Tipping in Vietnam
Appreciated, not requiredVND (₫)Tips: cash only
Here's the tip.
Not a local custom, but tips are welcomed in tourism.
Vietnamese people do not tip each other, and there is no expectation at a street food stall or a local café. In the tourism economy, guides, drivers, hotel staff, cruise crews, small tips are normal, appreciated and a meaningful supplement to low wages.
At a glance
- RestaurantsOptionalRound up, or 5–10%
- CafésOptionalRound up
- BarsOptionalRound up
- TaxisOptionalRound up
- Hotel portersCommon20,000–50,000₫ per bag
- HousekeepingOptional20,000–50,000₫ per day
- Tour guidesCommon100,000–200,000₫ per person, per day
- Private driversCommon100,000–200,000₫ per day
- Boat & yacht chartersCommon100,000–200,000₫ per person, per day
Card tipping. Card tipping is not really a thing in Vietnam. Tip in cash, in dong rather than dollars.
- Tip in dong. US dollars are accepted in some tourist businesses but at a poor rate, and small dollar bills are hard for staff to change.
- Upmarket restaurants and hotels may add a 5% service charge plus 8–10% VAT.
- Street food and local eateries are not tipped.
Tip calculator
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VIETNAM
The tipping cheat sheet
- RestaurantsRound up, or 5–10%
- CafésRound up
- BarsRound up
- TaxisRound up
- Hotel porters20,000–50,000₫ per bag
- Housekeeping20,000–50,000₫ per day
WhatTheTipwhatthetip.com/vietnam
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Common questions
- Do you tip in Vietnam?
- Not a local custom, but tips are welcomed in tourism. Vietnamese people do not tip each other, and there is no expectation at a street food stall or a local café. In the tourism economy, guides, drivers, hotel staff, cruise crews, small tips are normal, appreciated and a meaningful supplement to low wages.
- How much do you tip at a restaurant in Vietnam?
- Round up, or 5–10%. Round up at local places, 5–10% at a nice restaurant. Nothing is expected at a bánh mì cart or a local quán. At a proper sit-down restaurant aimed at visitors, rounding up or leaving 5–10% in cash is normal and well received. Check for a service charge line before adding anything.
- Can you tip by card in Vietnam?
- Card tipping is not really a thing in Vietnam. Tip in cash, in dong rather than dollars.
Other destinations
Reviewed by Greg Kockott on 3 September 2026.
Compiled from widely reported guidance for Vietnam. Not yet source-checked.