Published 18 October 2026
Enter your bill, pick a country preset, and split the tip in seconds.
The math is simple: tip = bill × tip %, total = bill + tip, and per person = total ÷ people. What makes European tipping tricky is not the arithmetic but the local custom — which is why the country presets exist. In Germany and Austria, for example, the tradition is to round up and hand the total directly to the server with the words "Stimmt so" ("keep the change"), while in France a 15% service charge is already baked into menu prices by law.
A useful rule: if the bill already lists a service charge (common in France, Belgium and Denmark), the staff are already compensated — anything extra is a bonus, not an expectation. Where no service charge appears, 5–10% for good service keeps you comfortably within local norms almost everywhere in Europe.
Typical restaurant practice by country (customary ranges, 2026):
| Country | Typical tip | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 5–10% | Round up; hand it directly — "Stimmt so" |
| France | 0–5% extra | 15% service compris already included by law |
| Italy | 5–10% | Coperto (€1–3 cover charge) is not a tip |
| Spain | 5–10% | 5% at bars, up to 10% at restaurants |
| Netherlands | 5–10% | Rounding up is common and appreciated |
| Belgium | 0–5% | Service usually included; round up |
| Austria | 5–10% | Same "Stimmt so" tradition as Germany |
| Ireland | 10–15% | Unless a service charge is listed |
| Greece | 5–10% | Cash preferred |
| Portugal | 5–10% | Optional but welcomed |
| Sweden | 5–10% | Service often included; extra is a bonus |
| Denmark | 0% | Service included; tipping is uncommon |
Lena and three friends have dinner in Berlin. The bill is €86.40 and the service was great:
In a Berlin restaurant, Lena would simply tell the server "€95, stimmt so" when handing over her card or cash.
Tipping in Europe is customary but rarely mandatory. In most countries 5–10% for good restaurant service is appreciated; in France and some others a service charge is already included by law.
A good rule of thumb is 5–10% of the bill for sit-down restaurants: 10% in Germany, Austria, Poland and Ireland; 5–10% in Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal; in France the 15% service compris is already included, so an extra few euros is optional.
No. French law requires restaurants to include a 15% service charge (service compris) in menu prices, so the tip is technically already paid. Leaving a little extra for exceptional service is a kind gesture, not an obligation.
Coperto is a per-person cover charge (€1–3) common in Italian restaurants, covering bread and table service. It is not a tip — a small additional tip of 5–10% is still appreciated for good service, though never expected.
Cash is king for tips across Europe: card-machine tips sometimes never reach the server, and in Germany and Austria the tradition of handing the tip directly with the payment ("Stimmt so") is still strong. Keep small euro notes and coins handy.
Rounding up the taxi fare (€1–2 extra) is the norm; a 10% tip is generous. For hotels, €1–2 per bag for porters and €1–2 per night for housekeeping left in the room is a thoughtful standard.