The Ultimate Guide on How Much to Tip in 25 Countries Around the World

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May 12, 2015, 02:15 ET

LOS ANGELES, May 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- To help summer travelers navigate the tricky process of tipping in a foreign country, GOBankingRates released an ultimate guide to tipping in 25 of the most popular overseas vacation destinations, from Australia to the United Kingdom.

The tipping guide lists the services for which tips are expected, the percent tip that's appropriate and how to deal with awkward tipping situations in each country. For example, in Austrian restaurants, a service charge is included in the bill, though customers are expected to round up (with a simple "Danke" sufficing to mean "Keep the change"). Meanwhile, in many parts of China, it's illegal to tip taxi drivers; in fact, no one tips for most services, except tour guides.

Read the complete tipping etiquette guide here: http://www.gobankingrates.com/personal-finance/much-tip-traveling-25-countries/

"It's not until you leave the United States that you realize how strange American tipping etiquette is," said Casey Bond, GOBankingRates' editor in chief. "In fact, in many countries across Europe and Asia, service charges are either already factored into the prices or automatically included in the bill; on the other hand, in some countries in Asia, it's customary not to tip at all. It's important to read up on how much to tip in the country you're visiting, or risk overspending, offending someone or embarrassing yourself."

Highlights From the Tipping Etiquette Guide:

Brazil: Restaurants often write a 10% service charge on the bill but don't require that you pay it.
France: According to French law, all bills in restaurants carry a 15% service charge — not paid to the waiter, but the proprietor, who factors it into the staff's salaries. As such, tipping in France is less of a custom.
Greece: Some restaurants don't allow staff to keep their tips — it's best to ask beforehand.
Iceland: Service fees will be already included in almost everything you buy, so tipping isn't expected.
India: Tourists are expected to tip almost all service workers except taxi drivers.
Ireland: There's not a huge tipping culture, but a good rule of thumb is 10%.
Italy: Tipping in Italy is fairly transparent, as service charges are often displayed on menus — and you may be charged for the tablecloth or silverware, too.
Japan: Tipping in Japan isn't mandatory, and in many cases tips will be returned.
Spain: Tipping in Spain is more a matter of manners than necessity: It's considered polite to leave at least something, whether it's small change or rounding to the nearest Euro.

For details on tipping in Australia, the United Kingdom and the Philippines, plus 22 other countries, read the complete tipping etiquette guide on GOBankingRates.com.

About GOBankingRates

GOBankingRates.com is a leading portal for personal finance and consumer banking information, offering visitors the latest on everything from finding a good interest rate to strategies on saving money, investing for retirement and getting a loan. Its editors are regularly featured on top-tier media outlets, including U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, Business Insider, Daily Finance, Huffington Post and more. It specializes in connecting consumers with the best financial institutions and banking products nationwide.

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SOURCE GOBankingRates