Quick Tips

A Quick Tip on Tipping Internationally

If there’s one part of our financial culture that confuses and worries me, it’s tipping. See, I want to be a good person and give a nice tip (even if I really don’t want to spend the extra cash), but I just never know what even constitutes a “good tip.” Sure I know the ropes when it comes to dining but, for the life of me, I never know how to tip valets, bellhops, or anyone else in the service industry. That’s why when possible I mostly try to avoid situations where a tip may be required. Of course, that might not always be an option — especially when traveling.

Overseas, the matter of tipping is ever more confusing. Since the last thing I want to be is rude, I’ve found tipping to actually be one of the top subjects I research before setting off to a new country. Unfortunately, I’ve never felt like I had a good, overall authority on the subject until now.

Thanks to a post on The Culture Trip, GoCompare’s “Tip Advisor” is now in my life. This interactive map (or a list, if that’s easier for you) allows you to select a country and view their customary tipping policies for dining, taxis, and hotels. Since tipping is mostly about showing appreciation, they also let you know how to say “thank you” in the local language, complete with a pronunciation guide. In other words, they made a page dedicated to helping me not look like a jerk overseas.

If there’s one complaint I have about GoCompare’s tipping map is that it’s not very mobile friendly. Even the list option that seems to be the default on mobile cut off at the top and bottom, which made it impossible to reach the countries I was looking for. But, while it would be nice to remind yourself of the proper etiquette on the go, you can always look up the info ahead of time and either take notes or utilize the “print” option that displays on each entry.

Needless to say, I have bookmarked this Tip Advisor and will surely save a lot of time planning for future trips. So, if you’re as neurotic about tipping as I am, I definitely recommend checking it out. And while you’re at it, be sure to read up on my other frugal foreign travel tips to help you enjoy exploring new places without spending a fortune.

Other Articles by Kyle Burbank