I am sure this question has been asked before, but the search feature on the forum is not helpful. (You can't specify to only look in one country's sub forum.)
Is tipping expected at restaurants and cafes and coffee bars in Andalucia, or is a service charge included in the bill?
How about for taxi cab fares?
Tipping isn't expected. It isn't uncommon to leave spare change when paying in cash at a cafe (e.g. the bill is €4.90 and you leave €5). With increasing use of card payments that is probably dropping. Although, in more touristy places the card terminal might include an option to add a tip. Just cancel that - nobody will be surprised.
At posh restaurants it isn't unusual to tip 10%.
There shouldn't be any service charge added anywhere. But it is common and accepted if not using the set menu to be given bread in a restaurant and a two or three euro table charge to be added. You can always ask for the bread to be taken back, although that would be a bit weird.
The short answer is no, tipping is not expected. You can round the bill up to the next Euro if you want. In some places service charges may be included with the bill, but it isn’t common.
I found this online a couple years ago. It is for information only and not set in stone.
Cafe Server: If there is a tip jar by the cash register, it’s a nice gesture to leave a couple of coins. For exceptional table service, round up to the nearest €1.
Restaurant Server: It is not customary to tip at a cheaper restaurant, ‘menu del dia,’ but a tip of up to 10 percent is acceptable at more upscale establishments. The tip is sometimes included in the final bill (IVA or Impuestos sobre el Valor Añadido), but not always. Check the bill first for these inclusions before deciding what to tip. Servers sometimes don’t receive tips included on a credit card, so always try to tip in cash whenever possible.
Bartender: It’s not necessary to tip a bartender, as most do not expect it and some may even refuse it. Table service, however, is considered to be separate, and it is considerate to round to the nearest €1 for great service.
Taxis: A tip isn’t expected, but is appreciated. A good rule of thumb is to round up to the nearest euro or up to 10 percent of the final fare for exceptional service. Drivers typically charge a bag fee, so there is no need to tip for help with luggage.
Airport Shuttle: It is not necessary to tip your driver, but feel free to give €1 per bag if they help with your luggage.
Doorman: Gratitude is always welcome when a doorman assists with luggage or hailing transportation. A simple thank you is appreciated, but feel free to offer €1 for exceptional service.
Something else to think about is that it’s not at all usual to drink tap water. When you ask for water it will be bottled water that you have to pay for.
I spend a lot of time in Andalucia.
I tip only in restaurants on the higher end where I've been before and receive some kind of special courtesy, and even then, most of the time I leave no tip.
At a very high-end (one of the famous names) if I get great service, I might leave 10% tip but not usually.
I do not tip taxi drivers. I pay with credit card, the amount on the meter.
I almost never tip in hotels, except if the bell person did something special for me and even then, rarely.
I often leave tip for housekeeping if I've stayed at a hotel more than a couple of nights and if the same person has served my room. I often have conversations with housekeepers, strange as that sounds, and if we develops some kind of temporary bond, I do leave a tip. Or ifi they, as happened recently, bring me a bag filled with those little shampoos and conditioners that I expressed a liking for..) (Many housekeepers in hotels are not from Spain and their stories can be fascinating to me..very interesting to understand the process of immigration to Spain and the steps to attain residence, as compared to that of other countries...)
I round up if paying with cash at a bar.
