Lots of folks in the US consider ~20% to be the “standard” tip amount. But when you’re traveling abroad, tipping practices vary from country to country!
Who to Tip is a guide to worldwide tipping etiquette. It’s not an app, but a useful website folks can reference when traveling overseas.
Here’s how to use the guide!
Worldwide Tipping Guide
Link: Who to Tip Online Guide
Tipping customs vary significantly depending on the country. That’s why a site like Who to Tip can be helpful when you’re traveling abroad!
In some instances, for example, tipping a tour guide is expected, while tipping in a restaurant isn’t common. So it helps to research before you travel to a new country.
And just because you’re using points for a free hotel stay doesn’t mean you should neglect the hotel staff. Especially if tipping porters or housekeeping is common practice.
In Australia, for example, tips aren’t expected. And in some European countries, like Italy, a service charge is often already included in a restaurant bills, so you’d be tipping twice if you added any gratuity!
But in a country like Germany, leaving a couple of Euros for the housekeeping staff is expected for good service.
How to Use “Who to Tip”
Because tipping etiquette varies so much between countries and the type of service you’re receiving, using Who to Tip can help save you time and (sometimes!) money, because it’s a convenient spot to find tipping information for 81 countries.
Using the site is straightforward. On the homepage, you’ll find a list of countries to choose from. Click the country you want tipping information about.
From there, you’ll find an overview of tipping etiquette in that country. For example, in Italy, tipping isn’t expected unless someone exceeds your expectations.
You’ll also see tipping specifics for services like hotels, restaurants, spas, tour guides, and taxi drivers. Along with general travel tips, like when to visit the area and what type of food to try.
Million Mile Secrets team member Scott confirmed the Who to Tip information about Poland, Finland, and Mexico seems accurate.
He noted that restaurant waitstaff in Poland work partly for tips, and they very much prefer their tips in cash. And massages (and spa services in general) are very inexpensive compared to the US, so he was always happy to leave a tip.
But in Finland, for example, waiters receive a full wage, and tipping isn’t expected.
In Mexico, 15% is considered a very good tip in a restaurant. And because waiters prefer cash tips, he tried to tip in cash whenever possible during his trip there.
Are There Drawbacks?
Who to Tip has information for 81 countries, but there are ~195 countries in the world (depending on which source you check). So if you’re looking for tipping information for places like Ethiopia, Seychelles, Grenada, Estonia, and others, you’ll have to find it somewhere else!Also, you can NOT use Who to Tip without an internet connection, which could be an issue when traveling.
And it would be nice if it were an app instead of, or in addition to, a website, so it would be easier to use on-the-go.
I accessed the website on my phone. Although it worked fine, it was difficult to navigate through the information and switch between countries.
Lastly, having the ability to calculate a tip through the website would be a great improvement. And a feature I’d definitely suggest including if they created a Who to Tip app!
Other Apps and Guides With Tipping Information
The Global Tipping Guide Pro app seems to be the only travel tipping app for Android users. It costs ~$2, but doesn’t get great reviews. With the app, you’ll find tipping practices for 60+ countries and have the ability to calculate tips within the app.
You can choose to pay ~$1 for each country’s information or ~$5 for all available countries.
If you don’t want to use an app or can’t find a particular country’s tipping practices, travel sites and guide books, like TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet, provide tipping guidelines for most countries.
For example, here’s TripAdvisor’s Tipping & Etiquette guide for France. And on the Lonely Planet website (and in their guidebooks), you can find tipping information, like what’s shown here for traveling & tipping in India.
Bottom Line
In the US, folks are accustomed to tipping ~15% to ~20% for meals, spa treatments, tour guides, taxi rides, and more. But tipping customs vary significantly depending on the country!
Using a website like Who to Tip can save you time (and money!) when you’re traveling abroad. Because it provides tipping etiquette for 81 countries.How much do you tip when you’re on vacation? Have you had an interesting experience when it comes to tipping while traveling overseas? Tell me about it in the comments!