When I moved to Paris for a year, I discovered that one of the most important things to understand is tipping (gratuities) for services.
I’m an American and I was accustomed to tipping at restaurants and at many other services.
But it isn't always the case in Paris.
I learned when and how much to top in Paris through trial and error -- emphasis on error!
Fortunately, as a tour guide for Tours By Foot, I was able to get advice from my fellow Paris tour guides, who themselves make a living from tips.
They explained the Parisian perspective on tipping and once I understood the etiquette, I had no problems.
Now when I visit Paris, which I do often, I’ve got tipping down pat. No more moments of confusion or embarrassment.
Here are the most important things to know, which I will explain in more detail in this post.
- Tipping is not expected in France.
- Nevertheless, tips are still very much appreciated.
- Even waitstaff in restaurants do not expect tips!
- Never feel bad or awkward about not leaving a tip.
Below, I’ll cover where you might want to tip and how much to tip.
I also give you some insider ‘tips’ on tipping!
At the bottom of this post are suggestions on tipping from locals and travelers.
I included this because I feel it’s useful to hear from others with different experiences than mine.
Before I go into the specifics, I think it is useful to understand the culture of tipping in Paris.
Tips are never expected in France.
Workers in many professions earn a living wage with benefits and are not dependent on tips to get by.
However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn't tip. It’s up to you.
The concept behind tipping is not so much to help someone earn a living, but rather to reward good service.
I like to tip if the service is good. I always leave cash which is what service industry workers prefer.
Here are the most common people and places in Paris where you may want to consider tipping and how much.
Again, it is not expected, but it is a nice thing to do for very good service.
Taxi Drivers
No tip is expected.
Still, it is polite to tip a little bit, unless your driver was rude or took you the long way around to your destination running up the meter.
The question is “How much to tip”?
For a relatively short ride within Paris, (15 to 20 minutes), a tip of €1-2 is fine.
If your taxi ride was long, for example to the airport, leave 5–10% on top of the fare.
Feel free to tip more if your driver was excellent, for example, if you have a lot of heavy bags and they got out of the taxi to help.
Once, I had a driver who told me about the sites we were passing on the ride. It was like a mini-tour.
That was lovely and I tipped well.
As for Uber and rideshare apps, it is the same. No tip is expected. But you can if you are happy with your driver.
Restaurants
This is the area that needs a bit of explaining.
First, waitstaff are not expecting a tip. Sounds weird, right? But it’s true!
Waitstaff in France receive a salary, health care and even paid vacations.
Next, tips are built into the check at cafés, restaurants, bars, etc. There is a 15% service fee automatically included by law.
This is called service compris. It’s essentially a built-in tip.
You will see these words on your bill but even if it isn’t clearly indicated, the 15% service compris is included.
If you want to leave a simple tip, you can round up the bill amount. For example, if your check comes to €9, you can round up to €10.
If the service was very good, it's nice to leave 5 - 10%.
If service was excellent or you plan on returning to the restaurant and want the wait staff to like you, 15% is appropriate.
I always carry coins and small bills with me since it’s best to tip with cash.
If you are paying for your meal with a credit card, there is no place on your bill to write in a tip.
This is changing, however, due to a new temporary measure put in place by the French government.
A small but growing number of restaurants, especially those that draw foreigners, have credit card machines that allow you to add a tip before the payment is processed.
Even using these machines, a tip is NOT expected or required.
The machine will have pre-set amounts, most likely in percentages, though it may have a flat amount of euros.
You may see the word autre (other) and you can enter a custom amount.
You will have the option to choose rien, which means nothing.
Speaking of checks, when you are ready for yours, ask your waitstaff, "L'addition, S'il Vous Plaît" (
This means "The check if you please".
Cafés & Bars
Again, like restaurants, tipping is not expected.
But it is nice to do, especially since you don't have to leave a lot.
For coffee or drinks, it's usual to just round up the price, somewhere between 20 cents and €1 per drink.
If the cafe or bar is especially busy, or you want the bartender to remember you, bump it up to a few euros.
And bartenders really do remember good tippers!
Have cash with you and leave the tip on the tray without making it obvious.
By the way, in France, the drinking age is 18 and is strictly enforced in public.
Many French people are comfortable with youth as young as 16 drinking wine with dinner, but that is still illegal.
Hotel Service
Room Service - 15% of the total bill, but make sure it is not already included in the bill.
Concierge - €1-€4 for each time they assist you or you can leave one large tip at the end of your stay.
Bellhop or Doorman - €2 minimum with €1 for each additional bag.
Housekeeping - €2 - €4 per night for each person in the room.
Theaters
At theatrical performances, (opera, concerts, plays, ballet, etc.) there are theater ushers who assist in conducting these shows and maintaining attendance.
If you experience great service from an usher, it's encouraged to give a small tip.
Salons, Hairdressers and Barbers
You are not expected to tip the person who does your hair or manicure.
But it is customary among locals to tip 5% of the total bill.
If you are especially pleased with the outcome, tip more.
Bathroom Attendants
You will discover that some bathrooms charge a small amount to be used. Keep coins with you!
Even if they do not, if there is a bathroom attendant it’s kind to leave small change.
It’s not the funnest job in the world.
Food Delivery
Again it is not expected. A lot of delivery is done via car so making deliveries is not hard work.
If your delivery person shows up on a bike, a tip is a nice gesture. If it’s pouring rain, also consider a small tip.
Tour Guides
Most tour companies pay their guides an hourly or per-tour salary.
But the guides for Free Tours by Foot do not receive any compensation other than tips from guests.
This guarantees that your guide will be working hard to give you the best tour experience possible.
We do realize that travelers are on a budget. That is why our tours are offered on a pay-what-you-like basis.
It is free to join our tours (but please make a reservation). At the end of a tour, you decide what your experience was worth.
The beauty of our pay-what-you-like system is that you can factor in your budget, the length of the tour, and the quality of the tour when deciding how much to tip, or if to tip at all.
Guests of Free Tours by Foot Tours tip, on average, a minimum of €5-€7 per person.
You can certainly tip more if you have a fantastic time. We think you will!
Carry €1 bills
Have small bills handy for when you are ready to tip.
If you only have large bills, tipping gets complicated.
It's awkward to ask for the large bill to be broken so that you can leave a few euros.
Tipping for large groups
Many restaurants include the tip for parties of 6 or more, so look at your check for this before tipping.
Avoid double tipping
Again, a 15% service fee is always included in your check by law. Look for the words "Service Compris" for example.
By tipping at all you are in effect double-tipping. That’s not to say you should never say anything.
Take a look above at our suggestions on tipping in restaurants, cafes and bars.
Scams
While rare, a waiter in a touristy restaurant may secretly add a 5% tip to the bill when you’re paying by credit card.
Make sure the amount matches what is on your check.
Occasionally you may have a waiter who tells you that tipping is expected, or perhaps even required.
If they know you are a tourist - especially an American - they may try to take advantage of the fact that you would normally tip back home.
They may say outright that service is not included in the bill.
FALSE. A 15% service fee is always included in the bill. It’s the law.
They may pressure you by explaining that it’s required to tip. FALSE. Don’t fall for it.
The first time this happened to me, I questioned my judgment and left a tip.
Afterward, I was so annoyed that I fell for it.
The next time it happened to me years later, I left NO tip! Why reward a scammer?!
Suggestions From Locals and Travelers
Although I have done my best to provide unbiased suggestions about tipping etiquette in Paris, you shouldn't just take our word for it.
As such, we've included several recommendations from locals and travelers who use Facebook groups such as Paris Travel Tips And Plan.
Several locals note that there really isn't a tipping culture in France, so you don't have to worry all that much about percentages when you're spending money.
That said, even some users who point this detail out will still recommend tipping for particularly good service.
One common sentiment among these Facebook group members is the idea that tipping culture in other parts of the world has become ridiculous.
While many will agree, this just gives travelers another excellent reason to consider visiting Paris!
Although it's not expected and most people in France don't bother tipping, there are some who still insist on doing so when they receive good service.
Hey, our tours are tip-based, so our guides won't disagree with that, just so long as it is understood that it isn't always necessary in Paris.
One thing a lot of people correctly point out is that restaurant workers in Paris benefit from a 15% service fee, so you don't even have to feel bad if you don't want to tip!
Even so, most service workers will appreciate any tip you might want to give them.
For more helpful advice and suggestions, make sure to visit the Paris Travel Tips and Plan group on Facebook.
Alternatively, you might want to check our very own Paris Travel Tips Facebook group!
Related Posts
