TIPPING IN ITALY?

Figmentforever50

Earning My Ears
Joined
Apr 16, 2013
My daughter and I will be traveling to Italy (Rome, Florence & Venice) with ABD. We will be arriving in Rome a few days early and have booked a private tour. We know that tipping is different in Italy than in the US. Does anyone know what the standard gratuity is?
:figment:
 
If you’re asking about the gratuity for your private guide, as a reference, we just returned from Paris where we had a private guide as couple of days, and we tipped them 50 euros for each day (they ranged in price from 450 to 550 euros for the day). I would assume it would be the same for Italy and France.

If you’re wondering about others, we tipped 5% for a couple of our dinners because the service was exceptional. The tips is already included in you bill, so it isn’t necessary. We did also tip our driver to/from the airport. But, that was all we tipped for. I hope that helps a bit
 
No experience with tipping in Italy specifically but in most, if not all, of Europe tipping is not required. Whats usually done is rounding up the amount with a few euro(cents). Say the bill in a restaurant is 63,40 you could round it up to 65. It is not typically required nor expected. Generally you only tip when you're satisfied with the service. If you wanna tip more that is alright but as far as I know tipping isnt required anywhere within Europe.

If you meant tipping for the tour, I don't think that gets done a lot. Ye in tour ships or buses there can be a jar at the door and you put in some change if you want(like 1 or 2 euro's). Only if you want to.

No one is gonna mind a large tip but in general people in Europe earn enough and are not dependent on tips.
 
If you’re asking about the gratuity for your private guide, as a reference, we just returned from Paris where we had a private guide as couple of days, and we tipped them 50 euros for each day (they ranged in price from 450 to 550 euros for the day). I would assume it would be the same for Italy and France.

If you’re wondering about others, we tipped 5% for a couple of our dinners because the service was exceptional. The tips is already included in you bill, so it isn’t necessary. We did also tip our driver to/from the airport. But, that was all we tipped for. I hope that helps a bit

Thank you! That is very helpful.
 


No experience with tipping in Italy specifically but in most, if not all, of Europe tipping is not required. Whats usually done is rounding up the amount with a few euro(cents). Say the bill in a restaurant is 63,40 you could round it up to 65. It is not typically required nor expected. Generally you only tip when you're satisfied with the service. If you wanna tip more that is alright but as far as I know tipping isnt required anywhere within Europe.

If you meant tipping for the tour, I don't think that gets done a lot. Ye in tour ships or buses there can be a jar at the door and you put in some change if you want(like 1 or 2 euro's). Only if you want to.

No one is gonna mind a large tip but in general people in Europe earn enough and are not dependent on tips.
No experience with tipping in Italy specifically but in most, if not all, of Europe tipping is not required. Whats usually done is rounding up the amount with a few euro(cents). Say the bill in a restaurant is 63,40 you could round it up to 65. It is not typically required nor expected. Generally you only tip when you're satisfied with the service. If you wanna tip more that is alright but as far as I know tipping isnt required anywhere within Europe.

If you meant tipping for the tour, I don't think that gets done a lot. Ye in tour ships or buses there can be a jar at the door and you put in some change if you want(like 1 or 2 euro's). Only if you want to.

No one is gonna mind a large tip but in general people in Europe earn enough and are not dependent on tips.

Thank you! I appreciate your help.
 
Look on your bill when you receive it. You will/may find a line that says "Service Charge". This is the tip already worked in. Servers in Europe are paid a living wage so tips are not expected. As Experiment 629 said, just round your bill up to the nearest Euro and you'll be good. Also, don't leave the money on the table. Actually hand it to your server and let them know that you don't require change. This is what we did in Vienna.
 
At restaurants, a "Service Charge" in Italy is known as "coperto", sometimes "Pane e coperto", or "Bread and Service". It is usually as small charge that you are required to pay. Round up total and pay directly to server.

-Paul
 


At restaurants, a "Service Charge" in Italy is known as "coperto", sometimes "Pane e coperto", or "Bread and Service". It is usually as small charge that you are required to pay. Round up total and pay directly to server.

-Paul

Thank you Paul!
 
Look on your bill when you receive it. You will/may find a line that says "Service Charge". This is the tip already worked in. Servers in Europe are paid a living wage so tips are not expected. As Experiment 629 said, just round your bill up to the nearest Euro and you'll be good. Also, don't leave the money on the table. Actually hand it to your server and let them know that you don't require change. This is what we did in Vienna.

Thank you!!
 
My first trip to Spain years ago I did not know about the tip issue SO I tipped 20% on top of the bill. Well, the waiter was our best friend and continued to ask us for anything he could do and thanked us profusely. After that I figured out about the tipping. I still tip above the bill if I have a good time with the server(s). You'll LOVE Italy.....it truly is Dolce Vita.
 
No one is gonna mind a large tip but in general people in Europe earn enough and are not dependent on tips.

We were told 10% tip is recommended in Greece by the guides. Tipping is such a personal thing I don't know we
can generalize it. Once I left a 5 euro tip for the driver who took us to Alhambra in Spain, he gave a special hoot for our family.
Is it worth it, You bet.
 
My first trip to Spain years ago I did not know about the tip issue SO I tipped 20% on top of the bill. Well, the waiter was our best friend and continued to ask us for anything he could do and thanked us profusely. After that I figured out about the tipping. I still tip above the bill if I have a good time with the server(s). You'll LOVE Italy.....it truly is Dolce Vita.

Thank you. I can't wait!
 
No one is gonna mind a large tip but in general people in Europe earn enough and are not dependent on tips.

We were told 10% tip is recommended in Greece by the guides. Tipping is such a personal thing I don't know we
can generalize it. Once I left a 5 euro tip for the driver who took us to Alhambra in Spain, he gave a special hoot for our family.
Is it worth it, You bet.

Thank you!
 
No one is gonna mind a large tip ...

Actually, I've read accounts where servers in Europe where offended by a large tip because they did not want to accept "charity". Others reports servers running after diners to return large tip left on the table. Of course in tourist areas, servers are quite familiar with over-tipping Americans.

Because tips are not expected in Europe, the server will not spend lots of time chatting with diners, since one person may be covering the entire restaurant. There are no free re-fills in Europe. The check will not arrive unless you ask or signal your server.

-Paul
 
Actually, I've read accounts where servers in Europe where offended by a large tip because they did not want to accept "charity". Others reports servers running after diners to return large tip left on the table. Of course in tourist areas, servers are quite familiar with over-tipping Americans.

Because tips are not expected in Europe, the server will not spend lots of time chatting with diners, since one person may be covering the entire restaurant. There are no free re-fills in Europe. The check will not arrive unless you ask or signal your server.

-Paul

Thank you Paul. That is very helpful!
 
Actually, I've read accounts where servers in Europe where offended by a large tip because they did not want to accept "charity". Others reports servers running after diners to return large tip left on the table. Of course in tourist areas, servers are quite familiar with over-tipping Americans.

Because tips are not expected in Europe, the server will not spend lots of time chatting with diners, since one person may be covering the entire restaurant. There are no free re-fills in Europe. The check will not arrive unless you ask or signal your server.

-Paul


A very well explained reply
 
My first trip to Spain years ago I did not know about the tip issue SO I tipped 20% on top of the bill. Well, the waiter was our best friend and continued to ask us for anything he could do and thanked us profusely. After that I figured out about the tipping. I still tip above the bill if I have a good time with the server(s). You'll LOVE Italy.....it truly is Dolce Vita.

We did the same at a little bistro in Paris...... I thought the waiter was going to bring us home for a visit and Sunday Brunch the next day! :goodvibes
 

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