Don Hutson

What are the rules for tipping waiters, bellhops, etc. in France, Germany & Switzerland? Also, how does parking your car work? Meters? Coins?

Patrick

Return to the Fodors.com home page and search for travel basics for each of the cities you mention. You can click on tipping and get a pretty detailed description of tipping policies for each country/city. As for parking? Several ways depending upon local customs. Most often you need coins to put into a machine that will print you out a ticket for your reqested length of stay that you then display on your dashboard. There are various other methods, one of the most odd being "renting" a little wheel from the tourist office or a store that you set for the time you are staying and then displaying it on the dashboard. But you have to hope you don't get ticketed while you are in the office or store getting the wheel. <BR>

greg

I am also curious about other peoeple's experiences on this also. Most guide give how much to give but not exactly how to give and what to say when you do it. <BR> <BR>The Fodor's online guide on tipping restaurant (create your mini guide) on Switzerland is pretty close to our experience. When you asked for a bill, the waiter presented us with a bill and stayed there until we paid, more so in German speaking region than in the French speaking region. <BR> <BR>I think Fodor's description for Germany is incomplete. It worked very much like in German speaking region of Switzerland. You ask for a bill, you pay immediately on the spot with the tip. <BR> <BR>I can't quite agree with their description on France. We also paid the tip directly to the waiter, not left on the table. From their reaction, it appeared that they weren't surprised that we paid the tip with the rest. The only difference between Germany and France was that in France, the waiter visited twice, once to present the bill for us to examine then again to get the money with the tip. The way tip computation and transaction worked was just like as described in Fodor Switzerland online miniguide section, e.g. The bill was for 115FF, we would give 200FF bill and said "120FF." The waiter then knew to keep 5FF for himself and We got 80FF back. <BR>

Patrick

I was once told by a local in Salzburg that in Austria and Germany it is considered insulting to leave coins on the table, sort of like tossing leftovers to beggars, and that you should always hand the money directly to the server as part of settling your actual bill or have him give you change keeping his tip. This does not seem to be the case anywhere else in Europe that I am aware of. The other thing that is not addressed is that more and more in Europe when you charge a meal there is now a place for tip to be added on, just like in the US. I assume that that means it's OK to add it there and the server will get the tip?? Maybe not, and I suppose cash for the tip on a credit card charge is still the best option. By the way, many years ago we were eating at a nice sidewalk cafe in Lyon and our waiter didn't speak any English, but a very young busboy offered to help with his school book English. He ended up actually waiting on us for the entire evening. Although the original waiter returned to present our bill and collect our money, we handed the busboy a very substantial tip (probably about $10 worth) and told him it was for his very good English. I still remember that smile --the biggest smile I have ever seen in France!!! I still believe that special effort deserves special tips.

Richard

Don, In most cases (90%) service is included in the bill. If you choose to leave more, for good service, a nice conversation, give it directly to the server. At a restaurant in Freiburg our server told us the owner kept all tips included on the charge card. A tip of 5% but never more than 10% is fine.

Bob Brown

Would someone who is "up" on the restaurant scene review with us the correct procedure for tipping in Paris?? <BR>It was my understanding that the service was added to the bill and when I paid, the tip was part of it. Then, for good service, leave extra on the table. <BR>So would someone please comment on this description?

Caitlin

Bob, that is exactly right. When in Paris recently, I was confused for a short while because while I knew that service is always included, a) I didn't realize that both tax and service are already figured into the prices on the menu (unlike in the US, where tax is added to a subtotal), and b) every guidebook seems to claim that the menu will state that service is included ("service compris"), but this is decidedly not the case. We saw this on only a few menus, in larger/more touristed places. So, keep in mind: The check will simply be a sum of everything you ordered (and menu items seem always to be in rounded francs), and it includes tax and 15% service, even if the menu doesn't state it. As in the US, the server will leave the check and return when he or she sees that you've put money or a credit card down. Since it's customary to leave small change as a tip, if what you put down is just a few francs over, a server is likely to say "merci," and assume you don't want change. Definitely leave your extra 5% in cash if you pay by credit card. <BR> <BR>BTW, in France all price tags on merchandise already include the VAT. We were quite impressed by the reasonableness of prices in Paris when we paused to factor in that what we were paying already included the 20% tax. The fact that you know the exact total before you buy helps when keeping track of budget/spending, too. <BR> <BR>Re tipping in hotels: Chambermaids and hotel personnel do not expect to be tipped, but they sure don't mind! The women at our hotel reception who went to some length to get information for us and straighten out some details that our lame command of French would have made quite difficult was not discofited when we tipped her, but was utterly shocked when we gave her 50FF--only about $7. We left our unused phone card and postage stamps (things we couldn't use anyway), along with a note, for the chamvermaid. <BR> <BR>

Mary

I don't mean to quibble with you, Caitlin, and I know you meant well, but I worked as a chambermaid when I was younger, and I would've been insulted to get "leftover" stuff in lieu of an actual tip. Chambermaids tend get the short end when it comes to tipping, probably because people rarely have to "face" a maid after service has been completed. I'm not sure how well maids are paid in Europe, but in America, they're paid little and work hard. (I was actually paid under minimum wage, because supposedly we received tips--those tips were rare.) You would not believe some of the stuff maids have to clean up when people vacate a room. Believe, it is not easy work to keep rooms clean and looking good, especially those bathrooms. Please people, don't forget the maids if you're happy with their service. And they do provide a vital service. Even a LITTLE tip will be appreciated in a BIG way. (At least you thought of the maid, Caitlin, which is a lot more than most people seem to do.) <BR> <BR>Sorry to get on a soapbox about this, but those "maid days" are hard to forget.

Patrick

Note that the words "service" and "tip" are not related in France (or in most other European countries). We had friends who went to France and kept asking if the tip was included. Everyone said no, so they left 10% or more everywhere. "Tip" is not included, "service" is. In the US we tend to think it is all the same thing. But to the average European server, a "tip" is something beyond what is included for a standard service charge. And to Bob Brown, you are exactly right. I'm sorry if earlier I seemed to imply that in France it was wrong to leave extra on the table, and it was only one local's opinion so far as I know that said it was wrong to do so in Austria or Germany.

Rudy

Do waiters in Europe get a decent wage without tips? Or is it like in the US where tips are necessary to provide a living?

ph

How is the best way to leave a tip to the chambermaid? I usually leave the tip at the reception desk, with a recomendation that it is to the chambermaid. Do you think that is a good idea? Do you think that is best leave in the chamber with a note? I do not do this because i never know if is the same person, or not, that cleans the room each day of my stay.

Bob Brown

I did not think about any implications or anything. I just thought a short, comprehensive review might help. <BR>It helped me. <BR>Now, will someone please do a short review on Salzburg and Vienna. <BR>I recall tipping and service in German speaking areas only from my student days <BR>when I was short on money. My chief recall was that 15% was figured in and I left or gave nothing beyond that. <BR> <BR>(Lunch for me was usually two or three brotchen, with a couple of pieces of cheese or wurst, eaten on a bench or in my room. I remember one place in Salzburg where the working men ate. There were picnic style tables and benches outside where the men sat. <BR>They would buy a half liter or a liter of beer and eat their lunches out of a bag or metal lunch box. I would get my beer and join them. [I was a little more bold and innocent in those days.] My understanding of the language wasn't too great, but at least they would talk to me. Fortunately I could comprehend some of what they said to me. I was a smoker in those days and the offer of a few American cigarettes plus the beer helped loosen the social situation. But my experience in terms of genteel dining in Austria was severely limited. This time, circumstances will be a litle different -- I might eat at a place that has a table cloth.)

Bob Brown

Hi Don. I just realized you asked a question about parking. In Switzerland, we usually had a free spot at the hotels and the apartments where we stayed. In Zurich, we stayed at the Welcome Inn in Kloten. The hotel had a few places on a terrace around the building and we were fortunate enough to find one. In Luzern, there were parking garages where you paid as well as parking meters. The same was true in Interlaken. In Saas Fee, Taesch, Bern and Sion, we had to use a parking lot. <BR>When we entered, we got a ticket with a the time recorded on it very much like in the United States. When we left, we fed the ticket into a centrally located machine which then told us how much we owed. (We did not pay "at the gate.") Payment could be by coins and bills or credit card. Once you validated the entry ticket, you had a few minutes to get out of the garage. Your validated ticket opened the exit gate and you drove out. There was sometimes an attendant around, but he or she did not get into the act if there was no trouble. If you delayed too long between paying and exiting, I am sure something would happen. I never had a problem because I never tarried after paying. Parking fees in Bern were not cheap as I recall. Parking on the streets in the central city was virtually impossible. <BR>In the little country town of Affoltern, where we saw a cow judging contest, parking was free as it was in more rural or small town areas. Anywhere that foreign tourists gather tends to have paid parking. (Taesch where people park for Zermatt has a huge dirt/gravel lot that was expensive and well-used even in late September.) I am sure parking money is a good source of revenue. <BR>

Caitlin

Mary, with regard to tipping chambermaids, I was speaking strictly about France, where tipping hotel staff is not the norm. I got the idea to leave the phone card (which had 49 out of 50 calls still on it; because payphones in Paris don't accept coins, we had to buy a $7 phone card and use 1/50 of it to make one local call) from someone who said the staff at his hotel was delighted with his unused phonecard. In places where service is included and tipping isn't the norm, it is my understanding that tips are not considered part of the wage, as they are in the US. I don't know how well chambermaids or waiters are paid in Europe. I certainly always leave a cash tip for the chambermaid in the US and Canada.

elvira

In Paris, especially in restaurants, the bill comes on a little plate or tray. I've watched Parisian men who, when the tray is returned with their change, leave about 15-20ff on the tray. I figure they must know what they're doing (the waiter doesn't hurl invectives at them, nor anything else, for that matter) so I've always followed suit (even when wearing khakis). As others have done, for extra service (like the helpful busboy who made a fuss over my mother, or the waiter who watched over my sister while I went to meet someone at the airport) I have tipped anywhere from $4-10 (the way I look at it, it's free money because it's part of the vacation budget so why not share). <BR> <BR>Cabbies get 10-15%; never had to worry about a bellhop. Some hotels are following the U.S. policy of putting little envelopes in the room "For the Maid". That rubs me the wrong way - it's probably done to make sure that the maid knows it's for her, not that the tenant accidentally left money behind, but it feels more like a demand. <BR>Usually the maids are already bustling about the Delhy at the crack of dawn, so I can either give them the money directly, or know that they'll be in the room shortly (same maids for the past 5 years) and I leave the money there. <BR>In the southeast part of France I remember us pulling into a lot that had one or two "meters" but dozens of spots. So, totally un-American, we read the directions. For X minutes, X ff. We deposited coins and got a slip of paper (pink I believe) with the time on it, and saw that similar slips were on the dashboards of the cars by the wheel. We did likewise, and found the car, on our return, unticketed, and unbooted. Quite proud of ourselves, we were....

Joelle

I will try to make it clear (at least for France) about tipping. Prices for meals/drinks in France always include VAT and service. But it customary to leave 5 to 10 percent maximum, should you have enjoyed the place very much. <BR>However it is not exactly the case in top restaurants charging very high prices. The staff will of course be happy, but it means you have to leave something like 20 Dollars or more on the table. But salaries in such restaurants are generally decent ones, compared with regular restaurants or cafes where the minimum legal wages are applied. In that case tipping is quite important for the staff. This latter comment also applies to chamber maids in hotels, as well bell boys. <BR>We do not generally tip the reception staff or concierge, unless they have been of special assistance, of course.

jo ann

to "ph" above re: the best way to tip the chambermaids: this is one of my pet things too in that I think these are the people that become "invisible" and unnoticed by too many travelers. I travel too much domestically on business, and a good bit on vacations, and I concur with several other posters -- why not just do it each morning in the room, leaving it in a conspicuous spot. I find that I usually pick the bathroom sink area, figuring that the only one who comes that far into the room is probably the one who will be doing the cleaning that particular day.Last summer we were in the same spot in Paris for 5 nights, for example, and this system seemed to work -- we had beaucoup of clean washcloths each evening when we returned to the room! I consider myself pretty trusting/non-cynical, but I wouldn't care to leave it at the front desk, I would just guess that at least a good percentage of the time it would stay there or go to the incorrect person. <BR> <BR>RE: restaurants -- I too was confused last summer, since many menus didn't show (that I could find) the telling phrase: service compris. I think that I nervously overtipped at first, til finally trusting it to be true, and just leaving the bits extra where appropriate. So this forum has again helped me out for future trips!

greg

To Joelle or anyone who is "up" on tipping, <BR> <BR>I am glad to see many postings here. I have been hoping to hear good explanation on how it is done. The guide book give only vague explations. <BR> <BR>The way to tip in restaurants as explained to me was that in any of the country mentioned, the tax and service are ALWAYS included in the bill. So we do not get chased by the waiter if we only paid exactly what says at the bottom of the bill, BUT it is customary to include some more. The menu price many include tax and service, in which case the total is simple sum of all. In other case, the menu line items do not include tax and service, in which case, the waiter ALWAYS includes these extras on the bill. Either case, the bottom line on the bill is what we are obliged to pay. <BR> <BR>Regarding leaving "extra" 5-10% if you enjoy the meal. What exactly mean by "leaving"? It appeared to us by watching other locals, albeit from a distance, that they seem to give these "extra" as a part of the whole payment. This is in contrast to settle the bill exactly as written on the bill (pay to waiter 1st time) then get the chagne, then hand the tip (pay to waiter the 2nd time.) Or does it mean leaving money unattended on the plate supplied with the bill or leave them on the table? <BR> <BR>This rounding up to next whole number worked fine for bills like 128FF, 97FF, 246FF, etc, in which case we made them 130FF, 100FF, 250FF. But what do you do if the bill was exactly 200FF, 400FF, etc? How do you customary round the bill to next whole number? Do you make them 205FF, 410FF or pay exactly 200FF, 400FF unless the service was exceptional? <BR> <BR>Also the taxis in France. They get 10-15% but isn't it only on the basic charge? So if the meter says 67FF but the driver charges additional for luggages, 4th person, and train station charges, etc, I only have to figure tip on 67FF not on 100FF+ with all these surcharges?

Mary

To ph: jo ann's got a good method here. Another method is to leave the money on your pillow, making sure it's conspicuous. Of course, you can always leave a note saying "For service" in the maid's language and put the money with it; though when you're in a rush to get going for the day, that can be a pain. <BR> <BR>If all I really need are clean towels, and the maid is around, I'll exchange the old towels for the new with her and give her a tip then. (A maid who understands that this is all you want from her for the day is a happy maid indeed.) <BR> <BR>It's nice to read that there are people out there who do remember the chambermaids. Maybe times have changed, or maybe this forum simply attracts good folks. And I've never stayed in a hotel that had a "For the Maid" envelope; but I sure wish I had worked in one like that!

Cindy

I'm sorry, but did anyone indicate how much the maid should be tipped? Is it a percentage of something? Does one only tip the maid if one requested something special? Sorry to be clueless, but I feel that I am just dropping money randomly all over the place because I have never understood the rules.