Italian Tipping Guide for Americans
I have a friend who is traveling to Europe for the first time and he is confused about how he should tip. He is definitely feeling some tipping backlash but he abides by the US Tipping Guidelines. With that being said, he is clueless on how to proceed since all the experts disagree. Even though I am hardly an expert in anything, I have some strong opinions on money and tips.
Overall, tipping in Italy is not mandatory, but it is expected in some situations and appreciated in others. Many Italian restaurants have a charge added to the bill called a coperto. You don't have to tip additionally though. Coperto, also known as a sitting charge, is a service charge or extra fee that some restaurants in Italy add to a bill for sitting down to eat or drink. It's not a tip, and the money goes to the restaurant, not the server. Coperto is usually listed on the menu and can range from 50 cents to 3 or 4 euros, depending on the restaurant and location.
Here are some guidelines for tipping in Italy:
Restaurants
A minor tip is customary in sit-down restaurants, but only if the service is good or you enjoyed the experience. When we say minor, we mean you round up the bill by leaving a few Euros (so if the bill is 107 Euros, you could leave 3 Euros). Don’t fall for the claim that 10% is the standard tip in Italy because it is only offered as a way to scam Americans. Please be aware that in some restaurants in tourist areas they add a 10–15% service charge to the bill, which is mandatory but the tip is voluntary.
Taxi drivers
A 5–10% tip is ideal, but depends on the city. Some say you can round up the fare, for example, if your fare is 18 Euros, you can leave 20 Euros.
Hotels
A 10–20 euro tip is customary for the concierge because they always get tipped so there is no way around this. For maids, you should leave a tip of 1–2 Euros. You can also tip one Euro per bag for the porter.
Tour guides
A 5–10% tip is typical, depending on the size and length of the tour. For example, you can tip 5 Euros per person for a half-day tour, or 10 Euros per person for a full-day tour.
Other services
Tipping is not expected for personal services like spa treatments, haircuts, or beauty salon services
For a coffee shop, you can leave 50 cents to 1 Euro if you are happy with the service.
If you are concerned about how the Italians will feel about you if you do not overtip, I can assure you that they will probably not like you since you are an American. That is a cross you have to bear when traveling. Basically, people like our money but not us or the fact that we are in their country.
