Question 1

Do you tip in Japan?

Accepted Answer

No — tipping is NOT expected in Japan and can cause genuine confusion or offense: a ¥15,000 (about $100) restaurant bill is paid exactly, taxi drivers may chase you to return change, porters refuse cash, and licensed guides treat a bow and your thanks as the payment. The only exception is a small wrapped gift for a guide who has been with you for days — never cash on the table.

Question 2

Which countries expect American-style tipping?

Accepted Answer

The closest to your habits: Mexico and Canada at 15-20% in restaurants (cash in Mexico — card tips often never reach the server), Egypt at 10-15% where baksheesh is a whole service economy covering porters and anyone who hands you anything, and the UAE at 10-15%. At the other end, Japan, South Korea and China sit at 0%, and Australia runs 0-10% because award wages already pay for service.

Question 3

Where is the tip already included on the bill?

Accepted Answer

France bakes 15% service compris into menu prices by law, Brazil prints a 10% serviço line, Costa Rica adds a mandatory 10% servicio on top of the 13% sales tax, Thailand includes 10% at midscale restaurants and up, and Spain and Greece fold service into the price. The verdict: if the line is printed on your bill, add nothing — anything extra is a compliment, not a duty.

Question 4

How much do I tip a tour guide abroad?

Accepted Answer

The 2026 norm: 10-15% of the tour price in the UK, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Türkiye, Morocco and Brazil; about 15% in Egypt, where guides expect roughly $10 per person per day and drivers about half; 10% in Thailand (100-500 THB per person per day); and 7-10% in India (300-500 rupees per day). The hard exceptions: Japan, Korea and China — guides there decline cash.

Question 5

Should I tip in US dollars or local currency?

Accepted Answer

In local currency almost always: a dollar tip forces the worker on a money-changer errand and may simply be refused. The only soft exception is Egypt and Mexico, where dollar notes are theoretically accepted but change comes back in local money. Practical move: stock small notes before arrival — 10-50 EGP in Egypt, 20-50 THB in Thailand, 50-100 INR in India — that is the daily tipping unit there.

Question 6

How do I handle the UK 12.5% service charge?

Accepted Answer

London restaurants routinely add a discretionary 12.5% service charge — genuinely discretionary by law: you can ask for it removed. If the line is printed, add nothing; if it is not (mostly outside London), 10-12.5% is the add-it-yourself norm. Taxis round up about 10%, porters get £1-2 per bag, and guides 10-15% or £5-10 on free walking tours.

Question 7

What about taxis and hotel housekeeping?

Accepted Answer

Taxis: no percentages in Japan, Korea, China, Egypt or Mexico (fares are metered or negotiated) — rounding up covers Europe (5-10%) and Canada (10-15%). Housekeeping: a daily cash amount rather than one at checkout, because the crew rotates — $3-5 in Canada, €1-2 in France, Italy and Spain, 20-50 MXN in Mexico, 50-100 INR in India. Porters: $1-2 or the equivalent per bag almost everywhere.

Question 8

Why is tipping so different in Asia — can it really cause offense?

Accepted Answer

Yes, because wages there already price in service, so a tip can imply the salary was insufficient or turn a professional exchange into personal charity: in Japan staff may run after you to return the extra, in China cash is refused outright, and in Korea the printed total is the full price. The one exception is guides hired for Western package groups in China (about 100 CNY per day). The golden rule across all 20 countries: read the bill before calculating any percentage.

Tipping Abroad Calculator — How Much to Tip in 20 Countries