Should I Tip in Italy? Hmm... kind of.

The short answer is: no, or just a little. The long answer is, sometimes it's a good idea, depending what you're doing.

I'll explain.

In Italy, tipping is different. Many of us, especially Americans, find it a bit cringeworthy to leave a place without tipping. But in Italy, tipping little or nothing is relatively common, as the culture surrounding tips is quite different.

In general, though, just know that a tip is not necessary. That's a pretty good rule to follow in most cases.

Here’s why you shouldn’t feel bad:

In Italy, the waiters have higher working standard. They’re paid more per hour (in the US, waiters often make $2 or less per hour, relying solely on tips). They also have national health insurance, and sometimes get paid holidays.

In fact, it’s actually a bit strange to tip a lot here. If you gave 20% (the typical American tip amount), I wouldn’t be surprised if your waiter refused to accept it. It would be obvious that you’re making a mistake.

I’ve had quite a few conversations with Italians who are surprised, and even think it’s funny that we tip so much. Of course it all makes a lot more sense once I explain that waiters in the US are hardly paid at all, and everyone knows they rely on tips as income. In Italy, however, the waiters do not rely on tips the same way as they do in the US.

What and who you should tip:

Typically, Italians leave their change when they leave a bar or restaurant. This could be just a few cents, or a few euros. If you buy a beer at a bar, it’s common not to tip anything.

If you feel that your service was exceptional, giving a 10% tip could be a good idea, and rounding up to the nearest euro is always okay.

Italians rarely tip taxi drivers, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Again, rounding up to the nearest euro, or leaving a tip of 10% would be a good idea. This is especially true if the driver helps with your luggage. He might expect a tip in that case.

A tip might also be expected for tour guides. A euro or two per person is a safe bet to thank the guide.

If you’re staying in a hotel, tip €2–€4 if someone carries your bags to your room, if you get room service, if there’s helpful concierge, or if there’s maid service.

When it comes to fancier dinners, in my experience, even at a bigger family meals out, the tip is small. At a nice restaurant with many people, just a few euros is perfectly fine.

Speaking of eating out...

What’s the coperto?

When you eat at a table, you will be charged more. This is called the “coperto”, and no one is taking advantage of you as a tourist. It's simply a small amount you must pay if you sit at the table, rather than stand at the bar.

If you go to a cafe (what Italians would call a bar), avoid eating at a table to save a few euros. You’ll probably see a lot of people eating something and having a coffee while standing at the bar. That’s because it costs less to do that.

At famous places, this coperto charge can be quite expensive, as much as 4 euros per person, in addition to whatever you’ve already bought. Usually the fee is written on the menu somewhere, so if you must sit, look for that first. The coperto is an easy fee to avoid, so otherwise, join the Italians standing instead.

So, when it comes to Italy, most of the time, you don't need to tip, especially for food and drinks. Hospitality services need a small tip.

So sit back (well, maybe stand) and enjoy the delicious food and drinks Italy has to offer, and don't get caught up about calculating 20% of the bill.

#culture #europe #money #italy #generalcountrytips