Should you TIP in Europe? Must Watch Before Visiting!

[@daveinportugal]

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[@kali5508]

Americans, please don't bring your tipping culture ANYWHERE, no just in Europe. I live in Australia and here we the tip is not expected but you can leave a tip in a jar which sits at the counter if you want to. However, I was in an expensive restaurant the other day and I got really angry when I got the bill and there was "a suggestion" to leave a 10% tip. Yes, the service was great but the service everywhere in Australia is great, it's just the culture. So leaving 10% on already very high bill is A LOT and is definitely not Australian, as the people in the service industry get a living wage. I know people who worked in high end venues in US and were getting $1000 + in tips per shift. Their income was more than what a specialist, even a doctor would get, and that is just crazy! So, leave your tipping culture at home pls😊

[@daveinportugal]

Thank you for the perspective and comment!

[@mariojcmarinheiro]

I am a restaurant manager and i am also in charge of the tip distribution which we do every 2 weeks, staff got all excited about the tips day!

[@MariaHelenaFarris]

Thank you for your suggestions! Meeting cousins (from Portugal) in Sicily and so excited…..especially husband since we’re exploring his roots! THANK YOU!!! 😊

[@daveinportugal]

Thank you for watching!

[@mamig3216]

Do not tip in Italy nobody tips.

[@JPVNG67]

rarely give more then one euro as a tip in Portugal. Two euros already must be a exceptional service

[@JPVNG67]

@@module79l28 that also counts, but in my case even when i pay with card i leave a one euro coin in the table if i am satisfied with service

[@mkoschmall]

I hate going out in the US by now. Prices on the menu are a mere estimate, with taxes, service charge and tips almost doubling the price. Also, i really don‘t want to support a system that relies on systemic exploitation and leaves those working in service their whole life without pension or social security, because they evaded taxes just to make a living.

[@MMT_Rod]

A bit more history that Dave didn’t entirely cover…. In the early US, nobody received tips because slaves were forced to work for free. When slavery was abolished after the civil war, Americans didn’t want to pay former slaves, so tipping became their only source of income. The practice then expanded dramatically in the US to cover many low wage staff, mostly women, who previously received a fixed salary. Wage separation has continued in the US and in some cases is enshrined in US law - minimum wage is lower for low wage workers in restaurants, bars, newspaper delivery, independent contractors, etc…

[@gundalfx]

Your recommendation for Switzerland is the same for Germany, just round up to the next euro if you like, staff is paid a fair wage. But rounding up from 25€ to 30€ is excessive, 5€/CHF is still a lot of money, even for high earning countries like Germany or Switzerland. In Spain/Portugal a tip will be expected at tourist traps but nowhere else (expect affluent establishments).

[@daveinportugal]

Thanks for your perspective 🙏🏻

[@jsilvamaintenance]

Recently l had cruising 11 days from Sidney to north Queensland family of 5 we must paid 18 dollars a day for tips total 900 us dollars. Shocking !

[@zack2396tube]

That's my rule: if I want & liked the service then I have no prob to tip any amount (even a high one), but if the person giving me the service DEMANDS a tip or put me in an awkward situation where the feeling is that I am obligated to do it, then ZERO TIP will be given.

[@JagodaiMalina]

Good content, and it aligns with my observation travelling through Europe. I try to leave around 10% or round it up nicely. I have a question to your American viewers, please dont hate, i am curious. I know many people working in bars and restaurants dont get paid enough. Why is it expected that it is the customer responsibility to pay such a high tip on top of the already expensive food. Why doesn't the responsibility lay with the employer? Don't you think that by leaving those high tips, you enable the system to not pay liveable wages? Who you really support are those business owners, because more many stays in their pocket. Just dont understand it.

[@daveinportugal]

Thanks for the comment and question 🙏🏻

[@econoverse3209]

Because not paying your employees a decent wage has been normalized in America. When people don’t tip, servers see it as an attack on their livelihood since they already get payed less than minimum wage. Instead of the business that is cheating them from their money, the customer that doesn’t tip for mediocre service is seen as “the bad guy”

[@robertcsiki401]

@@econoverse3209 you did not answer the question though did you 😊

[@davidc6598]

If responsibility lies with the employer and they are obligated to pay a higher wage, they will likely just pass on the cost to the consumer, as most companies would. We're going to pay, one way or the other.

[@JagodaiMalina]

I dont necessarily agree. In Europe eating out can be expensive, but not more than in US. Yet, people wotking in service get a liveable wages ​@davidc6598

[@anaustralianinportugal]

Living in Portugal I don't tip unless we are at a cafe or restaurant. And even then it's only leaving some small change. But overall, no tipping it's American.

[@johnnyfinance]

Thank you. Good to know. Tipping culture has gone off the rails in US. Do you find it being any different in the more touristy areas of Portugal such as Funchal?

[@anaustralianinportugal]

@johnnyfinance don't over think it. Just don't tip. The workers get paid a living wage. But nothing wrong with giving a couple of euros for good service at a restaurant. But it's not expected. A lot of places now make you pay at the counter anyway and we never tip at them and they don't expect it. Don't Americanise it basically.

[@bernardo6360]

If the service was especially good, tip. Also if the food was cheap and you have money. But if you are a local going to the same place daily, you don't end up tipping most times. And the workers still get paid

[@Chowtime5481]

Hi Dave. I'm a subscriber of your channel. Please consider doing a video about buying groceries in Portugal from an American point of view like using shopping carts and Baskets, greeting staff, buying produce (Are customers are expected to weigh their own fruits and vegetables at a scale in the produce section?), waiting in line, etc. Thank you for your videos.

[@daveinportugal]

Some grocery stores like Pingo Doce and Auchan require you to weigh your fruits and vegetables before getting to the register. However, others like Continente weigh it for you at the check out

[@anaustralianinportugal]

​@@daveinportugal I have never had to weigh anything. Pingo dolci doesn't seem to do it up north. Might be a southern thing or at the discretion.

[@Rainho1991]

By thumb measure if you leave enought to pay a coffe to the attendant is already good.

[@tamaramadelin4831]

My husband is French and he doesn't like me to tip...I sure do tip for facials, massages, etc. So worth getting regular appointments! My girl performs magic and she is busy. Restaurants/cafes not so much tipping. I do what I want! I just got back from the US and it's ridiculous...Computers start at 20%, but you can adjust to 10-15%...Still too much for bad food/service which happens(more bad food than service), so you can't take that out on the servers!!

[@andreim4343]

we were bad Americans during our trip to Portugal last year. but services in most restaurants were amazing. especially at Tasco in Porto.

[@frapiment6239]

No problem at all to tip but the difference in Europe its that is not necessary unless you really like the service and want to show your appreciation.

[@lokimikko3516]

I tip only if I get served promptly. Here in Europe, it's commonplace for customer service to be rather poor. You'll go into a restaurant with only 2-3 tables being occupied...but it'll still take 10-15min to get drinks (a beer or soda), especially here in Portugal. In the States, people will walk out if it takes that long. I don't think most Portuguese servers/restauranteurs realize that if you provide good customer service, the following will happen: customers spend more, they come more often (becoming regulars), they recommend the place to others (word of mouth)...and with all of this, the place looks busier and people gravitate towards it more often. More business means everyone working there gets paid better (unless the owner is a jagoff). What does that mean? Less incidences of poverty. My wife and I have a restaurant that we go to often because the owner has an entrepreneurial spirit that would make an American business owner blush. His servers promptly greet customers, recommend drinks/dishes, roll out drinks quickly, do touch-ups (almost nonexistent in PT), passionately recommend dessert dishes, joke with customers, and actually say obrigado after payment...instead of just asking if you want the receipt and walking away.

[@prnzssLuna]

I'm German. If there's a service charge included on the bill, I don't tip at all. If it isnt, I ususally round up to the next comfy amount that wont clutter my wallet with annoying small coins. If I pay by card, usually no tip, but I might if the service was great. People here get paid a good wage. But I get really annoyed when they literally ask you if you wanna leave a tip. I was in vienna last year and the server seriously asked "would you like to leave a 15-20% tip? It's common around here". That's a no tip. It's rude af I have never tipped in a hotel. I honestly didn't even know it's normal, or a thing at all tbh

[@andreaw529]

I was in Vienna last year and had a similar experience. The waitress told me 10% is expected. I thought it was odd and a bit rude also.

[@prnzssLuna]

@@andreaw529 The awful thing about that is that it's simply not expected. Not anywhere in Austria. It's appreciated, sure, but never before have I been asked to tip. Vienna is beautifuly, but tourism unfortunately has left its negative mark already and people are starting to become greedy :

[@jamesbaumberger2170]

I remember chatting with a waiter in Paris. I asked: If business is REALLY SLOW, can you still pay the rent? He replied, yes, no problem.

[@daveinportugal]

Very true in Paris

[@emclp1973]

It's a tip, not a salary. I tip if the service is good, but I decide the amount.

[@inspireforshoots]

Hey are you in the Lisbon area currently. Trying to find people here this week as we’re here also and wanna meet up to talk about the process of expating my whole family. And what areas around lisbon would be great!

[@DDanV]

As an European, Portuguese, the default is no tip. Tip is reserved for exquisite meal and service, or merely gratitude. As for how much I'll tip: > coffeeshops: ---- I'll add 20 or round to the nearest 50 cent, the closest to 20 cents tip, if I'm truly grateful for the service and/or meal (may go up to 50 cents even, but that's it). > meals: ---- I'll tip one or two euros, three max, if the service and/or the food was really good. I'll never do a percentage, I'm not trying to pay anyone wages, I'm simply expressing gratitude. > bars: ---- never tipped, given the type of service provided I don't see any reason to. Aside from that I might leave all the black cent coins just because they are annoying and hardly ever useful and are just adding weight and mass to the wallet.

[@paul_domici]

As an American who's been to Spain and Portugal I get the feeling that the waiters expect us to tip since we always do anyway!

[@frapiment6239]

Don't know Spain but in Portugal and France not at all unless probably in very touristic areas but its not necessary unless you really want to do so.

[@annab3184]

It's normal to leave tips at hotels in Europe? Never knew that. Can't even think of why, either, I drag my own luggage. Then again, I don't stay at hotels a lot. Last time I stayed at one in PT, cleaning staff ignored my Do Not Disturb thingy and woke me up too early. Maybe I was supposed to tip so they would leave me alone? :D

[@christopherchalk9849]

I have lived in Lisbon for 5 years and have noticed more recently many restaurants adding the option to tip onto the receipts and the card payment terminals. Some even include it as standard and you have to tell them to remove it. As someone from the UK, this is infuriating, as it puts non-American's (non-tippers), in an awkward position when it comes to paying for the bill and feeling a sense of embarrassment. Please don't export your tipping culture in Europe.

[@robertcsiki401]

Yeah tipping in USA / Canada is most of the time really for nothing, and it is so very expected. It is a shame! 👎Employers must properly pay their employees there.

[@zeitgeist888]

I don't leave a tip worldwide because of society pressure or obligation. I leave a tip commensurate to the service and treatment I receive as well as my situation or status. If I can afford a larger tip for exceptional service I will. If the service is basic or poor I will not leave a tip or a very small one to show I didn't forget. The tip for me is not to compensate for how the worker is paid or not by their employer but for their quality service.

[@daveinportugal]

Thanks for the comment and perspective!

[@RSFMaria]

Here we don't get agressive for a tip. We like tips but not like US

[@daveinportugal]

Thanks for your perspective and comment

[@johanandersson2422]

In rural Porrtugal a tip can be an insult (the same in Spain )

[@ricardosilvaesousa2838]

Not true

[@Diogohenriquescaralho]

Who comes up with this shit? I’ve lived in rural Portugal my entire life and I always tip my friends and familya their cafes and it is always much appreciated. Definitely not as much as Americans but watever Portuguese told you that is cheap and doesn’t take care of their community. Which there is a lot! Just like politicians, greedy fucking crooks

[@johanandersson2422]

@@ricardosilvaesousa2838 I have been told off more then once for beeing a "rich " foreigner insinuating that the reastaurant doesnt pay the staff properly and that they are relying on handouts .

[@alexl0890]

No don't tip.

[@Kelvallontan]

Tipping in Europe is not necessary. A reasonnable tip is a good way to show your appreciation for outstanding service or food quality.