Is tipping customary in any circumstance?

[washiotter]

I just want to make sure I’m not going to cause any offense or disappointment. Is it true that you don’t tip *anyone*? 
 

Waiters? Cab drivers? Bartenders? Someone who helps with your luggage? Tour guides for a paid tour? 

(Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Estonia.)

[hallasm]

In Scandinavia, it is not a common practice to tip tour guides, and it is not expected.

Gratuity is already included in the  price, and waiters, cab drivers, and tour guides are all paid a fair wage. No need for tipping.

 

However, if you feel that your waiter, taxi driver or tour guide went above and beyond their duties and provided exceptional service, you may choose to tip them as a gesture of appreciation.
Ultimately, tipping is a personal choice, and it is up to you whether or not you want to tip.

[Host Bonjour]

On 5/22/2023 at 3:08 AM, hallasm said:

if you feel that your waiter, taxi driver or tour guide went above and beyond their duties and provided exceptional service

 

Maybe it would be helpful to provide examples of what this might look like. We see a lot of questions like this on various boards because the difference in cultural practice (and how people get paid) is so deeply built in to the way people experience service culture in the U.S. In fact, a recent article in The New York Times discussed how it might be going too far, with counter service and take away places adding the option to tip at checkout terminals. Tipping culture has gone wild.

 

So what would a local even consider an extraordinary level of service or attention to detail that warranted going against cultural norms? This might be a helpful way to shine a bit more light on the topic for people so that everyone feels comfortable while encountering folks who are assisting them during their journey.

 

Coming from a culture where even take-away and counter service establishments are vying for tips (it's understood the cashier would be getting paid an hourly wage) via the Square terminal or similar device that gets swung around toward the customer to select the tip rate (!!) on any variety of transactions, not only for food, it would be super helpful for examples of what someone living in-country considers worthy of an otherwise non-tipping situation. 

 

Of course the tips/wages issue is a topic for another place. Just looking for specific examples here, not the reasons, solutions, debate.

I tipped here only when: [describe experience]

 

Thank you!! 🙂

 

Colleen

 

 

 

 

[kaisatsu]

Since this is all completely personal and nuanced, the easiest answer is just don't tip. It is never mandatory.

 

A typical Norwegian dining experience is as follows: The guests are seated and receive menus. The waitperson takes drink and food orders. The drinks and food are served. Water glasses may be refilled. The customers indicate they want to pay. The waitperson brings the bill and the payment terminal.

 

It's about efficiency, not attentiveness. "Good" wait staff by Norwegian standards will be easy to flag down when you need them but will not typically be chatty, and unless you are in a fine dining situation, they may not come by to check on you, assuming you will flag them down when needed.

 

If the wait staff makes extra effort to solve a problem, accommodate a seating request, answer questions, etc. you might give them some small tip. However, it absolutely should not be expected, and it is perfectly fine not to.

 

At a bar, if the bartender makes recommendations, answers questions, etc. I will typically round up to the next 5 NOK increment. For example, at a tap room with several beers on tap, if I have questions like "How sweet is the stout on tap #9?" I will probably  round up from 127 NOK to 130 NOK.

 

Any app-based purchase (e.g. at places where you order at the table) that have a tip option during payment are annoying, and a tip probably won't even be noticed by the relevant parties.

[kaisatsu]

1 minute ago, kaisatsu said:

If the wait staff makes extra effort to solve a problem, accommodate a seating request, answer questions, etc. you might give them some small tip. However, it absolutely should not be expected, and it is perfectly fine not to.

Examples: Finds a way to shuffle tables around to seat a larger party than the layout intended. When asked how long the restaurant has been open, provides interesting context about the history and conception that seems relevant to your inquiry. Follows up on a special request or substitution to ensure it's handled correctly.

[Host Bonjour]

1 hour ago, kaisatsu said:

A typical Norwegian dining experience is as follows: T

 

Thank you @kaisatsu for the detailed description of dining and the taproom/bar, and the follow up with particular details! This is exactly the type of insight that I think will be helpful and might enlighten things for travelers.

 

I remember the first few times I was at a cafe or restaurant in Europe, it took me a bit of time to understand why it took so long to get the bill. I finally realized that it wouldn't be brought to me until I asked, which I've come to appreciate (and wish was practiced here more often, though I notice better practices) so much. 

 

I knew to expect not to be rushed at all, but with the payment, I was surprised, I don't know why. Once I got the idea, I knew what to do.

 

I people feel unsure with tour guides/taxis/drivers, (something someone in-country might not experience, but perhaps when traveling??) because it seems now, even tour companies are mentioning gratuities on websites, possibly because they realize that some guests are accustomed to tipping. Change isn't easy for some folks and they worry that if they don't, it somehow will impact their experience. 

 

I think this is why it helps to reinforce what the cultural norms are and that people aren't making faces behind people's back when they walk away. This is just how it is outside the U.S. in a lot of countries. 

 

Thanks again for the valuable contribution! 🙂 

[Travelling2Some]

Here is an example of "above and beyond":  We had just picked up a rental car from the airport and were unfamiliar with some of the technology.  We were having trouble getting a couple of features to work.  We asked the parking valet at our first hotel if she knew what we were doing wrong.   She took quite a bit of time getting everything set up for us.  No way that was part of her job description and we were very grateful.

[Apel]

On 5/22/2023 at 1:37 AM, washiotter said:

I just want to make sure I’m not going to cause any offense or disappointment. Is it true that you don’t tip *anyone*? 

 

Basically, yes. At least you don't have to tip anyone, and people won't be offended or call you names behind your back. 

 

On 5/22/2023 at 1:37 AM, washiotter said:

Waiters? Cab drivers? Bartenders? Someone who helps with your luggage? Tour guides for a paid tour? 

 

 

Tour guides? No tipping as long as you have paid for the tour. Taxi drivers? No tipping, although you can round up to the nearest 10 kr if paying in cash. Bartenders? For a simple order, like opening a bootle of beer, pouring a glass of wine or making a "simple" drink, no tip. Although if the bartender is giving you a lot of recommendations or you have a very complicated order, a small tip is not a bad idea. Someone who helps you with your luggage? No tip, although I'm struggling to see where I'd find someone helping me with my luggage that isn't a taxi driver or works at a hotel. Waiters? You can leave a small tip (5-10%) if you want, but there is no need to and you can just pay the amount on the bill. 

[kaisatsu]

In Oslo, taxis cost a fortune, so I never tip. Usually I’m too busy recoiling from the cost to even think about it, and often (usually) there isn’t even an option.

 

The only situation where a tip should be considered is if you join some kind of free walking tour. Not a free tour offered by a museum you are visiting or a city’s visitor office, but some kind of independent tour where the person works solely for tips. They aren’t super common, but I have seen some listed in the local events info. (Of course even then it’s still not required.)

[gnome12]

5 hours ago, kaisatsu said:

The only situation where a tip should be considered is if you join some kind of free walking tour. Not a free tour offered by a museum you are visiting or a city’s visitor office, but some kind of independent tour where the person works solely for tips. They aren’t super common, but I have seen some listed in the local events info. (Of course even then it’s still not required.)

Some of those free tours charge the guide to list on their platform. In that case, if you don't tip, the guide is actually losing money.

[cavecreekguy]

Thank you this has been very helpful to me.

[Host Bonjour]

Thanks everyone for following up and providing examples.

 

I've asked the same question on other Port boards and while I know it's not as common for locals to do tourist-y things in their home cities, we all still do things in some settings that visitors are asking about or, perhaps when hosting guests to our home city, suddenly find ourselves a temporary tourist (which is fun sometimes 😉 ) and so it's a little easier to imagine situations where visitors might envision a scenario that they thought a tip was expected, but as everyone has thoughtfully explained here, it is not required nor expected. 

 

Nothing better than real-life situations to help illustrate and confirm that yes, you'll be fine to do as the locals do. 🙂 

 

Appreciate everyone's contributions. 

 

Colleen

[anadi]

So just to clarify....we have a private(not through a company) driver/guide pre-paid in Copenhagen for several hours. From my understanding, it is not required or expected that we tip him?

 

[hallasm]

3 hours ago, anadi said:

So just to clarify....we have a private(not through a company) driver/guide pre-paid in Copenhagen for several hours. From my understanding, it is not required or expected that we tip him?

Correct - tips included in the total price.

[Joanne G.]

I’m on a Baltic cruise now, and yesterday in Stockholm we had lunch in a casual pub-style restaurant.   We had no Swedish currency and paid with a card.  The card reader showed options for a tip in percentages - 10%, 15%, 20% - just as we see in the U.S.   Service was fine, not “exceptional” - we ordered food, the waiter brought food.   But the expectation of a tip was obvious.  Perhaps because we were in a busy tourist location rather than an area frequented by local residents??  I had no problem tipping as we are used to doing so, and I was glad the % options were offered so I didn’t have to do any mental math with unfamiliar currency.  
 

We have been taking Carnival excursions, and we have tipped a couple of the guides who were particularly good.   They seemed appreciative, and others were tipping also.  But I don’t feel the obligation to tip tour guides in Northern Europe as I do in the Caribbean.  
 

Our guide in Denmark was outstanding - informative and entertaining.  I did not have any Danish currency, but he told us he frequently visits the U.S., so I tipped him in dollars.  

Edited July 17, 2023 by Joanne G.

[hallasm]

1 hour ago, Joanne G. said:

We had no Swedish currency and paid with a card.  The card reader showed options for a tip in percentages - 10%, 15%, 20% - just as we see in the U.S.

Unfortunately, it is not unusual for restaurants in tourist areas to have card terminals where they  'request' extra tips. In my opinion it is a scam to exploit tourists. Unlike in the USA, tips are already included in the price of the bill. When I am presented with this type of 'charge' I never pay extra in addition to the bill.

[kaisatsu]

2 hours ago, Joanne G. said:

But the expectation of a tip was obvious.

Just because a place expects tourists to hand over extra money does not mean it's required.

 

I hate these little automated guilt trips, so it's worth reiterating that tipping in Scandinavia is NOT like tipping in the US. Everyone who works in the service industry should be earning a living wage, so you do not need to supplement that in any way.

 

Unfortunately, there are some workers who are exploited in the service and tourism industry (not that tipping on a digital transactional will likely go to them), but it is an issue for the labor authorities - not the customer. In cases where an employer tries to make up for underpaying their workers by encouraging tips, it just perpetuates the problem.

 

So no one should feel guilty for skipping the gratuity. These kinds of situations also make me feel pressured into adding a tip. I didn't realize how much of a drain it actually is until I was in Iceland a few weeks ago, where they don't even give you the option. It was a pleasant relief!

[VMax1700]

7 hours ago, Joanne G. said:

The card reader showed options for a tip in percentages - 10%, 15%, 20% - just as we see in the U.S.

If you could see that sofware it probably stated 'designed in USA' 😂

[gnome12]

I have no problem hitting the other button which gives you a no tip option. I use it here at places that never used to have tipping. (I also used it on Friday at a restaurant where because we were a larger group the tip had already been included; we were actually reminded that the tip was included and to skip the tip.)