Tipping in South Africa

At a glance

• Restaurants●●●Expected10–15%
• Cafés●●○Common10%
• Bars●●○Common10%, or R10–20 per round
• Taxis●●○Common10%
• Hotel porters●●○CommonR10–20 per bag
• Housekeeping●●○CommonR20–50 per day
• Tour guides●●○CommonR100–200 per person, per day
• Private drivers●●○CommonR100–200 per day
• Boat & yacht charters●○○Optional10% of the trip price

Card tipping. Card tipping is easy and universal, portable terminals come to the table and prompt for a tip before you enter your PIN. Cash is still preferred for car guards, petrol attendants and safari staff.

• , Car guards watch parked cars in return for tips. R5–10 when you return to your car is the norm.
• , Petrol stations are full service. R5–10 for filling up, more if they clean the windscreen or check tyres.
• , Larger restaurant tables sometimes have a 10% gratuity added automatically. Check the bill.

Common questions

Do you tip in South Africa?

Tipping is expected. 10–15% is the standard. South Africa has a strong, well-established tipping culture. Service wages are low and unemployment is high, so tips are a real and expected part of income, for waiters, guides, porters, car guards and petrol attendants alike. Ten percent is the floor and fifteen is normal for good service.

How much do you tip at a restaurant in South Africa?

10–15%. 10% is the minimum, 15% for good service. Waiters in South Africa earn a low base wage and rely on tips. Ten percent is the expected default and 15% marks genuinely good service. Check the bill for an automatic gratuity on larger groups before adding more.

Can you tip by card in South Africa?

Card tipping is easy and universal, portable terminals come to the table and prompt for a tip before you enter your PIN. Cash is still preferred for car guards, petrol attendants and safari staff.

Other destinations

• Australia
• Austria
• Croatia
• Egypt