Tipping in Germany

[chefestelle]

Hello! I'm looking for tipping advice from our German members. I recently saw a post from a European poster who urged me to consider the tipping customs in Europe and not presume to bring my Canadian practices over. I intended to tip according to custom but this got me working on my research. The information was quite inconsistent! What are the tipping customs for dining, cabs, porters and room attendants? Thanks very much in advance!

[caber]

Hi, I am not German but have been there. I don`t know what the tipping practices in Canada are but I would not tip more than 10% in restaurants anywhere.

Searching for tipping practices in various countries doesn`t work. I know many taxi drivers in Britain who were never tipped by Americans, maybe because they have read that British do not tip, which is not the case. I really hate seeing signs up in the US telling me how much I must tip. I still feel the tip should be for good service, and certainly not for bad. Europe is more relaxed about tipping. It is not always expected.

Don`t worry about it.

[chefestelle]

Thanks! That's helpful. It was searching German tips that got me worried because the tripadvisor input was what you said but another site from last year suggested it should be 15% in restaurants anyway!

[Travelanni]

Hi, I am not German but have been there. I don`t know what the tipping practices in Canada are but I would not tip more than 10% in restaurants anywhere.

Searching for tipping practices in various countries doesn`t work. I know many taxi drivers in Britain who were never tipped by Americans, maybe because they have read that British do not tip, which is not the case. I really hate seeing signs up in the US telling me how much I must tip. I still feel the tip should be for good service, and certainly not for bad. Europe is more relaxed about tipping. It is not always expected.

Don`t worry about it.

 

Hi, I agree with caber. N. Europe and Scandanavia are much more relaxed. Wages in the tourist and hospitality industries are high enough for workers not to need to rely on tips to give them a living wage.

Tipping in cash or leaving a tip on the table is not usual, if you want to tip a waiter or cab driver you simply round up the bill but not more than 10%. Eg bill for 8:30 and you are paying with a 10 euro note you would just say 'take 9'. This only applies to cash, when paying with CC tipping is not normal. It is one of the accepted downsides of taking payment by CC.

In hotels you would only tip for special service over and above what you would reasonably expect. Porters, especially on rail stations and airports, are not a problem as you would be lucky to find one!

Tour guides are a bit different. If you enjoy the tour and consider the guide was good then tip by all means. The best way of letting the guide know he/she did a good job. No tips and hopefully they will look at their performance and do better next time.

In the end tipping is a personal choice. No one should expect a tip and no one should feel obliged to give one.

Happy cruising :)

Anni

http://www.travelanni.webs.com