Whether to tip, and how much, overseas
THE art of tipping has always been a tricky one to master. When should you do it? When not? How much should you leave?
And surprisingly, these are all questions which still cause widespread unease, especially when abroad.
A dilemma that strikes every holiday-maker, tipping might be customary in most Western nations but in other parts of the world, if you leave money on the table post-meal you could run the risk of offending staff.
Luckily, the Good Housekeeping Institute has put together a handy infographic to help you get it right.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the US topped the list with the biggest restaurant tip, with waitrons expecting to be left anywhere between 15% and 25% of the bill.
Spain, Portugal, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand fell close behind with diners anticipated to leave between 10% and 15%.
The information also reveals that tipping is not expected in many south-east Asian countries but is appreciated.
That service is often included in the total cost of a meal in France, although many still leave a 10% tip out of courtesy.
In Japan and China, tipping in restaurants and taxis are both frowned upon and should be avoided.
“In Japan, there is a no-tipping culture and you may offend your waiter if you try to give him some money, while in America, tips are very much expected, and it’s rude if you don’t leave anything,” Sara Benwell, consumer editor at Good Housekeeping said.
She added that while most countries don’t expect you to leave a tip at the bar, in the US it’s customary to leave $1 (R13) per drink.
All this extra tipping can add up so it’s important to carefully investigate your destination of choice before travelling. Otherwise, you could end up seriously out of pocket.
“You could find yourself having to pay a fortune in unexpected currency withdrawals,” Benwell said. “In places like America, for example, forgetting tips when you’re budgeting could see you spending almost 25% more in local currency than you planned for.
“Making up the shortfall while you’re abroad will likely lead to high charges on cash withdrawals and poor exchange rates, making your holiday far more expensive than it needed to be.”
In Japan and China, tipping is frowned upon and should be avoided