While there is a pervasive sense that “tipping is not a thing in Europe,” this is not the case in Europe and it’s country-specific, at least for fine dining. I wanted to share my experience with tipping in Europe.

My thinking on tipping in Europe is that I tip in countries only where tips are expected on top of the bill, as in, service is not included. If service is included in the price, I don’t tip a second time. In a better world, the price of a meal reflects the full cost of running the business, without ambiguity and differences across countries and cultures. Here are some of my experiences with tipping in Europe:

Gourmetrestaurant Nico Burkhardt (1-star) in Schorndorf, Germany. I visited a couple of years ago. It’s a very small restaurant with 4 or 5 tables, with the husband in the kitchen and the wife as the host/server. Before this restaurant, I visited several other starred restaurants in the region. The meal at Burkhardt was decent, except for one dish that I didn’t like. The server said half the people like it and the other half don’t. The service was pretty good, as expected at any starred restaurant.

I get the bill, pay the amount, and leave for the exit. I had to pull my jacket off the hanger myself. The server was standing near the exit. I had always experienced the server or host bringing the jacket to me beforehand. I didn’t think anything of it. As I was passing her, she asked if the service was good. I said everything was good except for that one dish I didn’t like. She reiterated about the service. She proceeded to tell me that I didn’t tip, so maybe something was wrong. I apologized and mentioned that I thought tipping was included in Germany. She said no, it is not, that I needed to tip if the service was good as I go to other restaurants in Germany. I make my way to the door and leave.

During the entire interaction, she sounded very upset and I could see the contempt in her eyes. This was during the latter stages of COVID, where the staff wore masks in Germany. She was also loud. Since the restaurant is tiny, everyone heard this. On top of that, I was the only person there visibly a foreigner. I wonder if they thought that people of “my kind” don’t tip.

I understood why she was upset. Since the restaurant is tiny, she, as the only server, expected tips from every table. She probably could’ve told me this in private though. But I’m glad she told me. Otherwise, I would’ve remained blissfully ignorant of the custom in Germany and continued to not tip people.

The next restaurant in Germany I went to was a 3-star. When they brought the bill, I asked them whether tips are expected. He said yes, in Germany, for sure, around 5-10%. Since then, I paid 10% tip at every restaurant in Germany.

Here are some other experiences, albeit not as brutal, with tipping in other countries in Europe:

Piazza Duomo (3-star) in Alba, Italy: The bill in English said that tips are not included. I wonder if this was only displayed on English bills. It was surprising because I always thought service was included in Italy. But the wording in the bill pressured me into tipping... The service was fantastic though.

Il Pagliaccio (2-star) in Rome, Italy. The bill mentioned that service is not included. I don’t remember if the bill was in English. I was there with an Italian friend and neither of us tipped.

Culler de pau (2-star) in O Grove, Spain: Up until this point, I never tipped at any restaurant in Spain as it’s supposed to be included in the price. The service here was pretty good, as expected. After I paid the bill without adding a tip, the server’s attitude toward me noticeably changed. As I was leaving, I asked her about a painting in the restaurant. She was quite rude in her response.

The food was fantastic and I’ll probably still return if I am back in that area. I have no plans to tip in Spain, unless I’m just wrong about tipping in Spain.

Lasarte (3-star) in Barcelona, Spain. An American couple at the next table asked a server if service was included in the price and he said no. He also said tips are discretionary and you don’t have to tip, if you don’t want to.

Frank’s Kro (not fine dining) in Copenhagen, Denmark. When the server came to collect payment, she brought a tablet showing tip amounts, with 10% preselected. This is the only restaurant in Denmark where I experienced this. I tipped that 10% to avoid any awkwardness.

Koan (2-star) in Copenhagen. When they bring the bill, there is a separate piece of paper asking if you want to tip. I didn’t tip.

Plenitude (3-star) in Paris, France. When the server brought the machine, she smilingly asked if I wanted to pay tip by card or cash. My understanding was service was included in France, so I was surprised by the question. I tipped 10%, to avoid being awkward. Good for her on her gusto. This is still the only restaurant in France that has ever mentioned tips to me.

Sabi Omakase (1-star) in Stavanger, Norway. This was my first restaurant in Norway. I asked some Norwegians about tipping and they were ambiguous. The server (an immigrant from somewhere else in Europe) said they expect tips. I tipped here.

When I was at Maaemo (3-star) in Oslo, I asked the server about it. She said some people tip while others don’t. Their expectations seemed to be based on the diner’s home country. If the diner is from a country without a tipping culture, they don’t seem to expect tips. Not sure if service is included in Norway. I tipped here.

Greece: It was a bit ambiguous for me. The first starred restaurant I visited didn’t ask for tips. Two other starred restaurants asked for tips through the machines, with 5% being the lowest option. I tipped if the machine asked for it. I guess tips are expected in Greece?

Portugal: Every restaurant I visited, fine dining or otherwise, asked for tips. The machine prompted how much to tip. You could skip the tip though. I tipped in most restaurants there.

Sweden: When I asked at Aloë (2-star), the server was ambiguous and said something like “I know it’s not a direct answer and that’s how we Swedes are.” I then asked at Oaxen (2-star, now closed). The server there said that tips are expected and that he also personally tips at restaurants.

Switzerland: I have only been to one starred restaurant, Le Tsé Fung in Geneva (1-star Chinese restaurant). I asked the waitstaff if tipping is expected in Switzerland and he said yes, especially because Geneva is an international city. But he also said I didn’t have to tip, if I didn’t want to. I tipped here. I have also read that there may be a law in Switzerland that tips/service is always included.

Below is my overall understanding of whether tips are expected in various European countries:

  • Austria: yes
  • Belgium: no
  • Denmark: no
  • Estonia: I think service is included, not sure.
  • Finland: no
  • France: no
  • Germany: yes
  • Greece: yes?
  • Luxembourg: yes?
  • Ireland: yes
  • Italy: no
  • Netherlands: yes?
  • Norway: unclear
  • Poland: yes (unless service charge is included)
  • Portugal: yes
  • Spain: no
  • Sweden: unclear
  • Switzerland: no?
  • UK: yes (unless service charge is listed)