How to Tip Around the World
Tipping ranges from mandatory to insulting depending on where you are. Get it right and service is easy; get it wrong and you either overpay or offend.
Why tipping varies
Tipping culture reflects local labour laws. Where servers are paid a full wage, tips are a small bonus. Where wages depend on tips, customary rates are much higher.
Regional norms
- United States and Canada: 15–20% at restaurants; 18–20% is standard now.
- United Kingdom and Ireland: 10–12.5%, often added as a service charge.
- Continental Europe: rounding up or 5–10% for good service; service is often included.
- Japan and South Korea: tipping is not customary and can cause confusion.
- Australia and New Zealand: not expected; round up for exceptional service.
Splitting the bill fairly
The cleanest split is: subtotal, then tip, then divide by number of people. Add tax after the tip if your locale bills tax separately.
For unequal shares, calculate each person's items, add a proportional share of tax and tip, then round to the nearest currency unit to avoid coin scrambles.
Service charges vs tips
A 'service charge' is added by the restaurant and may or may not reach staff. A 'tip' is money you choose to leave. If a service charge is on the bill, you are not obliged to add more.