Mar 07 2009
Tipping habits in Prague
Tipping habits in Prague
Another thing that an expat gets often asked by tourists is “How does tipping work here in Prague”. So here is my scoop on the Czech tipping habits for restaurants, pubs, bars, taxis, barbers etc. Hope it is helpful and/ or even sparks some discussion about: how to tip/ if to tip and different tipping habits in different countries.
image courtesy of Lumaxart
1. For small sums just don’t accept the change, i.e. if your pint was 28CZK give 30 and “waive” the rest.
2. 10% is the norm, 15% is for exceptional service.
3. You are supposed to signal to your waiter when to stop giving you your change or to tell him/ her to where to “round up” the bill, but if your Czech doesn’t go that far either give it directly or leave it on the table.
4. Be kind, give your tip in cash, don’t add it to your (credit) card bill.
5. Don’t fall for a so-called “service charge”, accept printed bills only and then decide what the service was worth.
More tips about eating out in Prague 
And now tell me, what are the tipping habits and customs in your country/ city?
Pretty Please!
The whole tipping concept is nonexistent in Malaysia, except where “corrupted” by tourists, mainly the Americans :p Most eating places have a 10% service charge (plus a 5% govt tax) that can be considered a tip, i.e. it’s supposed to go towards the waitstaff’s pay, somehow… I think…
Perhaps because I grew up in a non-tipping society, I really have a tough time with the concept of tipping… wouldn’t it be better to change how waitstaff’s wages are paid out so that tips aren’t necessary? From what I understand, waitstaff are taxed on the assumption they get at least (let’s say 15%) of the bills, so if they get tipped below 15% then they are actually running at a loss of sorts. How screwed up is that?
I’ve got an article on tipping brewing, actually; once I get around to it, I’ll link back to this