I was wondering what the abc's of tipping are in Costa Rica. Do you tip at the all inclusives? What about meals? What about cab rides?

Thanks for all the help so far.

For meals at restaurants, it's typical for the restaurant to add on a 10% gratuity, but check your bill. We typically left another couple of dollars on the table for good service. We always tipped cabs a few extra dollars too; the drivers always seemed very appreciative to get it.

We haven't stayed at any AIs so hopefully someone else can help on that front.

We don't tip at the larger AI's, although we haven't stayed at any of them for years.

However, there are several small specialized AI's, like Bosque del Cabo and Rancho Naturalista. We generally tip there.

Should add we leave the total tip with the owners with instructions about how we'd like it distributed.

Yes to all, kingfisher; we tipped our guides obviously and generally drivers. With meals, we've left extra on top of the 10% just as vgirl has. With cab rides, less frequently since we've experienced the runaway maria in a few of them but there have been a couple of genuinely fair and helpful drivers whom we've tipped.

There was one in particular who helped me with my bags and consequently forgot to turn the meter on and we both remembered at the same time about a third of the way to my destination. He was irritated with himself and I apologized but he graciously waved it off and said it wasn't my fault. I watched the meter then to see if it would speed up to compensate but it didn't so I tipped him at the end of the ride and he was really grateful.

We had a cab driver try to give our tip back to us - "No, you have overpaid me" - we thought that was so honest and told him to keep it. It made me wonder if cab drivers are not normally tipped. It wasn't anything big, just a couple of bucks on an $8 fare.

Actually, that is true, volcanogirl. Tipping a taxi driver is a very new thing; it's not been done in the past. We don't usually tip unless we have to give extra due to whatever we have on us, then we tell them to keep the change.

I dont really tip unless the service is really really good. The 10% is in the bill already. As for taxi's I usually give them something. If they charge me 2,700 I give them 3,000.

I like to tip at hotels, to the staff directly. The wages they get, I am sure they appreciate it!

And the guides too; our guides told us they make only $10 a day, and they work so hard.

Thanks for all the feedback!
We leave on Monday and will post
our trip when we get back.

10% service charge +13% tax added to all bills, so I see no need to tip, unless service was extraordinary. Overall, I found the Tico people to be wonderful, warm, friendly, but I didn't see the level of service & attentiveness that we see here, which is OK. Service is slow, so don't go out expecting a quick meal. I like to think it's because they prepare all their food fresh and don't use "pre-packaged" food so many restaurants in the US use.