Tipping in Switzerland
 

According to Fodors, Switzerland is pretty much like France, Germany, and Italy whereas tax & service is usually rolled into the price of a meal in most if not all restaurants.

For those who are presently living in country, what's the real deal. Is it customary to just round up to the nearest whatsamacallit? Leave some coins? ((b))

Yes, Budman, simply round up the bill.

Never more than about 2 francs per 100 franc bill. Many Swiss add nothing to the bill; this is quite acceptable.

Service will be added on at all restaurants. Of course the Starbucks do have that crazy tip cup next to the register - just like in the US...

Yes round up a teeny bit or leave a few coins.

:-) called Swiss Franc abbreviated CHF.

That's what my friends who live there do. Out of habit I'm always trying to sneak in a little bit igger tip but they tell me not to.

I agree with the above. If the service has been special or outstanding, give a bit more and if it was lousy, don't give any tip.

Waiters and waitresses aren't usually paid a lot here and do appreciate getting a bit extra money.

I have a slight variation on the question. We generally stay in small, family-owned hotels for three nights at a time, and take half board. There are usually 7 or 8 of us, so we require several rooms, and a large table at breakfast and dinner. When I pay the bill upon departure, I include some cash (about 50 CHF on behalf of the whole group) in an envelope, and say it is for "the team" (meaning the waitstaff and other people behind the scenes). I hope this is the correct thing to do. I do know that we are warmly welcomed when we return!

If the receiver of the envelope is honest, then he will divide it up. Hope he does. Your gesture was indeed very kind.

When I was in Switzerland recently, I would often pay for meals with a credit card. It felt so chintzy adding a couple of francs to the bill (there is a line for gratuity), so I ended up giving 10%. I really don't begrudge the wait staff the money, but is that amount just unheard of? Next time, should I just leave the line blank and leave coins on the table?

Hi Guy,

That certainly would do the trick. So, there'll be a next time. Glad you liked Switzerland. I still can't get enough of it.

In Bavaria, up to 10% on top of the bill are customary, BUT since restaurants have become very expensive I sometimes give only 5%, if I didn't like food or service I don't tip. Just keep in mind how poorly your waiter's paid and DO leave a tip.

Guy18, as an ex-waitress i find it extremely hard not to tip, or to tip what i would consider stingy.

But people here have convinced me on threads like this that it is more appropriate to follow local custom as a polite visitor than to do what seems correct to me. So yes I would say even on a charge card, I would add only a few francs to round up the total 36,50 becomes 40. Or don't tip on the card and leave a few (larger) coins.

That said, I couldn't help myself and in the local cafes we frequented in Montreux, I'd usually be slipping a 5CHF coin under a plate even after the bill had been squared. Old habits (old waitresses) die hard. And OK we were kinda drunk at the time...

"round up to the nearest whatsamacallit?" - when I was going to Switzerland a year ago and asked the same question, I was told here on Fodor's: the abbreviation CHF should be read backwards: Freaking Holy Cr@p.

More importantly, is there any cow tipping?

Or perhaps goat tipping?

Yes, Schuler, I'll be back! I find myself dreaming of Soglio sometimes, and what it must be like in the summer. Or of those lovely swans in Luzern...