kwren

I just read a great thread about tipping in Paris, so thought I'd ask the same question about Italy...Tuscany and Rome to be exact.

Is service automatically included in restaurants and therefore it's not required to add anything?
What about tipping in taxis in Rome?

Grazie!

JulieCruisePlanner

TIPS = To Insure Proper Service ~ My advice is that most people working in the service industry do just that, they give you the SERVICE, as their job and it is customary to tip them.
Tipping is "customary" and I believe if you want to thank someone for giving you good service, or doing a service for you with your total satisfaction when it is done... a gratuity is the only way to show appreciation. I personally enjoy saying thank you with a tip when I have been served!

Zerlina

Tipping in Italy is *not* the same as tipping in the US, where servers need tips to make a living. Servers in Italy are paid a living wage.

Service is almost always included, but it does not go to the server, except as part of his/her wages. It is customary to leave a few Euro, 45 Euro instead of 42 or 43 Euro, for example.

In taxis, the fare is rounded up, from 11.20 Euro to 12 Euro, for example.

yanumpty

"TIPS = To Insure Proper Service ~ My advice is that most people working in the service industry do just that, they give you the SERVICE, as their job and it is customary to tip them.
Tipping is "customary" and I believe if you want to thank someone for giving you good service, or doing a service for you with your total satisfaction when it is done... a gratuity is the only way to show appreciation. I personally enjoy saying thank you with a tip when I have been served!"

So many vague comments there, I wouldn't know where to start.
The 3 forms are :
1. Gratuity : for some reason wanting to give your money away
2. Tip : discretionary you are expected to pay in the US beacuase restaurant owners don't pay their staff
3. Service charge : method that some European restaurants use to extract more money out of diners than their menus advertise.

In Italy (as Zerina says) round up, or the Italians will think you are American.

JulieCruisePlanner

THANK YOU for the Information.... I guess that is why my Italian friends that meet us when we tour Italy were telling us "TOO MUCH" ! I am enlightened by your information and will certainly remember the replies from both of you when I visit next month! I am so used to tipping, it is hard to change your ways, especially because we travel on a cruise ship most of the time and tipping is part of the cruise expense. I agree that many employers under pay their staff but on a Cruise Ship it is a different situation ~ Room and Board and expenses are included in the salary they get. I will remember when in Rome...do as the Romans do and so on.... I am American by the way.... LOL

TPaxe

Round up the bill and the taxi fare and this is fine. Waiters in Italy are paid a fair salary so don't live on tips which then means they don't turn around the tables so fast.

Americans over-tip which suits the US, but not Europe.

kwren

I'm glad I asked - the replies to the same question for France basically say you don't need, nor is it expected, to add anything extra, although you can for special service. Both countries include service in the final bill from what I gather.

So in Paris don't need to add anything
In Italy round up
In USA over-tip

JBR2010

The tip is already included in your bill .... service compris. However, it is customary to leave small change returned to you if you paid by cash. Or 1 or 2 euros at the most.

StCirq

<<I guess that is why my Italian friends that meet us when we tour Italy were telling us "TOO MUCH">>

Uh huh.