Tipping in Peru

At a glance

• Restaurants●●○CommonRound up, or 5–10%
• Cafés●○○OptionalRound up
• Bars●○○OptionalRound up
• Taxis●○○OptionalNo tip
• Hotel porters●●○CommonS/ 5–10 per bag
• Housekeeping●○○OptionalS/ 5–10 per day
• Tour guides●●○CommonS/ 20–40 per person, per day
• Private drivers●○○OptionalS/ 10–20 per day

Card tipping. Cards work in hotels, mid-range restaurants and tour agencies, but not in colectivos, street stalls or rural shops. Carry soles for tips.

• , Inca Trail and Salkantay porters are the exception to Peru's low-key tipping. Lonely Planet puts the going rate at 15–20 soles per trekker, per day, collected and split at the end.
• , Tip in soles rather than dollars. Small notes are hard to get and worth hoarding.
• , Someone who offers to carry your bags at a bus terminal or ATM may be angling for a tip rather than helping. Rough Guides flags this as a common approach in Lima and Cusco.

Common questions

Do you tip in Peru?

Not mandatory, but appreciated and low-key. Tipping in Peru is modest and genuinely optional. Rounding up covers most situations, and 5 to 10% marks good service at a restaurant. Guides, trek porters and hotel staff are the people who actually rely on it, and a few soles carries real weight.

How much do you tip at a restaurant in Peru?

Round up, or 5–10%. Round up, or 5–10% if service isn't included. Rough Guides puts the range at 5 to 10% when service is not already on the bill, and rounding up is fine for a casual meal. Lonely Planet is far higher, grouping Peru with the rest of South America at 15 to 20%, which is well above what Peruvians actually leave. Treat that as generous rather than expected. Check the bill for a servicio line before adding anything.

Can you tip by card in Peru?

Cards work in hotels, mid-range restaurants and tour agencies, but not in colectivos, street stalls or rural shops. Carry soles for tips.

Other destinations

• Argentina
• Brazil
• Colombia
• Australia