i've been to europe many times but this is my first time in paris -can some kind soul enlighten me as to the acceptable tipping policies-i.e. shuttle drivers, in restaurants , bell boys --any thing thank you very much

chuck<BR>whatever anyone suggests will be condemned by someone else as either too little or too much.<BR>this is what I do. Any basic guidebook, like Fodors, will also have tipping suggestions. ALso check elsewhere on this Fodor's website in the Destinations section for Paris.<BR><BR>Give movie and theatre ushers a euro. You can tip a coatcheck attendant a euro. Some restrooms are attended; the tip was 2-5 francs and sometimes it was posted at 2F and was more of a fee than a tip--don't know how they've converted to euros.<BR>You can leave 2 euros per day for your hotel chambermaid at the end of your stay, more in a luxury hotel. You can give 1-2 euros to your hotel doorman if he carries a bag inside for you or gets you a taxi. Tip a bellman approximately one euro per bag, more in a luxury hotel. Porters in airports and train stations get a fixed amount. After a guided tour in a museum or by bus, tip the bus driver and/or the guide 2-5 euros, depending on how you feel about them. A tip, however, is customary.<BR><BR>Tipping suggestions <BR>http://www.worldexecutive.com/citygu...etiquette.html <BR><BR>http://www.bparis.com/newsletter1464<BR>/newsletter_show.htm?doc_id=<BR>7343&attrib_id=1946 <BR><BR><BR><BR>

I forgot to add what I do in restaurants<BR>When you get the final bill, the service charge will already be added in.<BR>If using a credit card, don't fill in anything extra for a gratuity.<BR>Some of us follow the custom of leaving a little extra on the table if service was very good. This is not required, but<BR>I do it--anywhere from a couple of euros up to 5% of the bill, depending on the kind of establishment and your feelings about the service. Don't leave very small change--it's like leaving pennies or dimes in the US.

Elaine, thanks for the suggestions. And Chuck, thanks for asking a question that I was just about to post myself!<BR><BR>I've been to Paris and always followed the tipping "rules" suggested on this site. But I'd been wondering what the Euro conversion would mean for tipping.<BR><BR>Just when I thought I had it all figured out, they go and change the currency on me.

Wendy,<BR>That is a good question. Most of the Euro countries, except for Ireland and perhaps Germany, were dealing mostly in full digit prices without decimals. So the bills in Paris, for example a lunch tab for two would be something like 236FF, so it would have been rounded up to 240FF to give to the waiter. With Euro, if the tab comes up to be 37.50EU, would one round up to 38.00EU (to next full digit) or to 40.00EU (old way) to give to the waiter?

PLEASE STOP NEEDLESS TIPPING. Unless I plan to return to a hotel or restaurant and I have had great service I do not tip. Sometimes when confronted by porters etc. I will tip, but I prefer not to do so. When I see that service has been included in the bill, I do not tip.

In restaurants, the tip of course is always added in - it is the law!!! But for those places who leave a blank spot to SCAM you into writing in more, simply line through it and repeat the total. Save your tips for the person who cleans your room, for the taxi driver who is courteous, for the attendant in the toilet, for the barman who serves you at the counter. Many may diagree, but 15% is enough - and in some places it's up to 18%. If you're given personal service above and beyond, and you wish to leave something extra, sure, why not - but do not believe you have to do it. Remember you have the tip already in the total, poor service or good, and a very high VAT. Isn't it enough to know that at least 33% of the bill is unrelated to your food and wine. Just my views. Many will no doubt disagree. But whatever you do, do NOT forget to tip your maid each and every day - leave it on your pillow with a short note of thanks. Ciao, L

I am so glad that I never have to travel with JoeJones as I can't stand it when people don't tip for good service! No matter how many times you explain it to them they never understand that in certain industries the pay is lower because the person is expected to do a good job and get a tip.<BR><BR>I tip and additional 5-7% in restaurants depending on the service and level of establishment. I generally round the cab fares up and then add another 1-2 euro's. For shuttle drivers I tip 1 Euro per bag unless I have packed super heavy! Then I give a little more.<BR><BR>Hotel maids get 1-2 Euros depending on how my room is done.<BR><BR>Also if your hotel concierge or front desk person has gone out of their way I can either given gifts of wine and chocolate or given tips when I left of 10-15 Euros.<BR><BR>As Elaine said everyone is different in how they tip. I definately agree with her on not leaving very small change, it can be seen as rude.

The tip status in France reflects the status of the worker vs his/her US counterpart: in continental Europe, you have a welfare state and, as some poster pointed it out, the tip and taxes are actually already included in the bill. So an extra tip really means extra service: the waiter's pay does not rely on the tips he/she gets (even if they are an added - tax free - bonus). Basically, France is not a tip-oriented culture, and I feel quite happy to give 0 tip to the taxi driver who has thoroughly explained how much Le Pen is right and that all immigrants should be sent back to Algeria, but to round up the fare for the driver who did go out of his way to make me catch my train on time. So, please, don't transfer your North American habits to our continent and let the tip be what it should be, ie a non-customary extra and not a way to make up for a lousy salary.

I totally agree with Vincent. Tip the way you're used to when you're in the US, but when you're in Europe tip as european do. Those 20% tips are ridiculous here. Of course no waiter will complain, I wouldn't do it if a tourist gave me $20 away walking down the street.