Tipping in Paris

No tips needed. If you are at a restaurant you can round up one or 2 Euro. My rule is if someone asks for a tip I don't leave one. If you are unsure, use a credit card as there is no spot on the receipt to add in a tip.

I usually tip the taxi driver from the airport to my hotel a Euro or two especially if they get stuck in traffic.

Here is Rick Steves take on tipping in Europe:

Rick on Tipping
Hope this helps!

Basically, tipping is for tourists. If in doubt, don´t.

Tipping isn't "for tourists" but the amounts are very small and there is no obligation and no pressure to tip. It's a case of rounding up the bill when having a few drinks, rounding up the. cab fare, adding a euro or two to a restaurant meal - up to five if it's a very fancy place. Only with good service. And there is indeed no way to tip if you pay by card, so if you don't have spare change, well, you typically don't tip.

My tipping info for France comes from my old host mother. She generally tipped at places with good service or places she went often. Tips were never more than a few euros. While I lived there, I tried to always tip for good service but only a euro or so, maybe a bit more if it was a very expensive meal and the service was amazing. However, you don't have the change to tip it's really not worth the trouble to get change, etc. It's not as expected as servers are not relying on tips to live.

TL;DR: the concept of tipping was originally based on rewarding good service. If your service in France was good, tip a lil bit.

I agree with tipping a little bit for good service.

Tipping a lot, especially when the service isn't great, is something only a tourist would do.

What is good service? It's not like here. A good server in France won't rush you through your meal by adding plates to the table before you're ready. They won't interrupt your conversation, or catch you mid chew, with a loud, "and how are WE doing?" A good server pays attention to the table from a distance, anticipates your needs and brings you that fork, or napkin, you need before you ask for it - often without being noticeable. If you need something, simply look their way and they're right there. A good server expects you to enjoy your table for the evening. When you're ready for the check, look at them, they'll come and you can quietly ask for the check.

When I get that kind of service, I'll add a couple euros to the check.

Good service in France is invisible. It should not even be noticed.

Go to a restaurant for the food, the talent in the kitchen, the creativity of the chef, the freshness and quality of the raw materials.

Service should never be the reason to go to a restaurant.

Our RS tour guide in May told us "tipping is not expected, but they'll gladly take your money if you insist on doing things like you're still in the US."

They won't interrupt your conversation, or catch you mid chew, with a loud, "and how are WE doing?"
You forgot this line: "Are you still working on that?"

And no, you are not being ignored if the tab doesn't appear on the table right after your last swallow. The staff, at least at every-day restaurants, do not hover, but they do watch and answer when summoned. One possible disappointment, however, is that they are usually too busy to help you with your French lessons, switching to English for efficiency.

I would agree with the "no tip" or round up philosophy. I spent some time with business acquaintances (native Parisians) that did that, in some instances, it appeared they knew the waitstaff, so it was maybe a bit more generous, but done in person with verbal thanks.

I basically did the same, but did run into a case where the bill clearly stated, in English, "Tip Not Included" which I thought odd, but left basically no tip, and another where the waiter never returned change, until I asked (Not dropping a 10 euro note for a 6 euro beer) but generally no tip expected.