When asked
"Do you tip in Italy?" by locals, they will respond that while they
occasionally leave a modest tip, it's usually not required.
Are you
going to Venice, Sicily, or Rome? There are some fundamental customs in Italy
that may differ from what you're used to, no matter where you go.
Italy
doesn't tip as frequently as other nations, like the US, for instance. An
optional gesture to recognize great service, a gratuity, or "una
mancia," is accepted by locals occasionally in the form of a modest tip.
This guide
discusses when and how much to tip in Italy, as well as if you should tip at
all. Warning: The following is a spoiler for your tour guide. Discover other
circumstances on tipping in Italy when you should never leave a gratuity by
reading on.
Una mancia,
which is pronounced oo-nah MAN-chah, is the Italian term for a gratuity that is
given in recognition of exemplary service. Additionally, tip jars are not
typically found at registers. (One hard rule: Always give your tour guide
money, whether it's for a paid or free trip.)
In contrast
to the United States, tipping extra for restaurant servers or hotel workers is
neither a condition of service nor a strategy to avoid appearing stingy.
However,
there are several circumstances in which giving a tip is unquestionably
acceptable, expected, and appreciated.
This article
discusses whether tipping is appropriate in Italy and, if so, how much to give,
whether it be for an aperitivo and snacks in Venice, the assistance of a hotel
porter or concierge in Rome, or a cab trip from the airport in Milan.
Italy's guidelines: how to
tip in Italy
The quick
response is: Tipping customs in Italy are not standardized. In order to show
your appreciation to the person who serves you, tourists should leave a tip. It
conveys your satisfaction with their assistance. In many situations, tipping is
not expected and is totally up to you; nevertheless, there are certain
exceptions.
Not leaving
a tip is sometimes a sign that you are dissatisfied with the service. The best
course of action is always to tip!
Tipping is
always polite; not tipping might be considered disrespectful. Therefore, keep
sufficient money on hand since leaving gratuities when paying with a card is
uncommon and the machine might not allow you to do so.
Italian tipping: who should
I tip?
In recent
years, attitudes in Italy concerning gratuities have changed. Italian tipping
culture has been impacted by the entry of mass tourists, especially from
nations like the U.S. where tipping is traditional. Even if Italians do tip
occasionally, it's still voluntary and the amounts are often much less.
Understanding
when, how, and how much to tip (or not to tip) in Italy is crucial before
automatically grabbing your wallet to tip at a restaurant or in a taxi. Here
are some typical scenarios and advice on how to deal with them:
Tipping at cafes and
restaurants
In sit-down
restaurants, it is customary to leave around €1 per diner as payment for good
service. You might also decide to add a few euros to the check as a token of
appreciation. Don't leave a tip if you're dissatisfied with the service.
Leave any
extra change as a tip if you're doing as the locals do and ordering your
cappuccino and cornetto at the counter of a coffee shop. Small coins, like 10
or 20 cents, will do to express your gratitude. If there is a tip jar, use it;
otherwise, leave the spare change together with your receipt at the desk.
Read More: The Best Restaurants in Austria
Italian bar tipping customs
In Italy,
tipping is not customary in bars, similar to how it is in cafés and coffee
shops, although leaving change for your waiter is normal. If they are happy
with the service, many locals just round off the bill and give the wait staff
the remaining amount.
Remember
that how much local tips in this situation may depend on how frequently they
visit a certain establishment and how well they know the wait staff. There is
absolutely no need for you as a foreign tourist to tip per drink or to leave a
sizable tip after paying your bill!
Gratuities in hotels
If you're on
a tight budget, you shouldn't tip for brief stays, particularly if you're in
B&Bs, guesthouses, or hostels. However, longer stays and fancier lodgings
could be compensated with a gratuity.
It's
customary to leave them a daily gratuity of €1-2 if the porter assisted you
with heavy baggage or if a specific server truly looked after you throughout
your stay. And if you're a dirty visitor, show the maid who has to clean up
after you the same respect and decency!
Cleaning fee: one euro per
night
In Italy, it
is customary to give the housekeeping crew a euro per night tip. Every-day
tipping guarantees that the individual in charge of delivering fresh towels and
making the bed receives payment.
If you'd
rather wait until the end of your stay, put one euro each day in your room or
in an envelope at the front desk with instructions for the cleaning staff to
split it.
Related: How Much To Tip Hotel Housekeeping
Five to ten euros for a
concierge, depending on the service
arrange
friends with the hotel concierge, who may arrange reservations at restaurants
and provide insider information and trip suggestions.
Give the
concierge between five and ten euros if you use their services. The cost may
vary depending on the kind of service—how specific or challenging was your
request?
If it was
answered without doing any research or contained data that was easily
accessible to anybody with a map or guidebook, leave less of a mark. If the
problem is resolved by finding tickets to a sold-out opera or reserving a table
at a Michelin-starred restaurant, leave more.
Italy's taxi fares
Tipping taxi
drivers is becoming more and more common in Italy, especially when they go
above and beyond to assist their customers. Even yet, it's still rare, so your
driver could be pleasantly pleased if you offer them a tip.
Tipping is
appreciated if you have a driver who is very helpful with your luggage, makes
sure you're comfortable the entire way or goes above and above to get you where
you're going promptly and avoid traffic.
Allowing a
taxi driver to retain the change is the traditional way to tip in Italy. If you
want to express even more gratitude for your journey, you may round it up to
the next euro.
Gratuities for tour
operators and other tourism services
Tour guides
in Italy are a rare exception to the widespread custom of avoiding tipping.
Regardless of whether the trip is free or paid, tipping tour guides is usual
because tips make up a sizable portion of their revenue. The size and length of
the trip will determine how much to tip.
For trips
with a big group, a reasonable gratuity is €5 for a half-day tour and €10 for a
full-day tour.
The
suggested gratuity for small-group or private guided tours is 10% of the tour
price.
Italy's non-tipping
circumstances
Tipping
might be debatable. Tipping is not required and may even be rare in certain
circumstances, such as:
- Restaurants with
self-service: Tipping is not expected at self-service restaurants where you
place your order and pick up your meal at a counter, so there is no need to
give an additional gratuity.
- Sundries and
boutiques: In retail establishments like boutiques, tips are not required. Any
assistance from the staff is included in the item's purchase.
- Service fees
incorporated: Different service fees, called "servizio" or
"coperto" in Italian, may be added to the bill automatically in
specific tourist locations or premium restaurants. You don't need to leave a
second tip in these circumstances.
- Haircuts, spa
services, or salon services: Tipping is not required in Italy for personal care
services. As always, feel free to add a cash tip of up to 10% of the service
charge if the service is exceptional.
It's crucial
to keep in mind that, even if tipping is not required in certain circumstances,
it is always appreciated if you receive great service or simply want to express
your gratitude.
Be liberal,
but not overly generous, while tipping in Italy. It's not required to tip more
than 10% of the entire amount of your bill.
Take part in a tip kitty
Your local
leader may propose operating a group tipping fund, to which everyone pays an
equal amount at the beginning of the tour, on the first day of your trip. Then,
on your behalf, your leader tips taxi drivers, tour guides, and hotel workers.
Any money
left over at the conclusion of the trip is given back to group members. The
leader will keep a running account of every dollar spent, which may be examined
at any time.
This is
frequently the simplest method to avoid the inconvenience of requiring tiny changes
and figuring out when and how much to tip.
Make sure there is no
servizio incluso (tip included) on your statement
Before determining
whether to tip, read the check. On the bill, many restaurants—especially those
in popular areas—will write servizio incluso. In this case, the service fee has
already been deducted from the total, so you only need to pay the amount
indicated on the check. (The word coperto on the bill refers to a separate
cover fee for extras like bread, olives, and other automatic tableside items.)
Ask your waitress about potential service charges to make things simple and
clear up any misunderstandings.
Conclusion
If you
regularly lack the funds but still want to recognize the waiter's hard work,
don't panic.
Use our
cashless tipping app for servers to simply monitor gratuities with our
electronic tipping system. You will gain from the simplicity of a digital
tipping app.
You may tip
using this app that accepts alternatives to cash payments. The good news is
that regardless of the phone's operating system, you may utilize this
electronic tip software on both iPhones and Android cellphones.