happycatt

My daughter and I leave for Paris tomorrow. I have some questions regarding tipping and although I read other reviews I am still a little confused.

I won the trip and was advised by the travel agent to tip the driver picking us up at the airport about $33 Euro and the one that brings us back $29 E. The reason for the higher amount is that he will come into the airport to meet us. We will also be picked up for a dinner one night and I was advised to tip $14.50 E each way. Does this sound correct?

The other question is that my daughter researched what we will be doing the 5 days we are there. One day there is a 3 hour foot tour which there is no charge but you tip at the end if you feel inclined to do so. What is a proper tip?

Last question, a friend gave us a name of someone (their personal friend) that does tours and she is taking us around on Thurs. She is not charging but we would like to tip her after we are done. What is appropriate.

Thank you for your help everyone

StCirq

Is this a private driver? If so, the price should be the price, with no tip. If it's a taxi (and that would always be a better idea, to begin with), you might round up a euro or two or three. No one can advise you of what to tip for a trip out to dinner ought or ought not to be. Where are you going out to dinner in relation to your hotel? Will the driver wait while you dine? At any rate, a private driver shouldn't be necessary for going out to dinner.

Even if this driver is part of the package that you won, given what you are being quoted for suggested tips, you might as well ditch the driver and arrange your own transportation, as it will be more reliable and could be cheaper.

For free tours, I should think, depending on how long (and how good) the tours are, maybe 10 euros.

Kathie

Yipes! Those suggested tips are just crazy! A 5 Euro tip to the driver would be very generous, 33 Euro is simply nuts. Would you tip a driver in the US 50% of the cost of the trip?

happycatt

Thank you for the response StCirq. The drivers at the airport and to the restaurant are private. The travel agency actually provided me with the money to tip the drivers. I have vouchers for the cost of the trip but the tip was not included.

The dinner is not to a fancy place but is part of the trip too. It is to the original Cosi. I was the national winner of the Cosi contest.

Thank you for the info on the tours.

dwdvagamundo

It seems obvious to me that you should use the services indicated and give each of the drivers the amount that was given to you for them. That was probably part of the promotional package and you should continue to "play the game." I wouldn't add anything unless the service is super-fantastic.

Can't speak to the rest of this but will monitor as we plan to be in France in the near future.

StCirq

Well, heck, if they gave you the money, fork it over. Just please don't arrive in Paris thinking that there is anything even remotely normal about that sort of tipping. You don't tip in restaurants or taxis or cafés or bars or anywhere, other than maybe to round up, as I said, a euro or two. So once you've spent all that free money, you can stop the tipping.

kerouac

Those tips are horrifying, but I totally agree with StCirq. Normally a taxi driver is tipped less that 1 euro if at all unless he offers to carry your luggage up three flights of stairs. Private chauffeurs would normally not be tipped at all if their services have already been remunerated.

In any case, please do not think that people in Paris normally get around the city with such services. We take the metro and generally find it more than adequate, as well as often faster than being driven somewhere.

nytraveler

Is the person with the free tour a friend of friend? If so - no tip - a dinner or drinks instead. If it is a commercial relationship - then I would do 20 euros.

Reading54

Congratulations! Where is the location of the original Cosi?

We went to the Cosi location at 54 Rue de Seine (near the Rue de Buci market) two weeks ago, and enjoyed their salad, soup, especially the hot thin bread just out of the oven.

Gretchen

Why ask if you were given the money? But congratulations. And pay attention to the other advice about tipping--it's included

adrienne

For the 3 hour "free" walking tour you should tip the same amount as if you paid for the tour - E10 to E12 per person. The guides only make money from tips and I've read that they have to pay the tour company for each person on the tour. I have no first-hand knowledge of this but it seems reasonable.

happycatt

Thanks everyone. Just to clarify I did plan to give the tips that were suggested by the travel agency since they gave me the money. I was not sure if for private drivers I should be giving more. From all of the replies I understand the answer is no. For Reading54 will have to check on the location. I am not sure and I have everything packed away right now. I appreciate the info on the tour guides. I am not sure where my daughter found the info on the 3 hour tour. The other person taking us around is a personal friend on my daughters friend. I like the suggestion of buying dinner. I just don't want to offend anyone and I don't want to appear stupid as some of the other posts suggested on the way Americans tip. I really appreciate all of your comments.