Tipping in Germany Etiquette: Who & Where to Tip (2024)

FAQs

Tipping in Germany Etiquette: Who & Where to Tip? ›

It's normal to tip for good service in restaurants, bars and cafes in Germany - especially in touristy or business areas. Tips are also appreciated in hotels and serviced apartments - and other places where staff may not be so well rewarded, like spas or salons.

For the chambermaid or cleaning service, 2 to 3 euros per day is a standard amount. Tips for the concierge or reception desk may go up to 5 to 10 euros depending on the additional services provided. If you're staying in a cheap establishment such as a hostel or campsite, tips are not required or expected.

Tipping taxis in Germany

And whether you're in an Uber or a taxi, this would also be expected in Germany. Just like most places, leaving between 5 and 10 percent is the done thing.

Tipping in cafés and bars works like in restaurants. You can tip if you are happy with the service, but it's optional. When there is table service, you can round up your bill, or tip 10%. For example, if a beer costs 4.50€, you can give 5€.

Tipping taxi drivers in Munich

It's common to tip 10% in Munich for a longer journey, and if you were helped with your luggage. For short journeys the easiest option is to round up the bill to the nearest significant amount in Euros.

Tipping in restaurants and cafés in Germany

In restaurants, a reasonable tip is between 5-10% of the bill, and a 15% tip is considered very generous.

It's normal to tip for good service in restaurants, bars and cafes in Germany - especially in touristy or business areas. Tips are also appreciated in hotels and serviced apartments - and other places where staff may not be so well rewarded, like spas or salons.

Tipping tour guides is very much appreciated but not expected. Common practice is in the range of 5 Euros or up to 10% for whole day or multi-day tours. The guides are often paid a low wage, so if one is particularly enthusiastic or informative do not hesitate to slip them a little extra if you wish!

UK and Germany: In many European countries, tipping movers is appreciated but not mandatory. A tip of €10-€20 per mover is generally considered generous. Scandinavian Countries: Tipping is less common in countries like Sweden and Norway. If you do tip, a small amount (e.g., 5-10% of the service cost) is sufficient.

Elaine Swann of The Swann School of Protocol

"Three to five dollars is a sufficient tip. It doesn't necessarily need to be a percentage of the food you ordered."

Can you drink tap water in Germany? ›

Water suppliers in Germany are obligated to conduct regular testing to monitor the water quality. Any issues are quickly addressed to maintain the highest standards. There may be slight regional variations in taste, but overall, you can confidently drink tap water in Germany.

After finishing your meal or drinks in a restaurant or bar, you could ask for the check by simply saying zahlen, bitte! (pronounced: TSAH-lehn BEE-teh), which literally means 'to pay, please. ' Alternatively, you could say die Rechnung, bitte (dee REH-noong BEE-teh; 'the check, please').

When you get a good service, you can leave a tip. In German, it's called Trinkgeld (drinking money). In Germany, tipping is always optional.

For a smaller group, the tip should be more, and for a private guide, 10 to 20 euros for the group is fine, unless extra service is provided. You do not tip bartenders in Europe, but leaving change or a euro is always appreciated.

Passengers can pay taxi fares either in cash or by debit and credit card. Please note that taxi drivers are not obligated to accept all types of cards, so it's best to carry some cash. When making a cashless payment, passengers may be asked to provide some form of identification.

An unwritten law: Tipping in Germany

Much like an unwritten law. It's customary to leave roughly 10% in gastronomy. The extra money acknowledges both the service received and the quality of the meal. In fact, this was common throughout Europe during the Middle Ages.

In hotels, leave two to three euros per night for housekeeping, and tip porters approximately one euro per bag.

Guests should tip housekeeping anywhere between $1 to $5 per night for a mid-range or business hotel. For luxury hotels where the staff offers daily cleaning services and nightly turndown services, guests should leave a little more.

In Germany it's not that common. Nevertheless, around two-thirds of people in Germany have a "cleaning lady". But unfortunately, 90% of them work illegally without registration and insurance.

Tipping hotel staff in Italy is customary and very much appreciated. At a minimum, leave behind a few Euros daily for the housekeeping staff, especially if it's a small hotel where you get to know the team by the end of the week. As a group, I usually estimate 20 Euros per room for the week for housekeeping staff.