World Tipping Etiquette: A Country-by-Country Guide

Tap a country to see its tipping customs and appropriate amounts.

United States 🇺🇸

At restaurants, 18–20% is a standard benchmark, and 22–25% is common for especially good service. 15% can actually be read as a signal of dissatisfaction with the service. At cafes or for takeout, 10–15% or no tip at all is generally fine.

Japan 🇯🇵

There is no tipping culture, and offering a tip can actually come across as rude or bewildering. The prevailing view is that "fair payment has already been made," so tips are declined in most cases.

South Korea 🇰🇷

There is no custom of tipping at most services — restaurants, cafes, taxis — and simply paying the posted price is fine.

China 🇨🇳

Traditionally a country with no tipping culture. That said, tipping has been gradually becoming somewhat more common at upscale hotels and tours catering to foreign tourists.

Europe (France, Italy, Spain, Germany, etc.) 🇪🇺

A service charge is usually already included in the bill at most places, so rounding up the change or leaving an extra 5–10% is considered a generous tip.

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

First check whether a discretionary service charge of about 10–12.5% is already included in the bill — if it is, there's no need to add an extra tip.

Australia 🇦🇺

Because the minimum wage structure is generous enough on its own, tipping is not required at all and is entirely optional.

Why Do Tipping Customs Vary So Much by Country?

Tipping culture stems from each country's wage structure and service-industry practices. In some countries, like the US, base pay for service workers is low and tips make up a large share of actual income, while in others, like Japan and Korea, the fixed sticker price is considered to already include fair payment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it rude not to tip?

It can be seen as rude in countries where tipping is customary, like the US — but in countries with no tipping culture, like Japan or Korea, offering a tip can actually feel awkward or even come across as impolite.

If the bill already includes a service charge, do I still need to tip?

In most cases, no additional tip is needed if a service charge is already included — leaving a small amount extra is enough, and only when you were genuinely very satisfied.