In the US, tip 18–20% of the pre-tax bill at a full-service restaurant — this isn’t optional generosity, tipped staff are often paid a lower base wage on the assumption tips cover the gap.
In the UK and France, 10–15% is standard, and many bills already include a service charge — check for “service compris” or a service line before adding more on top.
Across Austria, Germany, Italy, and Greece, round up the bill or add roughly 5–10%; handing cash directly to the server rather than leaving it on the table is the norm.
In Japan, Korea, and China, don’t tip at restaurants at all. Good service is assumed to already be built into the price, and offering a tip can confuse or mildly offend staff — some will follow you outside to hand the money back.
- Cash is often preferred over adding a tip to a card slip, especially outside the US, since it goes directly to the worker rather than through payroll.
- When in doubt, check the bill for a service charge line first — tipping on top of an already-included service charge is unnecessary almost everywhere.