To Tip or Not to Tip: Handling Customer Service in Greece

The question of whether, and how much, to tip when traveling in a foreign country can be perplexing. Greece has its own cultural norms for tipping, and visitors versed in the country’s tipping customs and expectations can eliminate this stressor from their travels.

First, it’s important to understand that tipping is appreciated, but not necessarily expected in Greece, unlike other cultures in which people are accustomed to frequent and generous tipping. Here’s a guide to tipping in Greece.

Restaurants

You should approach tipping in Greek restaurants on a case-by-case basis. Some menus will list two prices for each item: one that includes a service charge and one that doesn’t. In this case, you’ll be charged the higher price, which calculates service into your bill. There’s no need to tip here, although your servers will appreciate you telling them to keep the change or round up.

If there’s no service charge indicated on menu prices, you’ll need to look at your bill. As a side note, Greek waiters typically will not bring your bill to the table until you ask — they never assume you are finished, even if your plates are empty. You likely will see an automatic cover charge for non-bottled water and bread (about one euro per person), which is standard, and whether a fee for service has been included. If it hasn’t, a 10 percent tip would be generous, and you may want to leave a little additional money on the table for the busser.

In any case, if you do tip, servers appreciate cash, as some restaurant managers don’t parse out tips charged into the bill to the wait staff.

Taxi drivers

Greeks typically do not tip taxi drivers, but in tourist areas, some drivers have become accustomed to getting tips from tourists. The call is yours. You can round up the fare by a few euros or tell the driver to keep the change, depending on the overall cost. If the driver helps you with your luggage, an extra charge may be automatically added to your fare, so you don’t need to provide an additional tip.

If you do want to tip your taxi driver, it’s appropriate to give between 5 and 10 percent of the fare, and you can always tip higher for an exceptional ride.

Greek taxi drivers are allowed to take more than one fare at a time, which may leave you in a tipping predicament. If you end up sharing your ride with strangers, you don’t need to tip more than a few coins. Your driver may add a small charge to your trip, which is an official fee and not a tip.

Bartenders

In Greece, bartenders do not expect a tip. However, it’s polite to tell your bartender to keep the change for good service or to leave a couple of euros if you stay awhile and enjoy a few rounds.

Stylists and spas

As in many establishments in Greece, people who work in the beauty and wellness industries don’t expect clients to tip. If you have especially good service, though, you may want to add a little to your bill. Up to 10 percent is enough, and you can ask the front desk for an envelope to leave your gratuity in.

Tour guides and private drivers

Advice on what to tip people who lead tours varies widely, as do the types of tours you can take. Some tours are provided by tour companies whose guides have received formal training and are licensed to accompany tourists to sites, while others are individuals who are in business for themselves and drive you to destinations.

In all cases, you’re advised to tip based on the quality of your experience and the length of the tour. One suggestion is to loosely base your tip on about 10 to 15 percent of the tour price. Alternatively, you can calculate about two to five euros per person per day for group tours, and 10–20 euros per person per day for private tours. Museum guides and other employees of sites that you visit do not need to be tipped.

Hotels

Hotels tend to offer many opportunities for tipping, but in Greece, you’ll only need to consider tipping for special services. For simple concierge requests, no tip is required, but you’ll want to tip between five and 20 euros for more time-consuming or complex requests. If you’re staying at a regular hotel, it’s customary to leave one or two euros on your bedside table daily for the housekeeping staff — leave more if you are staying in a luxury establishment. Porters who carry your luggage should receive one or two euros per bag.

Airports

If you ride in an airport shuttle, you won’t be expected to tip your driver unless they help with your bags. In that case, you can tip one euro per bag — the same amount you should tip skycaps who handle your luggage at the airport.