We have been very confused with tipping in Spain , this video has been so helpful especially as we now live in Spain and going out for coffee / lunch was getting a little pricey. This knowledge has removed so much pressure and guilt:)
Thank you so much for the link to this video...I had not seen it. You have made me so comfortable to travel now in Barcelona. I ride the tube in London and the subway in NYC so now know I can easily ride the bus and Metro so will not need to spend my money on taxis to get around. Your videos are the best!
Glad to hear we made you feel comfortable about your upcoming trip. Public transportation in Barcelona is brilliant. Your main concern: always place your valuables on a location out of reach for pickpockets. All the best!
Oh wow. I definitely over-tip. But I always will. I don't feel guilty. In the U.S., servers do not earn a living wage. Tips are how they make ends meet. Although, one night in Sevilla, we super-tipped the tapas servers because we had such a wonderful time. It was like paying for dinner and a show. The next night, when we went back, they surprised us at the end of the evening and refused to let us pay for anything. I still tipped again as we had another great time with them.
Thanks, Peter. That's the thing, as explained on the video, waiters in Spain earn a living wage, just like many other workers. So tipping is Spain is, above all, a reward mechanism. But the great thing is that you are free to tip the way you prefer. All the best!
Great video again - thank you so much.Just for comparison - in Slovakia the tipping practice is exactly the same / follows the same principles. So if you ever visit, you can simply stick to what you'd usually do at home. 🙂
Your channel has the best information. I wonder with the current inflation rates if the percentage of never tippers has increased. The US is such a tipping culture. Even cafés and ice cream shops expect a tip. I’ll just remember my German roots when tipping, with a touch of American style for good service. Thanks for another great video!
I live in Belgium now but have lived across Europe over the last 25 years and have learned that although tipping is not always usual tipping taxi drivers and waiters/waitresses will guarantee good service next time. (At some restaurants they remember my name and what I like to eat) During Covid I couldn't go out but even after 2 years of not going to one restaurant they still remembered my name and welcomed me - even giving me a hug :-) . Most of the taxi drivers I use in Antwerp not only know my name but also where I live and some even remember that I have epilepsy and ask me how that is now. Tipping is a good idea if you want to get great service later.
Indeed they are, but in the video we describe what the common practice is. In recent times, tips are becoming a rarer event, due manly to the widespread use of electronic means of payment.
Great video. Just wanted to see what is the expectation for larger groups (8+) ? In the US restaurants actually force you to pay a minimum of 20% with large groups
Hi Ariel, in highly touristic restaurants there might be some sort of arrangement for larger groups. Other than that, the same principle explained on the video applies to smaller groups. All the best.
Between 10 and 15€. Free tours are a gigantic scam, for that money you could hire an official guide tour with proper salary and decent working conditions. Working for a tip is not something we wish to anyone.
It's up to you. In the case of so-called "free tours" (which are anything but free, the biggest scam in the recent tourism history), a tip of between 15€ and 20€ is being requested.
A video giving tips on tipping, how titillating, sorry.... Thnak god your not going crazy, here in Vancouver Canada tipping is getting out of hand with machine preset at 15-30% and your given the cold shoulder if you "only" tip 10%
Very interesting and informative about Spanish tipping culture. Just to share we totally do not tip in Singapore, and no one expects a tip too. There is no need to feel good or bad about tipping or not tipping respectively :)
thank you for this advice! if the booking doesn't fall through I'll be going on my first vacation to spain soon :) now from what I understand the spanish "rules" are pretty similar to german tipping culture so when my brain malfunctions I can refer to my default programming, thats comforting to know ;)
I’ve just returned from a week long trip to Barcelona and was so glad I had watched your videos on transport and ticket options from the airport into central Barcelona. Flying into T2 we bought the T10 Casual then took the R2 train to Passig de Gratia. So simple and cheap! Thanks for such good concise and well presented travel information.
I am in Lisbon. When we got our check, waitor asked if we want to add tip. We felt odd, we did end up tipping him. Is tripping culture the same in Lisbon as Spain?
Hi, the tipping culture in Portugal is the same in Spain. The waiter must have sensed you might come from a country with a tipping culture and made a question you never hear in non-tourist restaurants. If you are not extraordinarily pleased with the service, can leave no tip, no problem at all.
I’m on my 6th trip to Spain and, for the first time ever, a waiter in Granada said the tip wasn’t included in the bill. I had read about this happening in France (service compris: service included), but I had never heard of this in Spain. I just left my last 2€ coin and moved on, but I wouldn’t have tipped otherwise.
Hola, this is not a typical question but do you know if you should tip at the casino? In America when playing poker and I win a big pot, I tip the dealer. Do you know this answer? Gracias!
Are you talking about agency tours? The fee you are going to pay covers tips. But if you are happy with the service provided, give whatever you feel like it.
That is entirely up to you. On hotels of 1 to 3 stars, locals will never leave a tip. On four or five star hotels, do as you would do back home, but most locals wouldn't leave a tip either.
Saludos desde California! Estoy planeando un viaje a Madrid este verano. Me gustaria saber donde se podria hacer cambio de moneda de dolares a Euros. Que tipo de agencias ofrecen estos servicios en Espana? Gracias, estoy encantada con su canal.
Hola Edith, en este canal todavía no tenemos un vídeo sobre ese asunto, pero en nuestro canal en español, sí, aquí: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dxXEeBpabBI.html
Hola Tony, gracias por hacerme saber de su canal en Español, estoy encantada con sus videos. Para mi es muy importante verlos porque ofrecen mucha información para visitantes como yo, desde que empecé a verlos me siento menos estresada y más entusiasmada por mi viaje. Saludos desde California!
