At RestaurantsForKings.com, we cover restaurants by occasion — and whether you're closing a deal, taking a first date, or proposing, getting the end-of-meal moment right matters. This guide is a reference for international diners across all seven occasions. For city-specific dining guides, browse all 100 city guides. For occasion-specific advice on selecting the right restaurant for each moment, see our Close a Deal, First Date, Impress Clients, Proposal, Birthday, Solo Dining, and Team Dinner guides.
Tipping at Restaurants Worldwide: Country-by-Country Guide
Nothing undermines a carefully chosen dinner faster than the wrong move at the bill. In Japan, leaving cash on the table is an insult. In the United States, leaving 10% is a signal of dissatisfaction. In France, doing the mental arithmetic of a percentage is unnecessary — and widely considered unnecessary. This guide covers tipping norms at restaurants across 30 countries, with specific guidance for fine dining occasions where the stakes are higher and the customs more observed.
North America: Where Tipping Is a Wage System
In the United States, tipping is not cultural courtesy — it is a structural component of the compensation system. Federal law permits restaurants to pay tipped staff as little as $2.13 per hour (states vary, but the federal minimum remains among the lowest in the developed world), with the expectation that tips will bring compensation to at least minimum wage. In practice, the restaurant industry operates on the assumption that servers will earn the majority of their income from tips. This is not a tradition that travellers can opt out of without causing genuine financial harm to the people serving them.
The standard tip in the United States in 2026 is 20% of the pre-tax subtotal for adequate service. 25% for exceptional service. 15% is the minimum that reads as intentional rather than oversight — it signals that service was adequate but did not exceed expectations. Below 15% communicates dissatisfaction and should only be left when something specific has been handled poorly. For large groups, most American restaurants add an automatic gratuity of 18–20%, which appears as a line item on the bill — verify before adding more.
At fine dining restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and other major markets, the automatic 20% calculation is standard. For a business dinner at Le Bernardin or Per Se, budget 20–25% of the pre-tax total on top of the menu price. For the Midtown Manhattan dining guide and deal dinner recommendations, see our best NYC restaurants for closing a deal.
In Canada, tipping culture mirrors the United States at 15–20%. French-speaking Quebec sits slightly lower in practice — 15% is more commonly observed — though 18–20% is increasingly standard in Montreal's fine dining scene. In Mexico, 10–15% is standard, with 15–18% expected at high-end restaurants in Mexico City and beach resort areas where international dining culture predominates.
Europe: The Continent of Varying Customs
Europe's tipping norms vary more than any other continent, and the variations are worth knowing precisely because they have implications for business dining. Getting this wrong at a client dinner in Paris or London signals unfamiliarity with local culture — which is exactly the impression a well-chosen restaurant should prevent.
In the United Kingdom, tipping is expected but not at American levels. The standard at a London restaurant is 12.5% — which appears as an optional service charge on most bills at fine dining establishments. You are legally entitled to have this charge removed if service was unsatisfactory. For good service at a mid-range restaurant, leaving 10–15% is standard. At three-star establishments — Core by Clare Smyth, The Clove Club — the 12.5% service charge is calculated and added; paying it without question is the norm at these price points. Check your bill before adding cash, as double-tipping at UK fine dining restaurants is a common error among American visitors.
In France, service is legally included in all restaurant prices (the bill will read "service compris"). No additional tip is obligatory. Rounding up the bill by a few euros or leaving €2–€5 in cash for particularly attentive service at a bistro or brasserie is common practice. At three-star restaurants — Guy Savoy, Le Cinq — leaving a small cash tip (€20–€50 for a two-person dinner of several hundred euros) is a gesture appreciated by the service team but entirely optional. For the Paris dining guide across all occasions, see the Paris restaurant guide.
In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the custom is to round up the bill rather than calculate a percentage. For a €87 dinner, paying €95 is typical. For exceptional service at a formal restaurant, 10% is appropriate. Giving a specific round number to the server when paying (rather than leaving cash) is the local custom — say the amount you intend to pay, and the server returns any change beyond that figure. Switzerland's restaurant prices already reflect the country's high labour costs; service quality is built into the price.
In Spain, tipping is appreciated but not structurally necessary. Spanish restaurant workers are paid at living wage levels; the economic imperative of American-style tipping does not apply. At a tapas bar, leaving small change is common. At a formal restaurant in Madrid or Barcelona — including Disfrutar, where the food warrants the occasion — rounding up or leaving 5–10% in cash is a generous gesture. Do not calculate a percentage; leave a round number that feels appropriate to the meal.
In Italy, a coperto (cover charge) is standard — a fixed amount of €1.50–€4 per person that appears on the bill. This is not a tip and is not optional. Beyond the coperto, leaving 5–10% for good service at a formal restaurant is appropriate but not obligatory. At restaurants of the Osteria Francescana tier, a small cash tip is a meaningful gesture for a kitchen team that has invested considerable effort in the meal.
In the Netherlands, Scandinavia (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland), and Portugal, tipping is optional and genuinely so — server compensation is included in menu prices at a level that does not create the structural dependence on tips that exists in North America. At Copenhagen's Geranium or Alchemist, rounding up or leaving a small cash amount acknowledges extraordinary effort without being obligatory. In Portugal, rounding up the bill by a few euros is the common gesture at casual restaurants; 5–10% at formal establishments is appreciated.
East Asia: Where Tipping Can Be an Insult
Japan is the most important country to understand for any international business traveller. Tipping in Japan is not merely unnecessary — at formal restaurants, it can be received as condescending. Japanese service culture holds that providing excellent service is part of professional pride and is compensated through the restaurant's pricing. The act of leaving additional money implies that the server is working for something beyond that professional standard. Cash left on the table will, in most cases, be returned to you politely.
The only exception is at ryokan — traditional Japanese inns where a cash gratuity placed in a special envelope (pochibukuro) can be given to the okami-san (the head hostess) on arrival, in appreciation of the service you anticipate. This is a specific cultural gesture with its own protocols, not a generalisation of the American tipping model.
In China, tipping is not expected at local restaurants. At international hotels and fine dining establishments in Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong catering primarily to international clientele, a 10% service charge is typically added to the bill. In Hong Kong specifically, the 10% service charge is standard at formal restaurants, and the residual service charge model — where the service charge goes partially to the restaurant rather than entirely to staff — means an additional 10% cash tip for exceptional service at places like Lung King Heen is a meaningful supplement. In mainland China outside of international hotels, tipping remains uncommon and unexpected.
In South Korea, tipping is not customary and many restaurants will decline it. Service charges at upscale restaurants in Seoul are often included in the bill. Attempting to leave a tip at a traditional Korean restaurant may create awkwardness; attempting to do so at a pojangmacha (street food stall) will produce confusion.
In Singapore, a 10% service charge and 9% Goods and Services Tax (GST) are added to virtually all restaurant bills — making the effective addition to a menu price approximately 19% before you consider tipping. No additional tip is expected or necessary. For the Singapore fine dining guide, see the Singapore restaurant guide.
Southeast Asia: Emerging Tipping Culture
Thailand, Indonesia (Bali), Vietnam, and the Philippines traditionally did not have tipping cultures. That has changed significantly in tourist and international restaurant markets. At high-end restaurants in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Seminyak, or Manila that cater to international clientele, 10% is an appropriate tip. At local restaurants, rounding up or leaving small change is a generous gesture. The economic rationale for tipping in these markets is clear: restaurant wages in Southeast Asia remain low relative to the service standard provided at the best establishments.
In Malaysia, a 10% service charge is added at most formal restaurants. No further tip is required, though leaving small change is appreciated. In Vietnam, tipping is not expected at local establishments but 10% at international restaurants in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City is widely appreciated by a service workforce that earns a small fraction of what European counterparts earn.
Middle East: Service Charges and Cash Customs
In the United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi), a 10% service charge is standard and appears on all formal restaurant bills. The service charge does not always go directly to staff — at large hotel restaurants, it may be pooled differently — and leaving an additional 10% in cash for exceptional service at Dubai's finest restaurants is therefore both common and appreciated. For the Dubai restaurant guide and fine dining by occasion, see the Dubai guide.
In Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council states, a 15% service charge and 15% VAT are applied at formal restaurants, making the total addition to menu prices significant. No additional tip is obligatory. In Israel, tipping at 10–15% is standard at sit-down restaurants. In Turkey, 10% is the common gesture at a formal restaurant; rounding up is acceptable at casual establishments.
South America: Moderate Tipping in a Varied Landscape
In Brazil, a 10% service charge is added to restaurant bills by law and is not removable. No additional tip is required, though leaving cash beyond the service charge for exceptional service is a generous gesture at fine dining establishments. In Argentina, 10% is the standard tip at a sit-down restaurant. The economic volatility of the Argentine peso means that tipping in a stable foreign currency (dollars, euros) at upscale Buenos Aires restaurants is received with genuine gratitude.
In Chile and Peru, 10% is standard. In Colombia, a 10% "propina voluntaria" (voluntary tip) appears as a line item on many bills — you can ask for it to be removed if you prefer not to pay it, but accepting it is standard. In Mexico, 10–15% is appropriate at casual restaurants; 15–18% at formal establishments and tourist-area dining.
Australia and New Zealand: Tipping Without Obligation
Australia and New Zealand operate on minimum wage structures that eliminate the structural necessity of tipping. Australian minimum wage in 2026 is among the highest in the world; a café worker, a restaurant server, and a kitchen hand are all paid at a level that does not require supplementary income from customer gratuities. Tipping is therefore genuinely optional — not in the European "technically optional but expected" sense, but in the sense that a server in Sydney will not experience financial hardship from a table that does not tip.
That said, tipping 10% for excellent service at a formal restaurant in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, or Auckland is widely appreciated and has become more common as Australian dining culture has internationalised. At tasting-menu restaurants charging $200+ per person, a 10% tip in cash acknowledges the considerable effort of the kitchen and service team. For the Sydney and Melbourne dining guides, see the respective city pages.
A Note on Service Charges at Fine Dining Restaurants
At restaurants charging $200–$500 per person for a tasting menu — Le Bernardin, Narisawa, Guy Savoy, Core by Clare Smyth — the question of tipping requires specific attention. In the United States, the pre-tax total of a $350-per-person tasting menu for two is $700, on which 20% represents $140. This is the correct amount to tip for adequate service at this level; it is not optional, regardless of the headline menu price. At European three-star restaurants, the service charge is typically included; read the bill before adding anything. At Japanese three-star restaurants, add nothing. The country-specific customs above override the restaurant's price tier.
For a complete reference by dining occasion and city, see our guides to the best NYC business dinner restaurants and the best Tokyo first date restaurants, both of which include tipping guidance specific to each city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is tipping expected at restaurants in Japan?
No. Tipping in Japan is not customary and at formal restaurants can cause confusion or be perceived as condescending. Service quality is considered an integral part of the dining experience and is built into the price. Leaving cash on the table will typically be returned to you politely. At upscale ryokan, a cash gratuity in a special envelope given to the head hostess on arrival is a specific cultural gesture, but this does not generalise to restaurant dining.
How much should I tip at a restaurant in the United States?
20% of the pre-tax total is the standard for adequate service at a sit-down restaurant. 25% for excellent service. 15% is considered minimal and signals that service was adequate but unremarkable. Below 15% communicates dissatisfaction. For large groups, check whether an automatic gratuity has already been added before leaving additional cash. At counter-service and fast casual establishments, tipping is optional.
Do you tip at restaurants in France?
Service is legally included in all French restaurant prices (service compris). Leaving an additional tip is entirely optional. Rounding up by a few euros or leaving €2–€5 in loose change is a common gesture at casual restaurants. At three-star establishments, a small cash tip (€20–€50 for a two-person dinner) acknowledges exceptional service without being obligatory.
Do you tip in Australia?
Tipping in Australia is not obligatory. Service workers are paid at minimum wage levels among the highest in the world. Tipping 10% for genuinely excellent service at a formal restaurant is widely appreciated and increasingly common. At fine dining establishments charging $200+ per person, 10% in cash acknowledges the kitchen and service team's effort and is the appropriate gesture at this price tier.