-added to most restaurant bills, with optional rounding-up beyond that. Singapore has similar service-charge automation; additional tipping is not expected.

Middle East and North Africa. UAE, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan: 10 to 15 percent at restaurants if not auto-added; 5 to 10 if it is. Tour guides: 10 to 15 percent of tour cost. Hotel housekeeping: $2 to $5 USD per night. Egypt and Morocco specifically have a baksheesh culture where small tips ($1 to $5) for many service interactions are expected; carry small bills. Saudi Arabia: tipping is not expected but is increasingly common in tourist contexts.

Australia and New Zealand. Tipping is not expected. Service workers are paid living wages and the tipping culture is closer to Japan than to the US. Round up at restaurants if you want to. Some tourist-facing restaurants in cities have started accepting tips, but it remains optional. Don't feel pressure.

Practical kit: carry small denomination bills in local currency for tipping. ATMs typically dispense larger bills; break them at hotels or supermarkets early in the trip. For destinations with significant tipping culture (US, Mexico, Egypt), $50 to $100 in small bills covers a week of standard tips. For countries where tipping isn't expected, leave the cash at home — pulling out money to tip can produce the awkwardness the convention is trying to avoid.