💵 Travel Tipping Guide Reference
A quick filterable reference of general tipping customs by region. Local norms vary and change over time — use this as a starting point, not a strict rule.
Ten regions, one filter, three very different bills
The box does a plain substring match on the region name and counts how many of the ten rows survive. It searches that column only, so "Japan" works and "Paris" returns nothing - that row is filed under Western Europe. The same meal, three ways:
US 60.00 bill, 18% tip = 10.80 tip, 70.80 total
UK 60.00 bill, 12.5% service already added = 67.50, add nothing
Japan 6,000 yen bill = 6,000 yen, tip declinedWhat catches people out
- Look for a service charge first. "Service compris" in France and a discretionary 12.5% line in London are already the tip; adding 20% on top pays twice.
- In the US the tip is the wage. The federal cash wage for tipped staff is $2.13 an hour, topped up by tips. That is why 15-20% reads as obligatory there and merely generous almost everywhere else.
- The card terminal is not a norm. US screens now default to 18, 20 and 25% at counters that never took tips. Those are preset buttons, and there is always a lower option.
- Refusal is real, not politeness. In Japan and South Korea cash left on a table gets returned to you. The exception is a ryokan, where a small note in an envelope is handed over at check-in.
Frequently asked questions
Do you tip in Japan?
No. Service is in the price, and staff will chase you down the street to return money you left. Traditional inns and private guides are the narrow exception, and there it goes in an envelope.
How much do you tip in Europe?
Far less than in the US. Rounding the bill up or leaving 5-10% is normal when service is not already included, and 10-12.5% in the UK. Check the bottom of the bill first.
Should I tip hotel housekeeping?
In the US and Canada, $2-5 a night in cash; $1-3 in Mexico and Latin America; optional and small in Europe; not at all in Japan, Korea or Australia.