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How we research tipping

Tipping customs are not published in a registry. There is no official rate. So rather than claim an authority that does not exist, here is exactly what we do and where every country currently stands.

The standard

  • Every figure is checked against at least two independent published sources, listed on the page with the date they were consulted.
  • Hard facts, wage law, service-charge rules, tax, currency changes, are cited to primary sources such as government departments and legislation.
  • Cultural norms have no primary source. For those we corroborate across independent, reputable references, and where they disagree, the guidance says so rather than picking a winner.
  • Nothing is marked as checked unless it was. A page that has not been source-checked says so, on the page, in plain words.

Two separate claims

Editorial review means a named person has read the guidance and approved it. Source-checked means each figure was verified against the references listed on that page. They catch different mistakes, so we record them separately and never let one imply the other.

All 25 destinations carry an editorial review, and all 25 are fully source-checked.

What we will not claim

Not “verified by locals”, not “official tipping rates”, not “guaranteed accurate”. Customs vary by region, by venue and by year. Treat every figure as a well-informed starting point and use your judgement on the day.

Spotted something wrong? Tell us , corrections are the fastest way this gets better.

Status by destination