GUIDE • GLOBAL ETIQUETTE

Tipping Around the World: Country-by-Country Travel Guide

GLOBAL TRAVEL SUMMARY

1. East Asia (Japan / Korea)

Never tip. Tipping can be perceived as insulting or implying workers aren't paid fairly. Great service is standard baseline.

2. Europe (France / UK / Italy)

Service Included. Menu prices or bill lines include service charges (service compris / coperto). Small rounding is optional.

3. North America (US / Canada)

Primary Income. Tipped minimum wages ($2.13/hr US) mean servers rely on 18–20% tips to earn living wages.

CULTURAL MECHANICS

Why Global Tipping Customs Differ: Wages, Not Generosity

American travelers abroad frequently over-tip in places like Kyoto or Paris while under-tipping in places where workers rely heavily on gratuities. These mistakes stem from assuming tipping is a universal sign of gratitude.

In reality, tipping norms directly reflect a country's statutory minimum wage laws, healthcare systems, and labor employment models. Where employers pay robust base wages, tipping is unnecessary. Where sub-minimum tipped wages exist (like under the U.S. FLSA Tipped Minimum Wage), tipping is an economic requirement.

REGIONAL BREAKDOWNS

Deep Dive by Continent & Cultural Region

Tipping norms split the globe into four broad "worlds" — each rooted in the same cause (wage laws), yet each expecting very different behavior at the table.

Japan & South Korea

NEVER TIP / OFFENSIVE

In Japan, service culture is governed by omotenashi — the philosophy that exceptional hospitality is the standard expectation of one's job, not something earned via extra cash.

Travel Tip: Leaving cash on a restaurant table in Tokyo will cause the server to chase you down the street to return your forgotten money. Learn more from the Japan Tourism Organization.

France, Germany & Western Europe

SERVICE COMPRIS

Under French law, service compris ("service included") means gratuities are already built into the menu price you see — there is no separate service line or expected tip. Servers earn full salaried wages with healthcare and benefits.

Travel Tip: In Germany, round up your bill when paying cash (e.g. say "make it €45" on a €41 bill). Leaving cash sitting on the table is uncommon.

United Kingdom

12.5% DISCRETIONARY

Most London and UK sit-down bills auto-include a "12.5% Discretionary Service Charge". Under the UK Employment Allocation of Tips Act, 100% of these charges must legally reach staff without business deductions.

Travel Tip: At traditional UK pubs when ordering drinks at the bar, tipping money is not expected. You can say "and have one for yourself" to buy the bartender a drink.

Egypt, Morocco & UAE

BAKSHEESH (10–15%)

In Egypt and North Africa, baksheesh (small gratuity for assistance) is deeply woven into daily interactions — from luggage handlers to parking attendants and restaurant staff.

Travel Tip: Always carry small local paper bills. In Dubai upscale dining, 10–15% is standard, but luxury hotel bills often auto-include 10% service fees.

COUNTRY CHEAT SHEET

Quick Reference: Tipping Etiquette for 16 Top Travel Destinations

Country	Restaurants	Taxis	Hotels
United States	18–20% Expected	15–20%	$3–5/night
Canada	15–20% Expected	10–15%	$2–5/night
Japan	Never Tip	Never	Never
South Korea	Refused	None	None
France	Service Included	5% / round up	€1–2
United Kingdom	12.5% Auto	Round up	£1–2/night
Italy	Coperto (Cover)	Round up	€1–2/night
Germany	5–10% (Round Up)	5–10%	€1–2/night
Spain	5–10% Optional	Round up	€1/night
Mexico	10–15% Propina	10% / MXN 20	MXN 50–100
Brazil	10% serviço	Round up	R$5–10
Australia	Not expected	Round up	None
India	10% (If no fee)	Round up / 10%	₹50–100
UAE (Dubai)	10–15% Custom	10%	AED 10–20
Egypt	10–15% Baksheesh	10–15%	EGP 50–100