How much to tip in these cities?
Apr 1st, 2003, 07:04 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How much to tip in these cities?
When and how much should I tip in the following cities?<BR><BR>London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Innsbruck, Venice, Rome, Florence, Lucerne, and Paris<BR><BR>Ex. When eating, riding a cab, or even a boat in Venice<BR><BR>Any help would be great. Thanks.
Apr 1st, 2003, 07:22 PM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,194
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For restaurants, rounding to the nearest euro is sufficiently polite. NO tip can also be polite. If you are a group of some size, perhaps one euro per person would be deemed more civilized.<BR><BR>I think that one difference from the US is that if you can tell your server "thank you" and "how much you enjoyed it" (ideally NOT in English, except in London) as you HAND him/her the tip, I think you will get a genuine smile of appreciation.<BR><BR>I wouldn't do much different in cabs; if you feel like you get "dissed" with that approach, try adding another euro the next time.<BR><BR>I wouldn't sweat it too much. There is no offense at tipping more - - nor zero - - and the size of your tips will not be a major issue in whether you feel like others regard you as "ugly Americans".<BR><BR>The biggest challenge that students will face is that in general, "we" (Americans) are TOO loud, with conversations and other "clowning around/having fun" in public places.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>[email protected]<BR>
Apr 1st, 2003, 07:44 PM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,716
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here on this site, you can search for info re all of these cities under "Destinations." Tipping is specific to countries rather than individual cities, however, so the same rules apply for all of Italy, for example.<BR><BR>Under the "Resources" tab at the top of this page, Fodors has a tipping guide. The Europe section is at:<BR> http://www.fodors.com/features/nfdis...europe_toc.cfm <BR><BR>From there, you can click on Germany, Italy, France, etc. to get general guidelines for each.
Apr 1st, 2003, 11:16 PM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 300
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In France, service is included but a tip will be appreciated. However it should be nothing like 10 or 15 percent of the total bill.<BR>The tip should also depend on the number of people served at your table, i.e. leave a couple of Euros if you are two.<BR>But if you are in a "luxury" restaurant, two possibilities (depending on your satisfaction of course) : leave a large tip or nothing...
Apr 1st, 2003, 11:34 PM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 938
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In Germany, you don't have to tip but it's pretty customary. And if you have a bill of 37.80 and hand the waiter 38 Euro together with a warm smile and telling him how much you enjoyed the meal, he won't be as pleased as if he's handed 40 Euro. My guideline would be: 5-10%, going for the 5% if the bill gets larger.
Apr 1st, 2003, 11:38 PM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 513
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
London is much more 10% as standard. But tipping for drinks in pubs is not common. Tipping in more upmarket bars bit more common, but do not feel obliged unless waitress service. Germany and Austria and probably rest of Europe, round up to nearest Euro only is smaller bill, and do not go and give 10 cents - better nothing. Norm is more for 5-7%. I usually do not bother too much with taxis in Germany an Austria unless they have helped in some way as I think the fares are expensive enough compared to other costs of living.
Apr 2nd, 2003, 04:10 AM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,657
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For London:<BR><BR>Taxies: you are not obliged to tip, but of course it's always appreciated. Round up to the nearest pound, or up to 10% but no more.<BR><BR>Restaurants: it's now fairly standard practice for many restaurants to add 12.5% optional service charge to the bill (a bit of a cheek really, as the standard tip has always been about 10%). If this is the case, it should say clearly on the menu "an optional service charge of 12.5% will be added to your bill". It is oprional, and you are perfectly within your rights to ask for this to be removed if you are disatisfied with the service or would prefer to leave the tip in cash on the table. Just state your preference when you ask for the bill, or the standard service charge will automatically be included. If in doubt, just ask "is service included?". If it isn't, and you're paying by card, then there will normally be a space on the payslip to add your 10%, or you can leave cash on the table.<BR><BR>Bars/Pubs. It's not normal any more to tip barstaff, although you may want to leave a tip if you've had table service. <BR><BR>We're a tight fisted bunch, and London's so expensive anyway, so if you don't feel like tipping, then don't feel obliged. It's not demanded in the way it seems to be in the US.
Apr 2nd, 2003, 11:14 AM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,766
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have a German friend who has traveled in America. She told me that Americans in Germany leave tips that are unusually large. We were at a German restaurant where I was paying for the meal. She advised me to leave only the change of the nearest Euro for the three of us.
Apr 3rd, 2003, 03:27 AM
#9
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It may or may not be mentioned before, but in contrary to the waiters / waitresses in the US, their European colleages don't have to live of the tips they get. Thus, service is included with everything you order from a waiter / waitress for example. <BR><BR>Having said so, in the Netherlands it is customary to tip 5-10% in restaurants (if service was friendly and accurate). Bars and cafe's: usually no tipping or rounding up to the nearest convenient money size (e.g.: round of 2.80 to 3.00, 18.10 to 20.00 etc) if serviced at the table. Taxi drivers: no tip unless they have been very forthcoming.<BR><BR>A tip for people planning to travel by train and taxi in the Netherlands: when buying a train ticket, it's possible to buy tickets for the train cab ("treintaxi"
at the same time. These tickets provide taxi services from/to the station in or around the city of your destination. A ticket for the treintaxi costs 5 Euro's per person - a normal cab will be much more expensive. Caveat: they are not available everywhere and you'll probably have to share the cab with others. For more information surf to http://www.treintaxi.nl (choose "English" in the top bar). The treintaxi won't require a tip...<BR>
at the same time. These tickets provide taxi services from/to the station in or around the city of your destination. A ticket for the treintaxi costs 5 Euro's per person - a normal cab will be much more expensive. Caveat: they are not available everywhere and you'll probably have to share the cab with others. For more information surf to http://www.treintaxi.nl (choose "English" in the top bar). The treintaxi won't require a tip...<BR>
Apr 3rd, 2003, 03:51 AM
#10
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,085
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I know its common practice to pay tips, but remember most London places grossly overcharge anyway. They add lots of % for lots of different things.<BR>Its always been my policy not ever to leave a tip unless someone has done over and above their job, after all they are getting paid already to do their job aren't they.<BR>This is my personal opinion .<BR><BR>"Ebenezer" Muck
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
orangetravelcat
Europe
9
Apr 5th, 2009 12:12 PM
