Tipping

Maybe it's different in the US, but I wouldn't tip extra for a simple transfer service. I'm assuming the price is already prearranged and prepaid?

The only time I tipped extra for transportation in Poland was for Uber drivers, but at that time the tips were being donated to support Ukrainian war refugees in Poland.

BMWBGV, no doubt you seen all the previous contentious tipping threads. Some people consider over-tipping Americans to be the ugly ones. When we were in Poland, I did the same thing I did in Germany - rounding up. So a fare of 26 ZL got 30, 30 got 35, for example.

Carlos and Stan, thank you for your insights. With all of my faults, I do tend to tip well! Yes, the driver is paid, so I'll follow your advice to round up. As an American I'm perhaps too sensitive about being a good representative (lol) of my country. I can't help but to smile and be perhaps overly friendly as that's my nature, but yeah in some cases the locals look at me like I'm crazy.

BMBGWV, not to beat a dead horse, but " smiley-friendly" is an American value. People over there told me that they do think Americans are foolish and have too much money. Happy to take it, but wouldn't do it themselves.

Stan, I've frequently read on these forums that "smiley-friendly" comes across as phony, but I disagree in that it's simply the nature of some people. And genuine. I'm not going to talk anyone's ear off, but I'll shake your hand, smile, say a few words and mean it. I like opening doors for others and that sort of thing. That's my superpower lol.

My grandfather told me a story about visiting NYC way back in the 50s or 60s. He was riding the subway and remarked to one women with her child, "That's a fine-looking boy you have there." She quickly moved to another seat. Anyway, that's Grandpa for you!

The 3rd hour of the "Today Show" had a segment on tipping just this morning. To paraphrase Al Roker..."if you have been blessed with financial wherewithal and can afford to tip; it never hurts to be kind."

Sometimes it's a bit weird and awkward for the recipient if someone is too kind in the wrong context tho. Depends.

it never hurts to be kind

Is it kind to disrupt local protocols to make you feel better about yourself?

And in Japan it's quite rude to tip, and seen as an insult. Don't expect other parts of the world to share the same cultural values of the US.

I've lived in the US for a few years and their mania with tipping for everything still has me scratching my head lol! The act of tipping loses it "value" if you tip for everything no matter what.

Really broadly speaking, there's different cultural norms in the US with regard to the acquisition of capital, transactory interactions between people, and the role of financial compensation in return for a service.

There are sources for looking up the norm by country.

Yes - the Rick Steves guidebook for the country in question.

I've lived in the US for a few years and their mania with tipping for everything still has me scratching my head

After a few years, I hope you now realize that a lot of people are relying on tips to cover their very basic living expenses. I wish everybody in the US was paid a living wage, and didn't need to rely on tips, but that hasn't happened in my lifetime.

Tipping is a non-issue for the Poles and most Europeans, and tipping drivers is a completely alien concept altogether. Restaurants and free walking tours - yes, drivers no. No local would do that.

However. Everybody has heard about or was subjected to the crazy tipping culture in the US so tipping from the Americans may have become expected. I've read a few posts on other forums over that last two or so years that suggest that the Americans are now being harassed for tips and insulted when they try to do what the Europeans do, i.e. round up or do not tip at all. As soon as they hear American accent, they expect +20%, LOL. That was in the most touristy places in Italy and Greece, though, I've never heard of anything like that in Poland. It looks like it's evolving towards a two-tier system - one for the Americans and another for everybody else. But then, if you don't like it, you have only yourselves to blame. You have been told to not bring your crazy tipping to Europe for decades so now tip generously.

The default face expression in Poland is a neutral one and it's normal to be kind and respectful without smiling all the time. Holding doors for others, giving up seats on public transport for the elderly etc are the norm too so that will not earn you any brownie points either. Basically, unless they do something absolutely outrageous or criminal, foreigners are given the benefit of the doubt even if they do not conform to local norms, so I wouldn't worry about that. If you want to smile, smile.

Man, get a load of this:

Hello Mike,
all that information will be sent with the tour voucher but I may say that for each of the guides in Warsaw and in Krakow around USD 100 would be good idea (so 2 x USD100)

What the... $200 for tips? Do these guys not get paid? I'm hesitant to email the tour agency back as the trip is already booked, and another $200 won't break my back, but still. Also, the tour group has excellent ratings, but I won't mention them here unless you PM me.

I don't want to get into a pissing match, but it's hard for me not to respond in an email, "$200 for tips? Seriously?" Anyway, the trip is in September and we're going. Disappointingly, this was not mentioned up front.

Big Mike if they demand $200 in tips before the tour even starts sounds bad to you an American, it sounds like outright theft for us Europeans lol!

Americans are now being harassed for tips and insulted when they try to do what the Europeans do, i.e. round up or do not tip at all. It looks like it's evolving towards a two-tier system - one for the Americans and another for everybody else.

Perhaps it is as qq says, now the tour industry in Europe has gotten wise to Americans abundant tipping culture and now expect generous American style tips for their European service! I'm not sure what tour company you're using but $200 for tips for tour guides in Poland is unheard of and certainly not the norm by a long shot. The Polish tour guides I have used are very passionate and professional about their work and certainly not in the business of taking bribes up front lol!

Showing the pretense that tips are gratuities for a job well done. In this case, it's a bribe to make sure they don't leave you behind.

There are those who tip, regardless, are going to do so. Despite a local culture that does not have tipping to the extent here in the US. So respect for local culture is out the window. Respect for local culture is often discussed on the forums and people really do seem to want to be that way. Not only to fit in but to be aware of the place you are in. However with tipping it is not so.

And the tour company even quoted the tip in US$? Perhaps they were being helpful by converting currency, but it does seem to have an element of "saw you coming"!

Friends, we have a tour in Poland this September where, at times, a
driver picks us up and deposits us (sounds funny) at an airport, train
station, or hotel. I'm guessing we will need to have some zlotys on
hand for tipping, but how much per ride? We will have to get the
currency at the airport to be ready for our first transfer.

A couple of these answer specifically to your question, all answer the question in general.

https://wise.com/us/travel-money/tip-calculator/poland
https://keytopoland.com/post/do-people-tip-in-poland
https://livemorepomerania.com/en/few-tips-on-tipping-in-poland-2/
https://polandinsiders.com/tipping-in-poland/
https://www.smartertravel.com/tipping-in-poland-the-poland-tipping-guide/
https://studyinpoland.info/blog/any-tricks-for-poland-tipping
https://www.onthegotours.com/uk/Poland/Guides/Travel-Tips-and-Useful-Info
https://www.tripmasters.com/Tipping_in_Poland/cms

Enjoy the trip.

And the tour company even quoted the tip in US$? Perhaps they were being helpful by converting currency, but it does seem to have an element of "saw you coming"!

@Nick, I dont assume it's out of evil, but experience. I think nine times out of ten, Americans I've traveled with, will always ask a provider or server, what an appropriate tip is. As odd as that sounds.

In the UK, the answer was usually something like "well, service is included, but if you want to, you can add . . . "

Carlos, I was thinking $20 or the zloty equivalent would be generous, but wow. I agree it seems unlikely a European would take that sitting down. How would you respond? I don't want them to screw me once I get there because they think I'm an a-hole, or whatever. Not all Americans are wealthy. I'm a retired teacher and my wife is a teacher's aide, so we're not exactly Bill Gates or Elon Musk lol.

I'd like to "respect the local culture," but it sure seems they throw their local culture protocols out the window, at least in this case.

I'm just trying to decide how and whether to respond, or just let it go.

Mr. E. and Stan, thank you.

As a Pole, I can't stop laughing, sorry

The local culture protocol is that you do not ask about tipping. As I said, tipping is a non issue. It would never even occur to any local to ask questions about tipping. The price of services and products you see in Poland is the price you pay. Businesses calculate their prices so that everything is included - salaries, taxes, profit margins, everything. If you want to pay more, you can of course pay more, no one is going to refuse free money, but it's entirely up to you how much.

I would let it go and tip as you see appropriate.

no one is going
to refuse free money,

That's the same thing our RS guide in France said on the first day of our tour when she advised the group to get over the obsession of tipping. Of course nobody is going to say no, and now they're bold enough to be aggressive when they sense Americans are in the house.

qq and Alan, thanks.

My only qualm is that they'll be expecting $200 in tips, so when I hand them, say, $20, it may cause a problem? For example, If I don't tip for the first tour, perhaps the word gets out that could cause issues later, like the tour driver not showing up because he knows he won't get $100. That would cause a significant problem.

As an American I'm perhaps too sensitive about being a good
representative (lol) of my country. I can't help but to smile and be
perhaps overly friendly as that's my nature, but yeah in some cases
the locals look at me like I'm crazy.

And thats a good thing BigMike...... Wish everyone had the same attitude.

I find it really hard to believe that anyone would discuss how much you tipped and cause problems. If you've paid an agreed price for the tour, that's it. Polish people wouldn't tip at all in that situation. The only example I can think of where a tip is necessary are so called "free walking tours" (it's rude to not show even symbolic gratitude for their time and effort) or when your guide does something extra that wasn't agreed beforehand thus not included in the price.

Since this may be of interest to you fine folks, here is my email response:

$200 in tips? Are the workers not paid? Is this mandatory, and if so why wasn't it mentioned at the beginning when I purchased the tour? Mike

I would wait until the end of the tour and then if the guide did an really outstanding job maybe I would tip 50-60 Zloty. Overall a confusing situation so I think it's worth reaching out to get some clarification. Maybe they're flying in some big shot guide from Western Europe or America to do the tour who expects hundreds of dollars for tips, but the average Polish local guide would not.

qq and Carlos, I agree, and as noted reached out to Tomasz to clarify the issue. The thing is it's apparently expected for the guides to receive a $200 tip, or he wouldn't have mentioned the exact figure and told me to plan on paying this tip. This is not about what is typical in European or Polish culture, but apparently to this specific tour company, and yes, I'm wondering if it's because I'm American. I'll share the response when I receive it. If it appears there are bad feelings on their part or whatever, I'm not sure what I'll do.

BUT, maybe they're flying in Rick Steves to be my personal tour guide, although I suspect I'd have to add a lot more zeroes for that to happen.

Yes, I think it's because your are American and everybody knows the American crazy tipping culture so now they apparently see nothing wrong with taking advantage of it. I can guarantee you they wouldn't do anything like that dealing with the locals.

I am looking forward to seeing the response to your email.

...no one is going to refuse free money

That actually happened to us when we tried to leave a tip after an outstanding meal with matching service at Garum in Pompei. The waiter very politely refused to accept a tip - this was in April 2022.

https://www.garumpompei.it/il-ristorante

The thing is it's apparently expected for the guides to receive a $200
tip,

Assuming my math and 1 minute of internet research is correct, the average salary in Poland when converted to$US is about $97/day. If 2 tours= 2 guides,
that's quite the tip they're asking for.

EP, someone refusing a tip, or free money, would be a first for me anywhere. On a related note, on my wife Mary's birthday last year the waitress brought her a nice dessert for free. This was in Edinburgh, and I tipped the young lady 10 or 20 Euros. I happened to notice the boss watching us, and he nodded in approval when he became aware of the tip, so in that instance I guess we did the right thing.

Allan, thanks for that insight. Wow. I think I'm being played as a sucker. Not a bad salary on the face of it considering the cost of living in Poland, which would mean around $24K per year.

Allen, or maybe half that. https://www.erieri.com/salary/job/driver/poland

It has truly gotten out of hand in the US. Go to Starbucks and pay $5 for a coffee and there is a tip can. Go to McDonalds and pay $1 and there is a donation can for Ronald McDonald House. There is something wrong with this picture.

We started travelling to Europe in the 80s. We were staying on the Isle of Skye in a B and B and went a small guesthouse for dinner. The service was very good and probably after too much wine, my husband was feeling overly generous. We paid our bill at the front desk outside the dining room and before we could get to our car, the manager caught up with us and insisted on giving some money back. He said we tipped too much. Lesson learned years ago!

We are still travelling and love going to many countries. We are very discreet and sensitive to tipping or lack thereof. :)

. . . he nodded in approval when he became aware of the tip, so in that instance I guess we did the right thing.

Or he could have been nodding his satisfaction that "we scored another American tipper". Better for them, no doubt, but what about better for you? The reasons we tip (or overtip) here in the US don't necessarily apply everywhere, where the tip goes, and the standards for "good" service" aren't the same either.

I think I'm being played as a sucker.

You are. Thank your fellow Americans who came before you and ignored advice they got from us. Now you pay the price.

I sat down at a cafe for a couple of beers on possibly the most touristy street in Gdansk last month, when it came to paying the bill I was told in English that service wasn't included, I replied "what do you mean?" (knowing full well what he meant) to which his repsonse was "tips are not included", I just gave him a withering look and told him I'd be paying the amount on the bill.

I've been to Poland on a number of occasions, I've always paid the bill by contactless payment, there's never been an option to add a tip and no-one has ever batted an eyelid when a tip was never left.

I'm afraid the tour company have seen you coming however your response to them was appropriate and I'd be interested to hear what their reply is.

JC, appreciate you sharing that. One fault among the many I have is expecting the best out of other people and assuming they're honorable and ethical. I'm 63 and can't get rid of that trait.

And yes, I'll share the response, which I assume will arrive early Monday.

Well, here's the response:

Mike,
The tip is not obligatory but I think at least USD 50/200 Zlotys for each of the tour guides in Warsaw and Krakow would be recommended.

Again, it is clear these guides are expecting these tips. Heck, $50 isn't a big deal.

Of course they are expecting tips from you. You are American and Americans love to tip. Some of them even get angry and sanctimonious when they are told they should not tip.

At least you've managed to negotiate down to a more reasonable amount, LOL.

I am American but I live in Europe. I can say that this "nice" behavior from my fellow country people is screwing things up in Europe - where people actually get paid a living wage in service industries. Please, stop thinking this is nice and good - it is not and it is disruptive to the economies. Just round up.

I hope this does not sour your trip to Poland, please know this demanding of money is very unusual and not how all how Polish people think or act.