Should You Be Tipping in Paris? It Depends!

Do you tip in Paris? The simple answer: No, tipping is not expected in Paris. While tipping is mandatory in practice in North America (and places like South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco), the act of tipping is not required in France. Because service charges are typically built into the final bill at establishments in France, tipping is seen as a supplementary gesture of appreciation. Don’t believe me, a travel writer and editor who lives in Paris? That’s OK; I’ve only lived here full-time for six months and visited the city a mere 16 times before. Maybe there’s something I don’t yet know! So to get some truly sound advice, I asked for guidance on tipping in France from two of Condé Nast Traveler’s Top Travel Specialists who have expertise in travel to France: Frenchman Mark Bonte of France-based French Side Travel, and Camilla Davidson, Red Savannah’s head of destination management for France, UK, and Ireland.Tipping is not an expected part of the culture in France, certainly not as much as it is in the United States, Davidson explains: “In many instances, there is a sense of pride that pricing is ‘all-inclusive’ and that service is not expected beyond the cost you are charged.” On top of that inclusion of service charges, Bonte explains that hospitality staff in France are salaried employees. “Tips are considered an extra gesture of appreciation rather than part of their expected compensation,” he says. Compare that to the United States, where federal and state labor laws allow employers to pay service workers a lower base wage and rely on customer tips to make up the rest.“That said, tipping at restaurants has become increasingly common, especially for a leisurely lunch or dinner with good service,” Bonte says. “The French approach remains less about calculating a set percentage and more about acknowledging a particularly enjoyable experience or attentive service.”Need more specific situation-based guidance? Read on to learn how much to tip in Paris.This article has been updated since its original publish date.Do you tip at hotels in Paris?Tipping is not mandatory at hotels in Paris, but it is appreciated for personal service. For example, Bonte of French Side Travel says, tipping “two to five euros for a porter or bellhop, or a few euros per day for housekeeping, is a thoughtful gesture, while guests may tip more for exceptional concierge service.”Occasionally, some properties might add a voluntary service charge to your final room bill, but this is typically at your discretion, according to Davidson of Red Savannah. For your edification, she says, you can certainly ask how it is allocated and who will get it. After all, you want to be sure that your appreciation reaches its intended recipient: “If a bartender has made a particularly excellent cocktail or you loved your spa treatment, offering a tip for great service is hugely appreciated—but it’s not an expectation in the same way it would be in the United States.”In France—whether at restaurants or hotels (like Le Bristol, as seen here)—offering a tip for great service is hugely appreciated, but it’s not an expectation in the same way it would be in the United States. Claire Cocano/Le Bristol ParisDo you tip at restaurants in Paris?Even at the best restaurants in Paris, tipping is not required, but it is an expression of thanks for exemplary service. “Service [charge] is already included in the bill, so there is no expectation to add 15 to 20% as in the United States,” says Bonte. But when you tip in Paris, there’s no set-in-stone rule for how much. As a rule of thumb, Bonte says, “If the service was particularly good, leaving a few euros or rounding up the bill is common and always appreciated.”Davidson explains that many restaurants, especially traditional brasseries, will make a point of highlighting that the cost of service is built into the restaurant’s pricing model, with “service compris” written on the bill. Additionally, many waiters in France are professionals and part of official governing bodies for the profession, which means it is illegal for their wages to be made up by gratuities.Do you tip at bars and cafés in Paris?According to Bonte, it is common in cafés to round the tip up to the next whole figure of the total bill. You might leave the change or round up the total; for example, you leave 20 euros on an 18-euro coffee-and-drinks bill. But as is the case for restaurants, there is no obligation to tip at cafés or coffee shops in Paris. This is also a good place to empty your pockets of any loose change you may have (pick up a handy travel wallet when you pack for Paris—the French love their change).Do you tip in taxis and drivers in Paris?For a regular taxi in Paris, simply rounding up the fare is perfectly acceptable. “For a private driver providing a full-day service, however, it is customary to leave a tip,” says Bonte. “Give around 20 to 30 euros per day, depending on the level of service.” That figure could even go up to a generous 50 euros if they offer additional services like acting as a guide. Again, it’s a way to say thanks. For more standard pick-ups and drop-offs, a taxi driver won’t be upset if you simply round up the taxi bill, but it’s by no means essential, says Davidson of Red Savannah.However, if you have a private driver, chauffeur, or guide, Davidson recommends tipping more: “They are enormously appreciative of gratuities, so a 50-euro tip per day would be considered very generous, if you feel it’s representative of the service rendered.”Do you tip in spas in Paris?It is customary and appreciated to leave a tip directly for your therapist after a treatment, especially when the service has been excellent, says Bonte: “Around 10 to 20 euros is generally a nice gesture.” Be sure to check if a service charge has already been included in the final bill, but don’t let that stop you from saying thanks to your therapist through a tip. That’s the basic rule in Paris: A tip is a way to show your gratitude and appreciation for services rendered—no more, no less.