Tips in Europe

In case you haven't seen this, it's in the Travel Tips section of the forum: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/tipping-in-europe. You can find previous threads by using the Search function
As has been noted many times in the plethora previous threads on the topic: Europe is not a single culture, and tipping practices differ from place to place. It is perhaps better to research the common practice in the area you are particularly interested in. I personally believe that when in Rome (or wherever), do as the Romans (or whomever) do.

And while a certain amount of tipping is common in many parts of Europe, it is rarely to the extent found in the US. It helps to know that most European countries believe in employees being paid a fair wage. Since waiters are paid a decent salary, they don't need to depend as much on gratuities to make a living. So tips dont have the societal pressure they have in the US.

Tipping is a mechanism for driving down salaries.

When ever you find a universal answer to any question regarding the 50 countries and hundreds of cultures in Europe, you know its gotta be wrong. Tipping is part of the culture in some countries and not in some others. Based on my observations and conversation in travel, and lot of reading on the subjec; and my living in Europe ....

• It is part of the culture to some degree or another in most of Europe, the biggest exception being the Nordic countries. If you want to know about the country that you are visiting, google it. Look for sources that originate in the country you are visiting and look at several as there is a lot political bias out there that doesnt deal with reality.
• Where it is a part of the culture, you are correct in that it does not carry the same sense of obligation as it does in the U.S.
• Generally, in most countries were tipping is in the culture, no one hates you if you dont. Its just a added sign of appreciation.
• The expectation of the amount is much lower.
• The situations where tipping is most common vary by culture. Some restaurants only, some just about everything.
• If you are unsure and want to polite, no reasonalble person will be offended by 5% to 10%.
• In some countries tips are really nice for the server because tips are not taxable by law where a service charge that is paid to an employee is taxable with VAT and with Income tax so the receipent might end up with half.
• Not in every country do the service charges go to the staff, so not in every country is the service charge a replacement for the tip.
• The notion that all Europeans are paid a living wage is flawed. In a great many instances that "living" would be unacceptable by US standards or expectations. So, never hurts to show appreciation

Maybe, it depends on where exactly. There are dozens of countries in Europe!

Restaurants in some places, such as London, are increasingly adding a “service charge” to the bill, so tips are now seemingly becoming a standard operating procedure. Whether that’s going directly to the servers and/or kitchen staff, I don’t know. And it’s sometimes shown as “discretionary,” but whether you’d want to ask them to remove or modify the amount, again I can’t say.

On this Forum, many responding Brits seem to be especially against tipping, anywhere, any time.

"it’s sometimes shown as “discretionary,” "

As I understand it, this is because if it was mandatory, VAT would apply to the service charge. Calling it discretionary means it's not taxable.

Personally I'm happy to go with the flow. I always pay the service charge in the UK, and will tip in countries (like Austria for example) where it's a cultural expectation. But as noted, there's no 'European standard'.

Yes, tipping in New Jersey is the same as tipping all over the world.

Tipping around 10% in restaurants has always been the norm in the UK. The service charge is generally 12.5% which is in line with that. Majority of people are happy to pay it.

There are some people who don’t like tipping and it’s always possible to have the service charge removed or to not tip, but especially in restaurants I would say this is unusual.

Helen, that's what my coworkers ftom England always said. This is a terrible forum for certain topics, this being one. The best advice is do a little Google research for your particular destination and go by the average of what you find. That is if it's a burning issue in your mind. Otherwise tell the waiter to round up the bill by 5 or 10%, relax and enjoy your holiday.

The big problem now is that some servers in heavily touristed areas, when they hear an American accent, pointedly hit up Americans for inappropriate tips, something these servers would never do to a European.
Personal experience: I’ve seen it happen in France and Switzerland at neighboring tables but not to us because we are French speakers. However, a RS recommended restaurant in Sorrento tried it with us, unsuccessfully. Every table was occupied by English-speaking tourists except two. These were the only tables the owner greeted personally.

It’s unexpected, discretionary, and often just rounded up slightly in France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. Other countries are different.

Locals have been ripping off tourists since the days of Marko Polo. But at least this is one where the tourist can decline. If I get asked, (happens about once a year) I give nothing. Funny thing about the self-perception of Americans. I once commented that I bet a local service provider liked Americans because they tip so well. She said, they really dont, its the Germans that tip the best. So I asked a few other service people I know (restaurants and bars) and they agreed on the Germans. Then I found a European university paper on tipping in Hungary and it noted the Germans were the best.

I suspect those Americans that havent heard or havent been convinced that there is no tipping in Europe, tip very, very good by local standards. Trouble is I also suspect that a lot of Americans have come to believe that there is no tipping in Europe and as a result Americans overall are not the most reliable for a tip. But thats different than a local provider hitting on an American for a tip, cause if you can get him to pay out, it will be good.

Some light reading on the subject
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/10/germans-best-tippers-in-europe-finds-poll-italians-not-so-much
This one is really informative: https://yougov.co.uk/society/articles/45807-european-and-american-tipping-habits-compared

well, thank you. I think that in tourist places or activities it would be good. Because tourists are a big problem in some countries like Spain, where in some places the prices are crazy for local people.