Tipping customs vary around the world. There’s plenty to know about tipping in the USA, but only one thing you need to know about tipping in Japan - it’s best not to!
Here are some top tips to get you tip-top on tipping abroad.
Published: 28 April 2026
Short answer; it depends - on where, and for what. And we’ll cover that in this guide. But before we get into the tipping customs in different countries, there’s one thing to bear in mind, wherever you are - check your bill first.
If ‘service compris’, ‘servizio incluso’, or a service charge is already on there, you've already tipped. Beyond that, rounding up to a convenient number is welcomed almost everywhere and won’t cause offence anywhere.
Only in the USA and Canada is a percentage tip genuinely expected.
Cash is generally the best bet for tipping (especially in the USA), for a few reasons.
Cash tips are usually preferred by staff because:
A card tip is always better than no tip, but if you’re travelling to a country with a strong tipping culture, it’s a good idea to take the local currency you’ll need to cover tips.
Tipping culture in the USA is very different from the UK, which can be a surprise to first-time visitors.
The biggest difference is that tipping is expected, not optional. Here in the UK, tipping is seen as a nice bonus. In the USA, it's a part of workers' wages. Many staff earn a low wage, with tips making up most of their income. Because of this, not tipping is considered very rude.
Places where you don't need to tip include:
If it’s your first time visiting The States, mentally add 20% to any menu price to get the real cost of a meal, and make sure you have plenty of small dollar bills for the times a cash tip is needed.
Tipping culture in Italy is similar to the UK, but there are some things worth knowing.
Restaurants
Bars and cafés
Taxis
In Italy, tip if you genuinely want to reward great service, but don’t feel obliged. A smile and a sincere ‘grazie’ goes a long way in Italy.
Tipping is not obligatory, so there aren’t many surprises in France for UK visitors.
A service charge (‘service compris’) is added to all restaurant bills by law. You’re not expected to tip on top of this.
Restaurants
Bars and cafés
Taxis
There’s no need to budget anything extra for tipping in France. If you had a lovely meal or someone was particularly helpful, a small gesture is always welcome - but just as a thank-you.
Spain is a relaxed country when it comes to tipping. There's no cultural obligation to tip, but leaving a little something would be received with thanks.
Restaurants
Bars and cafés
Taxis
Like in the UK, tip in Spain when you genuinely want to, or round up for convenience, but don’t feel awkward for not leaving anything.
Canada tips like the USA, so tipping in Canada is expected, not optional, in most service situations.
Just like in the USA, service workers rely on tips as a significant part of their income, and not tipping is considered rude.
Restaurants (sit-down)
Bars
Taxis/Ubers
Hotel staff
Like in the USA, mentally add 20% to the menu price for the real cost of a meal, and take some Canadian dollars for cash tips. Unlike Europe, tipping is part of how workers are paid - it's not a scam, it's just a different system.
Tipping is appreciated in Turkey and increasingly expected in tourist areas, but the culture is more relaxed than North America and does vary depending on where you are.
Tipping isn't a big part of Turkish culture in the way it is in the US or Canada, but it is genuinely appreciated - particularly in tourist-heavy areas where it has become expected. As staff wages can be low, tips make a real difference.
Restaurants
Bars and cafés
Taxis
Tour guides and hamams
Cash tips in euros are often preferred in Turkey, because of recent inflation of the Turkish lira. So it’s worth taking plenty of small euro notes for your trip. Turkey sits somewhere between Europe and the USA in terms of tipping culture, so go expecting to add plenty of tips.
Nothing. This is an easy one. Tipping is not part of Japanese culture and can genuinely make people uncomfortable.
It could be interpreted as an offensive offer of charity, or a suggestion that staff didn't do their job properly. So to avoid being chased down the street to return your money, it’s best not to tip in Japan.
We’ve already mentioned Japan, as it’s probably the most famous example. But other major countries that don’t tip include:
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