# Should I give waiters tips?



## smint1234 (Mar 30, 2016)

I am from Norway and I have a apartment in Alicante, and today in a Norwegian newspapers there was a article that said I should tips between 5 and 10 percent in tips to the waiter. Is this really true?

Or should I just not tips the waiter at all? Do Spanish locals tip when they go out to eat?


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

It's up to you really, there are no standard rules.

For beverages and tapas, it's normal to leave the small change, e.g. if it comes to €4.80 leave €5. 

If there's a lot of us out for a drink, and the waiter has looked after us well, I usually give her €5. But my Spanish friends don't usually do this. 

For restaurant meals I usually leave a tip of around 10% if I've had good service, otherwise nothing.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

It’s certainly not expected here, and our Spanish friends balk at the idea. I remember giving my hairdresser a tip and my friend nearly fainted.


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## smint1234 (Mar 30, 2016)

Alcalaina said:


> It's up to you really, there are no standard rules.
> 
> For beverages and tapas, it's normal to leave the small change, e.g. if it comes to €4.80 leave €5.
> 
> ...


Yeah, but I dont like carrying cash on me. 



Megsmum said:


> It’s certainly not expected here, and our Spanish friends balk at the idea. I remember giving my hairdresser a tip and my friend nearly fainted.


Hehe. I really dont like to tip the waiters or anyone for that matter because the staff at supermarkets dont make anything more and they dont get tips either.


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

smint1234 said:


> Yeah, but I dont like carrying cash on me.
> 
> 
> 
> Hehe. I really dont like to tip the waiters or anyone for that matter because the staff at supermarkets dont make anything more and they dont get tips either.


The fact that supermarket staff don't get tips is IMHO a red herring. 

Tipping used to be the norm for the Spanish, but I suspect with the financial crisis in Spain most might take the view that they can't afford to. Still, I for one would definitely tip unless the service were bad, as I do here in France, albeit my income is small. 


If you don't carry cash, you can ask them to add a tip to the bill (whatever you think appropriate) and pay by card.


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## smint1234 (Mar 30, 2016)

how is that a red herring? isnt the reason we tip waiters because they dont earn much?


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

smint1234 said:


> how is that a red herring? isnt the reason we tip waiters because they dont earn much?


Yes, of course - but that doesn't mean because you don't tip some other low paid workers, there is no need to tip waiters. And AFAIK there has never been a practice of tipping supermarket workers and currently no option to do so. Although of course if you want to tip them (and have cash - you can't add it to the supermarket bill and pay by card). Not only that, some workers are taxed based on notional tips.

Tipping waiters is an option - if you don't want to, you won't, simple as that.


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

I don't give tips at my local english expats bars unless I've had a meal then i would leave 10%. I always leave the oddments of change at Spanish bars just for drinks but 10% tips for meals if the service was ok 

Steve


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

EverHopeful said:


> The fact that supermarket staff don't get tips is IMHO a red herring.
> 
> Tipping used to be the norm for the Spanish, but I suspect with the financial crisis in Spain most might take the view that they can't afford to. Still, I for one would definitely tip unless the service were bad, as I do here in France, albeit my income is small.
> 
> ...


I've lived in Spain for 32 years, and I move in circles with Spaniards because there is (basically) no expat community where I live. So I feel confident when I say that at least around here Spaniards never have and still don't tip waiters beyond leaving the extra change. 

However, things might be different on the costas where there are lots of non-Spaniards. It's best to do whatever is appropriate in your area.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Frankly it's the main reason why I stopped going to orgies- I never knew who to tip on the way out!!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

kalohi said:


> I've lived in Spain for 32 years, and I move in circles with Spaniards because there is (basically) no expat community where I live. So I feel confident when I say that at least around here Spaniards never have and still don't tip waiters beyond leaving the extra change.
> 
> However, things might be different on the costas where there are lots of non-Spaniards. It's best to do whatever is appropriate in your area.


My Basque husband never leaves a tip either, although his mother does, but then again she's better off than us and at 93 is a different generation.
I think some of it comes from being a long established cafe society. If you're having a couple of coffees a day you don't want to be leaving a tip as that increases your spending considerably.
I will leave a tip in a restaurant if I think it's deserved, but no way if the service was bad.


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> My Basque husband never leaves a tip either, although his mother does, but then again she's better off than us and at 93 is a different generation.
> *I think some of it comes from being a long established cafe society. If you're having a couple of coffees a day you don't want to be leaving a tip as that increases your spending considerably.
> *I will leave a tip in a restaurant if I think it's deserved, but no way if the service was bad.


Well, the Spanish definitely used to do so when I lived there (late 60s early 70s). These tips were miniscule, but they add up. Clearly I'm of a different generation (but more modern when it comes to women's rights)


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

We leave tips unless the service was particularly bad. 

I have always been lead to understand that amount of the tip is based not only on the quality of service, but also on the tapas. It's not the same tip for a bar that gives a small plate of peanuts as one that gives a montadito de jamón, for example.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Overandout said:


> We leave tips unless the service was particularly bad.
> 
> I have always been lead to understand that amount of the tip is based not only on the quality of service, but also on the tapas. It's not the same tip for a bar that gives a small plate of peanuts as one that gives a montadito de jamón, for example.


Never heard of that one! Maybe it's a Madrid thing?


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

kalohi said:


> I've lived in Spain for 32 years, and I move in circles with Spaniards because there is (basically) no expat community where I live. So I feel confident when I say that at least around here Spaniards never have and still don't tip waiters beyond leaving the extra change.
> 
> However, things might be different on the costas where there are lots of non-Spaniards. It's best to do whatever is appropriate in your area.


My experience dates back to the late 60s and early 70s, and of course things change. However I have family who originate from a small village in Alméria - when they visit everyone tips small change and there are zero expats. They also tip when travelling elsewhere in Spain and here in France. They are from very modest origins (like me )


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

And that's exactly what I said, that if people are happy with the service they leave the change, which could be 30 cents for something like a tapa, or several euros for a full course meal for the family. But it's never anything like 10% of the whole bill.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

kalohi said:


> And that's exactly what I said, that if people are happy with the service they leave the change, which could be 30 cents for something like a tapa, or several euros for a full course meal for the family. But it's never anything like 10% of the whole bill.


Herein lies the regional cultural difference. In Madrid it is quite normal to leave 10%. 

Example: 2 tercios (33cl bottles) of Mahou @ 2.50€ each, 5.00€ total bill. If the bar has put a plate of olives / cheese or similar, and served you sitting on the terraza, leaving 50 cents would be normal. At least for me.


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

Having lived here 30 years it is it normal, except for tourists, not to leave a tip other than the small change. 

This is very apparent as when one is given the change it is not in ´convenvient’ denominations. That is, if the bill is say 29.50 euros and you pay with a 50 euro note, the change will normally be a 20 euro note and 50 cents. Not a 10, a 5 and some euro coins. 

That applies in restaurants, hairdressers, taxis etc. The exception might be in an english owned establishment, or where tourists have’trained the staff’ to expect a tip


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

EverHopeful said:


> Well, the Spanish definitely used to do so when I lived there (late 60s early 70s). These tips were miniscule, but they add up. Clearly I'm of a different generation (but more modern when it comes to women's rights)


The remark about a café society is just a theory...
Other than that I was talking about my husband, not the Spanish in general which is almost impossible to do imo as can be seen by the answers here!


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## danboy20 (Jul 10, 2017)

I leave a 10% tip if the food and/or service is good....I don´t feel obliged to leave anything. I hate the American system.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Btw, there's a Corte Ingles near where I work and I'll go there for a coffee occasionally for a change of scene. On their receipts in the cafeteria it says something along the lines of please don't leave a tip, it's not necessary!


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

smint1234 said:


> I am from Norway and I have a apartment in Alicante, and today in a Norwegian newspapers there was a article that said I should tips between 5 and 10 percent in tips to the waiter. Is this really true?
> 
> Or should I just not tips the waiter at all? Do Spanish locals tip when they go out to eat?


I have Spanish friends who are retired restaurateurs and we have discussed the question of tipping. They say that it is normal to round-up the bill if you have had a good meal and good service; ie, if the bill came to €48,50 you would not expect any change from a €50 note. Set percentage tips were not expected by their waiters.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

We are so used to leaving tips it came as a bit of a shock when our Spanish friends told us there really was no need to tip. But we still do if we have had good service and good food. However, a word of caution. A friend of ours is a waitress in a restaurant here and tipping is encouraged as the staff are paid a pittance. BUT at the end of each week the tips are shared out 50% for the staff and 50% for the owners who are rarely there...


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

If I have had good service , I ALWAYS tip. p.ej. today, in the bar for breakfast, the bill (for the two of us) was 6,20€ - I only had a 50€ note and said "Dame 43"


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

I tip everyone unless something service or food was very bad. Always about 10% for meals but not much for a coffee etc. I always tip the guys who deliver from supermarkets too, hairdresser etc. Put and extra £5 for the gardener too.

America expects it, almost obligatory. I once didn't tip in New York as service was very bad and was challenged by the waitress. In tourist areas it is more or less accepted that a tip is essential. Suppose it doesn't matter if you aren't going back.


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