Tipping in Italy: Do’s, Dont’s, & How To NOT Be an A*Hole Tourist
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Real talk… Do you tip in Italy? If so, when? And how much?
I’ve spent months in Italy over the last few years, from Milan all the way to Sicily and the island of Sardinia. Here are a few things to know so you’re NOT that tourist who has no clue what country they are in.
In Italy, a tip is a sign of appreciation and, therefore, not mandatory or expected. Here’s the gist of tipping etiquette for my fellow Americans and first-timers to Italy.
✅ Tipping at restaurants depends on the service – most Italians round up the tab with a few small coins or leave a max of up to 10% for excellent service.
✅ If Servicio Incluso (tip included) has already been added, there is no need to leave an extra tip. This is different than the coperto, which is not the same thing as servicio (I’ll explain later).
✅ Tipping in Italy is done in cash, so have some euros on you!
Personal Embarrassing Story: I once tried to leave a 25% tip for a dinner I loved in Sicily, like I would in Austin. This meant leaving €25 on the table. My Italian friend took it, gave me back €15, and left a tip of only €10. He said, “In Italy, we actually pay our wait staff decent wages. Do as the locals do, not as the American tourists do!”
Stories aside, there is etiquette when it comes to tipping taxis, tour guides, restaurants, bars, and hotel staff. In general, tipping in Italy is not expected or required unless you receive exceptional service – at which point a few Euros is best.
Quick Guide: Tipping in Italy
Here’s the nuts and bolts of tipping in Italy. And when I say “up to 10%”, I mean it. I usually average tipping between 5-10% in those cases.
What Is The Tipping Etiquette in Italy?
Different cultures have different cultural norms around tipping for various reasons. Americans are conditioned to leave 20% at every meal at a restaurant, while some countries in Eastern Europe are used to leaving no tip.
PRO TIP WHEN TRAVELING TO ITALY: If you’re traveling in Italy, make sure you have travel insurance for any incidentals. I use SafetyWing Nomad Insurance because they are really responsive, and the price point is great – about €40 a month for me. Not trying to be your mom about this, but shit happens…
So what’s the tipping etiquette in Italy? The short answer is “no need to tip, but it is appreciated when the service goes above and beyond.”
A few quick tips on tipping etiquette in Italy:
✅ Tipping at restaurants depends on the service – you can leave nothing or up to 10% of the meal.
✅ If Servicio Incluso has already been added, no need to leave more tips. This is different than the coperto, which is not the same thing as tip (I’ll explain later).
✅ Tipping in Italy is done in cash, so have some euros on you!
✅ No need to tip taxi drivers or Uber drivers.
✅ Yes, tip your tour guide (€5-10 or 10% of the cost of the tour)
Remember that in Italy, a tip is a sign of appreciation, a small token to say, “I see you, and I loved what you did there!”
How Do You Tip in Italy?
The short answer is cash, left on the table when you leave and after you’ve paid your bill.
My first mistake as an American in Italy was not carrying cash and thinking I could add on a tip on my credit card, but because of reporting and taxes, this is not how it works in the cash-forward country of Italy.
Your best bet is to always be carrying small change cash with you, as you never know when you need it. Again, most tips should be given to the person directly or left on the table in cash after you’ve paid your bill.
How Much To Tip in Italy?
How much to tip in Italy depends on the scenario, but usually, when it comes to food, it is up to 10% of the bill at a restaurant if you receive wonderful and attentive service.
It can also be a couple of euros (not the small coins, but the €1 or €2 coins) for little bite snacks, an aperitivo, or a drink service at a bar.
For tour services, it can be €5-10 at the end of a great tour. For hotel scenarios, €1-2 to the porter or housekeeping, and the list goes on from there – check out the Quick Guide at the top of this post!
When Do You NOT Tip in Italy?
A few DON’Ts when it comes to Italy tipping etiquette, from ‘when not to tip” to ‘how not to tip‘.
❌ Don’t tip if you received average service (or little attention). The idea of tipping culture in Italy is to reward excellence.
❌ No need to tip for little things like gelato, an espresso, or street food. A simple grazie mille (thanks!) will suffice. Don’t be that tourist leaving €2 as a tip for a €1 espresso.
❌ No tips are required for spa services like massages, hair services, or mani/pedis.
❌ Don’t be the a*hole leaving 10 – 20 cent Euro coins on the table for anything. The custom is to leave the bigger €1-2 coins for smaller tips in Italy when appropriate.
❌ There is NO need to leave a 30% tip for your restaurant dinner no matter how good it is, or you will risk being accidentally rude or incredibly out of touch with the reality of the Italian tipping culture.
❌ Don’t slip cash into a person’s hand or pocket like a sneaky Eastern European grandma (mine!) as a form of leaving a tip. Ew, personal boundaries! Just leave it on the table when you leave.
The sad reality for me as an American was realizing how conditioned we are to supplement our service industry folks with 20 – 30% tips because we know how little they are paid for the hard work they do.
This comes in stark contrast to Europe, where service industry people are paid more fairly, and being a waiter at a restaurant can be a viable career path.
Is It Rude Not To Tip In Italy?
In Italy, tipping isn’t as customary or expected as it is in some other countries, like the United States. Here’s the deal: Service charge (servizio) is often included in the bill at restaurants, indicated as a line item. This means that the staff are already being compensated for their service. However, it’s still considered a nice gesture to leave a little extra if you’ve received exceptional service. This doesn’t have to be much—rounding up the bill or leaving an extra euro or two is perfect!
For other services, like taxis, bars, or hotel staff, small tips are appreciated but not mandatory. Remember, it’s all about acknowledging good service rather than adhering to a strict tipping protocol. I for one don’t tip taxis or hotel staff, but I do leave a little bit of a tip at bars, especially if I’m planted there for hours.
So, is it rude not to tip? Not at all. But if you’ve had an experience that’s enhanced your day or your trip, leaving a small token of appreciation is a kind way to say “thank you.” It’s one of those travel tips that aligns well with the desire for cultural immersion and understanding that I love.
Do You Need Cash In Italy To Tip?
Yes, having cash on hand in Italy is a good idea, especially for tipping. Most of the time when you’re paying with a credit card in Italy, you can’t add a tip afterward – unlike in America – so you can’t leave a tip on the credit card. Plus, cash is often preferred for small tips at cafes, bars, and other small services.
It’s more straightforward to leave a euro or two on the table or hand it directly to the service staff when paying with cash.
Common Scenarios: When Tipping is Expected In Italy
Here are a few scenarios you might be hit with and what to do in each case so you appear to be well-versed in the Italian ways. 🤗
Tipping in Italy at Restaurants (Up To 10%)
While there are no standard rules like in America if you’ve received exceptional service, a 5-10% tip max is appreciated. Otherwise, a few euros left on the table when you leave is also fine for good service. If the waiter has been rude or slow, there is no need to tip (and trust me, this will happen).
As an example, if you have a dinner bill of €47, it’s appropriate to leave €50 and just not ask for change. It’s also OK to just leave a €2 coin if you are paying with a card, and this is what you have on you to leave on the table.
➡️ Check for extra fees on your bill, like Coperto or Servizio! ⬅️
✔️ “Coperto” is literally a tax applied just for sitting down at the table and occupying space – it is not an included tip. This is a bit controversial and old school, so you’ll see some restaurants include it and some do not. This can be about €1-2, and you may get a few breadsticks or olives/chips just for sitting down to start as part of that fee. By the way, you can eat those, you already paid for them! 🙈🤣
✔️ “Servizio” means service/tip included on your bill, so if this shows up on your tab, there’s no need to add extra if the service was great.
Tipping at Bars and Cafes in Italy (Not Necessary)
No need to tip for an espresso or a coffee. Just sit down and enjoy the little boost of joy that only an Italian espresso gives you. You are perfectly on-brand and look like an Italian local paying with your €2 coin for an espresso and people-watching like everyone else!
Tipping Tour Guides In Italy (Absolutely)
Ah, this had me all sorts of confused when I arrived in Europe, especially as there are free tours and guided tours, paid tours, and tours done by the owner of the tour. Tours on tours on tours, each one slightly different.
When in Italy, a €5-10 cash tip at the end for free tours is appreciated, especially if it’s great. Similarly, for a paid guided tour. There is no need to leave a €40-50 tip (or 10% of a more expensive tour) as that is a bit too much.
Tipping Taxi Drivers in Italy (Not Necessary)
No need to tip a taxi driver in Italy, on the taxi apps, or on the Uber App, especially as Uber is already super expensive in Rome and other big cities: Is there Uber in Rome? Yes, But…
You can tip a little if the taxi driver is especially helpful with local recommendations, gets you through traffic at lightning speed, or helps you with your bags… think rounding up your €7.50 fee to €8 and calling it a day. The best way to do it is by giving them the rounded cash amount and having them ‘keep the change’.
Tipping Etiquette for Italian Hotels (A Couple of Euros)
Similar to everything else in the non-existent rule book of tipping in Italy, small gestures for helpful hotel staff are appreciated but not mandatory.
For room service or housekeeping, €1 for every day you are having them turn your room is nice. I was also surprised that most hotels in Italy (at least those I’ve been to) do not provide housekeeping unless you put a specific sign on the door.
I’m not sure if it’s due to short staff, COVID-related, or just because it’s more eco-friendly not to wash your towels and sheets after one use. Either way, if you want it, ask for it. And drop some spare change to show your love to the hard-working staff.
This etiquette also applies to porters or bellhops who help with your bags, a few Euro will be just fine.
In Conclusion: Do You Tip In Italy?
Tips in Italy are considered more of a gesture of gratitude than an obligation and are appreciated for exceptional service.
Here’s the wrap-up on tipping culture in Italy.
✅ Tipping in Italian Restaurants and Bars
In restaurants, a service charge called “coperto” may already be included in your bill; this is not a tip, but a cover charge for the bread and olives that come “for free”. Go ahead and eat them, you’re already paying for them because of an antiquated law that probably won’t change in our lifetimes.
Back to Italy’s tipping culture. If the service is exceptional where you’re eating, leaving an extra 5-10% of the total bill is a generous way to show your appreciation. For bars, rounding up to the nearest euro for an aperitivo or drink is common.
✅ Tipping Taxis Drivers in Italy
For taxi drivers, rounding up the fare to the nearest euro is common, especially if they help with luggage or provide a smooth and speedy (non-smoking) ride.
For private transfers or longer journeys, a tip of around 5-10% is considered generous.
✅ Hotel Service Tips in Italy
In hotels, tipping is not expected, but it is welcomed for good service. You might consider leaving €1-€2 per night for housekeeping, and the same amount for porters per bag.
✅ Tipping Etiquette for Tour Guides and Other Services
For tour guides, around €5 for a half-day or €10 for a full day per person is typical.
For other services, such as hairdressers or spa treatments, a small tip is also appreciated if you’re pleased with the service.
Remember, while tipping in Italy is not mandatory, it is a kind way to acknowledge service workers who go above and beyond to make your experience special. The “tip sparingly” culture in Italy doesn’t mean you need to be stingy, just thoughtful when you do it.
