Tipping for Rome transfers

[CLEMM]

We have booked private transfers from the airport to our hotel in Rome and then from the hotel to the port. How much should we tip the driver. I'm not familiar with Italy tipping norms.

[riffatsea]

There is no normal tipping culture in Italy.

You can tip if someone does something special for you but it is not necessary or expected. I suppose the only exception might be those people who have been exposed to lots of USA tourists who tip as if they were at home.

[letsgo39]

There is no normal tipping culture in Italy.

You can tip if someone does something special for you but it is not necessary or expected. I suppose the only exception might be those people who have been exposed to lots of USA tourists who tip as if they were at home.

 

Exactly,no tipping in Europe,not part of the culture. In restaurants for exceptional service we have rounded up to the next Euro.For example if meal is 22.50 euro we have left 23 euro for extraordinary service.

[CLEMM]

Thanks, good to know. I think I will feel funny not tipping, but if that is the norm... Perhaps I will give just a little extra.

[cruisemom42]

Exactly,no tipping in Europe,not part of the culture. In restaurants for exceptional service we have rounded up to the next Euro.For example if meal is 22.50 euro we have left 23 euro for extraordinary service.

 

The situation is not quite as cut and dried as this -- tipping occurs and is appropriate in Europe, just not at the levels we have in the US. The reason for this is that all servers make a minimum wage and do not depend on tips to make up the difference. However, there are a lot of nuances regarding tipping, and it is definitely NOT the same in all European countries. I would certainly leave more than than half a euro at a sit-down restaurant in Italy.

 

To answer the OP's question, I would echo Riff and say that unless a driver does something out of the ordinary, there is no need for a large tip. You could just round up -- here is where I'd say to give 23 euro if the fare was 22.50. However, if you have heavy bags that the driver handles for you (e.g., takes into the hotel or gives to porter at port), you might tip slightly more.

 

When I talked to an acquaintance in Italy, her explanation on how Italians tip made sense -- they consider most jobs to be professional, and the thought is that they strive to do a good job not because of tips but because they take pride in what they do.

 

Of course, this philosophy has been diluted in a great many tourist locations in Italy (and throughout the world), and sad to say that quite a few waiters, drivers, etc are used to American tipping and consequently expect it, where they wouldn't dream of expecting it from Italian patrons. :rolleyes:

 

P.S. There are a lot of guidelines available for tipping in Europe, easily searchable on the internet. I suggest reading several of them and then deciding what seems reasonable.

[screwcork]

Exactly,no tipping in Europe,not part of the culture. In restaurants for exceptional service we have rounded up to the next Euro.For example if meal is 22.50 euro we have left 23 euro for extraordinary service.

 

Well, I would feel it a little bit provokative to receive 50 Eurocents for "extraordinary service" - then it would be better to give nothing at all!

 

Screwcork (from Europe)

[letsgo39]

Well, I would feel it a little bit provokative to receive 50 Eurocents for "extraordinary service" - then it would be better to give nothing at all!

 

Screwcork (from Europe)

 

 

Than you would get nothing I guess.:D

 

Wanted to add that many of the places we have eaten in Italy and France have a extra charge already included on the bill.

 

As far as taxis go there is usually 1 euro extra charged for each bag.No problem at all.

[riffatsea]

When I suggested that you tip for especially good service I also had more than 1/2 euro in mind!! Rounding up to the nearest euro would be just for an everyday ordinary meal.

The service charge you see sometimes added onto a bill in Italy has nothing to do with tipping. It is truly a charge that the restaurant adds for giving you "service". There is also often the pan e coperto charge which is for bread whether you eat it or not. These are just part of the price of the meal so just go with it. They will be written down so you won't be totally surprised.

[samavarcruiser]

In most restaurants, you may find both “il coperto” and “servizio incluso” written on the menu. “Il coperto” is the cover charge, which is generally one or two Euro, and which takes care of things like bread before the meal and a glass of tap water. “Servizio incluso” means that service is included, meaning they’ve already figured in a tip for you – it’s usually around 15% – so the total due on your final bill is all you’ll owe. If the service has been particularly outstanding or you’ve had a great experience, you can compliment the waiter by leaving a couple Euro on the table.

Tipping after a meal is only done if you don’t see “servizio incluso” on the menu, or you specifically see “servizio non incluso” (service not included). In those situations, a 10% tip is fine, left in cash on the table or handed right to your waiter.

[Jdell]

Despite the 'no tipping culture' philosophy, we always tip. We recently used a car service from Rome to Port. Each way was 150 euros and we gave the driver an additional 20 euros.

 

I do concur with what the previous poster said about "Il coperto'--which drives me nuts (especially when it can be 5 euros a person) and when the restaurants assess that fee, I am not inclined to leave as much tip.

[dot73]

Tipping and how much to tip is a personal choice. Personally, I always tip for excellent service and do not tip for lousy service.

 

I recently used Romecabs for a transfer from FCO to Civitavecchia and from Rome hotel to airport. I tipped 10 and 5 Euros respectively because the service was excellent and both drivers were very helpful to us ladies with the heavy baggage. On the transfer to Civitavecchia, the driver stopped for me at a supermarket to pick up water and wine and then made sure a porter came straight to the van to get our bags. On our hotel-airport transfer, the driver went out of his way to find us a luggage cart when none was nearby available. Although tipping is apparently not necessary in Italy, I found the service by the private companies to be excellent and the tip was always greeted with a very nice thank you.

[agabbymama]

We also used Rome Cabs for our transfer from hotel to Civitavecchia. The fare was 30 EUR pp for 6 = 180 EUR then we each tipped the driver 5 EUR x 6 = 30 EUR tip. The driver was so helpful, getting our luggage in the rain into the van quickly. Then a nightmare drive to the port in the pouring rain. Then getting the porter to transfer our luggage, thankfully the rain had stopped by the time we reached port.

 

Then for the independent tours we took, we felt that 5 EUR tip was sufficient for any of the drivers. They weren't guides, just drivers.

 

However, the taxi driver we had in Naples (just hired at the pier when our original plans fell apart) was so good, he stopped wherever we wanted to stop, was so concerned that two elderly ladies were traveling in Europe without a man, took so much care when he dropped us at Pompeii and walked back to meet us when he couldn't park close to where he told us to meet him, then on to Sorrento where he recommended a restaurant, escorted us across major streets, carried our purchases to the cab, all in all such a nice young man. We decided to tip him 20 EUR each. it was our best day of the 21 day trip. It was like watching Lives of the Rich and Famous, only we were living it.

 

So tipping is totally up to the individual. Have a great time.