An Essential Guide to Tipping in Italy
-
Loading... - Chantal Dubois
- 27 Apr 2023
- 63 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
Basic tipping etiquette in Italia should be as easy to grasp as learning to love vino, da Vinci, and Vespas.
If you ask locals “Do you tip in Italy?”, they’ll explain that while they sometimes leave a small tip, it’s generally not necessary. In Italy, gratuity (or una mancia, pronounced oo-nah MAN-chah) is considered a bonus for exceptional service. And it’s not often that you’ll find a tip jar at a register. (One firm exception: Always tip your tour guide, both for paid and free tours.) Unlike in the United States, leaving something extra for restaurant servers or hotel staff is not a quid pro quo requirement or a way to avoid looking like a cheapskate.
However, there are cases when leaving a gratuity is absolutely appropriate, expected, and appreciated. Whether for an aperitivo and snacks in Venice, the services of a hotel porter or concierge in Rome, or a taxi ride from the airport in Milan, this guide covers whether you should tip in Italy, and, if so, how much to leave.
Tipping at restaurants and cafés depends on the service
When it comes to tipping at restaurants, Italians will tell you they only tip on truly exceptional service or when dining in the finest restaurants. Even then, they usually only tip an extra 10 to 15 percent, or often just the change left over from the bill.
Unlike the United States, waitstaff in Italy are paid a living wage, and tips do not make up the majority of their income. Go ahead and follow their custom or, if you think the service was great and you want to leave more, feel free to do so.
For more casual restaurants, such as table service for a gelato at a café, leave the change from the bill, up to a couple of euros, as a tip. But if you do as so many locals do and drink your espresso while standing at the counter, no tip is expected. Read More…
