Tipping in Germany
Tipping commonEUR (€)
Here's the tip.
Round up and say the total. 5–10% is normal.
Germans tip routinely but modestly — usually by rounding up to a convenient number. The mechanics matter more than the amount: you tell the server the total you want to pay as you hand over the money, rather than leaving cash on the table afterwards.
At a glance
- RestaurantsCommon5–10%
- CafésOptionalRound up
- BarsOptionalRound up, or €1 per drink
- TaxisCommonRound up, or 5–10%
- Hotel portersOptional€1–2 per bag
- HousekeepingOptional€1–2 per day
- Tour guidesCommon€5–10 per person
- Private driversOptional€10–20 per day
Card tipping. Card is now widely accepted but cash remains common. When paying by card, state the total including the tip before the server enters the amount.
- 'Stimmt so' means 'keep the change'. Saying it as you hand over a note is the standard way to tip.
- To tip on a €37 bill, hand over €50 and say 'vierzig' — you want to pay forty, and get €10 back.
- Do not leave coins on the table and walk out. It is not rude, but it is not how it is done.
Tip calculator
- 5%
- —
- 10%
- —
GERMANY
The tipping cheat sheet
- Restaurants5–10%
- CafésRound up
- BarsRound up, or €1 per drink
- TaxisRound up, or 5–10%
- Hotel porters€1–2 per bag
- Housekeeping€1–2 per day
WhatTheTipwhatthetip.com/germany
Common questions
- Do you tip in Germany?
- Round up and say the total. 5–10% is normal. Germans tip routinely but modestly — usually by rounding up to a convenient number. The mechanics matter more than the amount: you tell the server the total you want to pay as you hand over the money, rather than leaving cash on the table afterwards.
- How much do you tip at a restaurant in Germany?
- 5–10%. Round up by 5–10%, stated when you pay. Five percent for a casual meal, closer to 10% at a nicer restaurant. The convention is to round to a clean figure and tell the server that total as you pay, rather than leaving money behind. Bills are usually settled at the table, and splitting a bill several ways is completely normal in Germany.
- Can you tip by card in Germany?
- Card is now widely accepted but cash remains common. When paying by card, state the total including the tip before the server enters the amount.
Other destinations
Editorial review pending. These figures reflect widely reported norms for Germany and have not yet been checked against cited sources.