Discuss Tipping in Europe here. KEEP IT NICE!!!

[starry_solo]

This tipping rant brings back a funny memory......years ago on our first trip to Europe we ate at a nice restaurant and paid the bill and left a 20% tip.......OH Boy!!!!! .....The waiter became our best friend and kept asking about what else he could get for us....It was only after someone told me about the tipping policy. But we still tip as if we are from the U.S. Seems like we have a lot of "friends" that work in restaurants around Europe.

We always tip when we travelled in Europe. Usually to the next highest Euro/pound/etc. but if that didn't seem like enough, at least 15-20% of the bill (but if there was a cover charge, then maybe just a little less). I know when we were in Italy, there was a 2 euro per person cover charge to dine in that didn't cover anything (no tap water or anything) but we still gave a nice tip at the end.

Maybe it's ingrained in the US that some servers don't get paid minimum wage and are expected to make up their wage in tips? I don't know.

 

[Cousin Orville]

How does everyone handle giving a mini-tip when paying by CC? What invariably happens is you ask for the check, and when they come to swipe your card there's really no opportunity to include a tip. In the US, you get a receipt where you add in your tip. In Asia and Europe they just swipe and give you the final receipt and your done. Are you supposed just tell them to add a few Euros right there when they're swiping? That seems very awkward, like we're interrupting the natural European flow with our Americanisms.

 

[RSM]

How does everyone handle giving a mini-tip when paying by CC? What invariably happens is you ask for the check, and when they come to swipe your card there's really no opportunity to include a tip. In the US, you get a receipt where you add in your tip. In Asia and Europe they just swipe and give you the final receipt and your done. Are you supposed just tell them to add a few Euros right there when they're swiping? That seems very awkward, like we're interrupting the natural European flow with our Americanisms.

We just spent 2 weeks in Europe and what you describe is exactly what we did. If the check was 45 euro, I just said to make it for 50 euro (as an example), that is what they put into the handheld credit card machine. I asked one waiter who we got to know over the course of a couple of meals at the same restaurant if the tip went to him or did it go to the restaurant (I thought I had read something somewhere about tips on credit cards going to the restaurant, not the waiter), and he assured me that it went to him. We didn't find that it interrupted the flow of things, most waiters seemed to wait for our queue on how much to charge. Hope this doesn't inspire another round of tipping in Europe debate.

 

[Cousin Orville]

We just spent 2 weeks in Europe and what you describe is exactly what we did. If the check was 45 euro, I just said to make it for 50 euro (as an example), that is what they put into the handheld credit card machine. I asked one waiter who we got to know over the course of a couple of meals at the same restaurant if the tip went to him or did it go to the restaurant (I thought I had read something somewhere about tips on credit cards going to the restaurant, not the waiter), and he assured me that it went to him. We didn't find that it interrupted the flow of things, most waiters seemed to wait for our queue on how much to charge. Hope this doesn't inspire another round of tipping in Europe debate.

I see. Nice to know what others are doing.

 

[mgsquared]

You usually tell the waiter what to charge or leave a coin or two at the table for him/her.

 

[jon18uk]

I live in London and find that a lot of restaurants are now adding a mandatory 12.5% "service charge" onto the bill, when this happens I do not tip anything further and if the service is poor I ask for the charge to be removed.
Elsewhere we would tip around 10% for good service or round the bill up (eg £27.75 becomes £30).
On holiday in Gran Canaria and in Berlin as a large group we always aimed to tip 10%, particularly when all 15 of us ate together! But this was often dependent on what change we had given that each person in a group of 15 putting in their share of the bill means you end up with lots of odd change.

I think London is starting to follow the US and even though waiting staff are well paid, tips are now expected and services charges are very common, I think that 12.5% is high for tipping in London (I know this is low in US!) and would rahter be left to add on what I think it is worth if I get exceptional service.

 

[sewingmolly]

Tipping has always been 15 or 20 percent with the emphasis put on 20 and I have never felt pressured to tip. Again my dad taught me to tip 20 percent for good service and he also taught me to leave 2 pennies for awful service so the server didn't think I forgot the tip. Again I don't think it is pressure, I think it is more ...............

Obviously you are much younger than I am. Forty years ago when I learned to tip 15% was generous and no one tipped 20%. I always feel pressured to tip and I hate the tipping culture of the US. I wish that price would just go by 20% and I never had to tip again. The tip jars that have sprung up everywhere are just more pressure. I expect to see them at every cash register. After all what's the difference between ringing up a food order compared to a shirt?

 

[Tozzie]

Obviously you are much younger than I am. Forty years ago when I learned to tip 15% was generous and no one tipped 20%. I always feel pressured to tip and I hate the tipping culture of the US. I wish that price would just go by 20% and I never had to tip again. The tip jars that have sprung up everywhere are just more pressure. I expect to see them at every cash register. After all what's the difference between ringing up a food order compared to a shirt?

I might be younger than you but I know what my dad used to tip and it was 20 percent and yes it was 40 years ago. I really don't get the pressure to tip, so what if there are tip jars, just ignore them. I really don't understand how that is pressuring you to tip, I just ignore the jars.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

. . . I hate the tipping culture of the US. I wish that price would just go by 20% and I never had to tip again.

Ditto from me! I don't see it happening, but I really wish it would.

 

[Tozzie]

I came across two items of interest today

http://blog.findthebest.com/lifestyle/12-countries-can-forget-tip/?utm_source=Outbrain&utm_medium=content_discovery&utm_content=AcqTest.tips&utm_campaign=FTB-OUTBRN&utm_term=title9


and

http://etiquette-by-country.findthebest.com/

The only places that idicate that you should not tip are in Asia

 

[Woodview]

To tcconway

Your Tour is Max 16 days , so I fail to see how you would Spend € 400 to

€ 500 When you are willing to use your Credit card & ATM card ( Pin No. I hope )

You are restricted by luggage weight anyway so NO heavy Shopping

anyway. Wine & beer for dinner is a reasonable price ( GO LOCAL WINE

AND German Beer ) Water is usually placed on Table & Free.

Tipping is another matter & a USA trait. & NOT COMMON IN EUROPE.

Staff are Paid a good wage.. of course they WILL ACCEPT if you give a TIP

 

[sayhello]

To tcconway

Your Tour is Max 16 days , so I fail to see how you would Spend € 400 to

€ 500 When you are willing to use your Credit card & ATM card ( Pin No. I hope )

You are restricted by luggage weight anyway so NO heavy Shopping

anyway. Wine & beer for dinner is a reasonable price ( GO LOCAL WINE

AND German Beer ) Water is usually placed on Table & Free.

Tipping is another matter & a USA trait. & NOT COMMON IN EUROPE.

Staff are Paid a good wage.. of course they WILL ACCEPT if you give a TIP

A *LOT* of people make large purchases in Europe, and the shops ship the items direct to their homes in the US. Luggage weight is not necessarily a restriction.

Cash is also needed to tip the Adventure Guides, although that *can* be obtained from an ATM at the end of the vacation. Some people don't want to take the chance that their card won't work in an ATM.

Sayhello

 

[carpenta]

We purchased a few "big" items both in Italy and Germany and had them shipped back to the U.S.. In Munich our daughter bought a native Octoberfest outfit in a store that did not accept credit cards. This last trip we took 800 Euros and had about 50 Euro left. I agree that it is good to have some Euros to insure some currency for small spending.

 

[SingingMom]

We purchased a few "big" items both in Italy and Germany and had them shipped back to the U.S.. In Munich our daughter bought a native Octoberfest outfit in a store that did not accept credit cards. This last trip we took 800 Euros and had about 50 Euro left. I agree that it is good to have some Euros to insure some currency for small spending.

Our daughter bought a dirndl probably in the same Munich shop! Good thing we had enough euros with us! Lol. We purchased a beautiful cuckoo clock in Rothenburg and had it shipped home. I think of our trip everyday when I pull the weights. "SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

To tcconway

Your Tour is Max 16 days , so I fail to see how you would Spend € 400 to

€ 500 When you are willing to use your Credit card & ATM card ( Pin No. I hope )

You are restricted by luggage weight anyway so NO heavy Shopping

anyway. Wine & beer for dinner is a reasonable price ( GO LOCAL WINE

AND German Beer ) Water is usually placed on Table & Free.

Tipping is another matter & a USA trait. & NOT COMMON IN EUROPE.

Staff are Paid a good wage.. of course they WILL ACCEPT if you give a TIP

Not everyone is restricted by luggage weight. I can check three 70 pound bags for free on United Airlines due to my frequent flyer status, as can my husband, so if we wanted, we could send home a lot of stuff.

Water is not usually free at European restaurants and often bread isn't either.

I think it would be pretty easy to spend 500 Euros on a 16 day trip!

 

[carpenta]

Our daughter bought a dirndl probably in the same Munich shop! Good thing we had enough euros with us! Lol. We purchased a beautiful cuckoo clock in Rothenburg and had it shipped home. I think of our trip everyday when I pull the weights. "SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Thank you SingingMom for the word "dirndl". I would think it was the same shop....after shopping in a up scale German clothing shop the prices seemed like a bargain even though we had to use Euros. Our daughter wore it to the final dinner along with some other girls. It seemed appropriate since we were at a Biergarten. We spent a lot of Euros in the Christmas shop(s) . Now I know why some of those small wooden figurines are so expensive. Every piece is hand carved and painted. We share the great memories when we see our smokers and linens. Great trip and very easy to spend ALOT of Euros.

 

[Woodview]

In 40 years of traveling in many countries in Europe & staying & eating in many Restaurants we have never been charged for BREAD or Water.

Bread is part of your Breakfast as is your croissant . AND Orange Juice & Coffee / tea

Bread is supplied for your soup & for the cheese board.

TAP Water is free UNLESS you ask for Bottled Sparkling water.you might be charged

Last week we were given a free bottle of wine at our dinner.

Remember to Book 1/2 board when staying at a hotel.

 

[sandhya]

Couple of years ago we took an organized tour from our time share in Malaga to Alhambra. At the end of the tour the guide suggested that we should give a "little" tip to the driver. We family of four to get off the last, at that point there was hardly any money in the basket, put a Euro5 note. Next thing we know as he was driving by us he gave us a big hoot with his horn. I appreciated his gesture too.

 

[DisneyKevin]

In 40 years of traveling in many countries in Europe & staying & eating in many Restaurants we have never been charged for BREAD or Water.

Bread is part of your Breakfast as is your croissant . AND Orange Juice & Coffee / tea

Bread is supplied for your soup & for the cheese board.

TAP Water is free UNLESS you ask for Bottled Sparkling water.you might be charged

Last week we were given a free bottle of wine at our dinner.

Remember to Book 1/2 board when staying at a hotel.

You have made some broad generalizations that I find to be inaccurate.

Many places in Europe add a bread and water charge to your bill. I suggest you double check.

I also believe that it's customary to "round up" your bill when paying.

As someone with extensive knowledge of ABD policies and procedures, I will share what I know.

ABD guides do NOT get a percentage of any tip left on your own.

ABD suggests that guides get a gratuity equal to $6 to $9 per guide, per day, per person. I believe the deserve more.

ABD takes care of any gratuity for ABD transportation, ABD meals and the bellman that deliver your luggage during your hotel moves.

If you order room service or ask for something additional, it is customary to offer a gratuity.

If you dine on your own, it is customary to round up you bill/check.

While tipping in Europe doesn't use the same structure as the US, tipping is common and polite.

If you have any questions, I can be reached at Kevin@DreamsUnlimitedTravel.com.

 

[Woodview]

Hi DisneyKevin,

I disagree with a lot of what you have just posted

You are looking at the structure as ABD person while I am along with my family are

independant holiday people & not attached to ANY Tour Co or Hotel .


Your Tip to the tour guides ........ at $ 4 per person ( assuming 2 guides

$ 8 divided by 2 ) per day is a very good earner for them