Hello! Can you please confirm or correct my understanding of tipping etiquette in Ireland (and Northern Ireland)? Thank you!
Restaurants: If not included in a service fee, 10-15%
Bars: $0
Day Tours: 10% if special attention
Housekeeping: $1-2 per day
They don't use $ in Ireland, they use Euros (€) in the Republic, and pounds (£) in Northern Ireland. So don't try and pay for anything in $ (of any sort), as it won't be accepted.
I would not tip anybody in a hotel, restaurant or bar.
Adding a "Service Fee" to a bill is regarded by many as a scam (a way of putting a price in the menu which is not the final price), prices should include everything, raw materials, transport, preparation, service and taxes. You should not have to pay any more
We were recently in Ireland. Usually tipped 1 or 2 euros in restaurants if the service was good. It was appreciated. Why is tipping a percentage? The person is doing the same work carrying a 10€ burger or a 20€ fish.
Here's a fairly recent thread on the same topic, same area: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/ireland/tipping-in-ireland-and-northern-ireland-what-is-expected.
Rick's Ireland guidebook suggests 10%, not 15%, if a service charge is not already included at a table-service restaurant.
Thanks Laura, and, sorry! I normally do a "search" before posting. I think I thought I did but I didn't..... :(
"Tipping is appreciated but is not essential" is as fair a general summary I've ever seen of the principle more or less across Europe. Individual countries, and indeed individuals within countries will vary around this - but it does get over too that tipping is unlikely to cause offense. Percentages don't really come into it (and service charges aren't really tips either but I leave that for another day ...).
