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Tipping In Greece: How To Tip In Greece

The tipping culture in Greece may not be known to you as it varies from country to country in Europe. The below Greece tipping guide will help you navigate this tricky part of travel.

Greek Currency Information

Currency in Greece: Euros

Denominations: Notes – 5 – 500, Coins – 1 & 2 euro notes, 5 – 50 cents

Other currencies accepted: Dollars may be taken in some tourist resorts. However, Euros are the main currency accepted.

Are you wondering, “Will my credit card work in Greece?” Worry not; you’re free to use your credit or debit card quite widely in main towns, cities, and tourist areas, although have cash handy if you’re heading into a more rural or smaller area, as you may struggle to find ATMs or restaurants with card machines. Outside of rural areas, ATMs are very widely available.

How To Tip In Greece – Tipping Custom In Greece

What Is The Standard For Tipping In Greece

Tipping is quite common in Greece, though not obligatory. As with most other countries, you’re not required to tip if you don’t feel the service you received was worthy.

You certainly won’t be met with a grumpy attitude should you opt not to tip. However, most service workers make a minimum wage, so tipping is greatly appreciated.

Ultimately, how much you tip in Greece will depend on the level of service you receive. Although tipping in Greece is generally not expected or required, it’s a sign of gratitude if you enjoy your service, whether it’s in a bar, hotel, restaurant, or taxi. 

POS (Point Of Sale) Tipping In Greece

As with many other countries, if you opt to use a card to pay at a restaurant, bar, coffee shop, business, or any other service industry location, you often have the opportunity to pay a gratuity that you can select on the screen.

While convenient, it’s also important to note that tipping in this way may not end up in the pocket of the server or service provider. It is often better to leave cash with the individual so you know they receive credit for their hard work.

Tipping At Tavernas In Greece

You are bound to end up at a taverna on your Greek holiday! If the meal is great (along with the service), leaving a small tip is typical. Most locals leave a few Euros as there is no set percentage. For example, if your bill is 27 euros, round it up to 30 euros.

NOTE: At tavernas, your menu may mention a service or cover charge different from the tip. This is the fee for the bread basket, olive oil for dipping, small snacks, and water that a server may offer you. If you don’t accept the items, the fee will not be added to your bill, but if you do, your account will show a ΚΟΥΒΕΡ charge, which is the word “cover” in Greek. This fee is often relatively small – about 1 to 1.5 Euros at most.

Tipping At Restaurants In Greece

If you’re dining in a nicer restaurant, you should check the bill before deciding whether to tip or not. This is because a fee or tip may already have been applied, which can be anything between 5-15% of the bill. This amount is in place of a tip, so you don’t have to tip more if you see a service charge or fee. 

If no fee is added (often the case), it is customary to tip around 10% of your final bill if you feel the service was worthy of a tip. Give the waiter the tip amount in cash, as some owners don’t allow their staff to keep their tips. You could also tell your waiter to keep the change as you pay. 

Tipping At Bars & Cafes In Greece

You’re not expected to leave a tip for drinks in Greek bars, clubs, and cafes, but you could round up the amount to the nearest Euro. Some cafes will also have a tip jar, so leaving a few coins in the pot after ordering is more than sufficient.

If you’re hanging out and having a few drinks at the bar, it’s also appropriate to leave a few Euros on your table when you leave. Although you’re not required to do that, it shows you enjoyed the service and had a good time. The staff, who are on minimum wages, will be so thankful. 

Leaving a Euro on the table is more than sufficient if you spend a few hours enjoying a coffee while reading a book in a cafe.

Tipping For Take-Out Food Delivery In Greece

Using services like Wolt and Efood are incredibly convenient in Greece, and especially in large cities like Athens and Thessaloniki; most restaurants will deliver to your home or hotel this way. 

When ordering food online, you can add a tip, but we’d recommend waiting to give a small tip in person to your delivery person.

If you have a smaller order (a few coffees or take-out for 2), then 1 Euro is a solid tip. 3-4 Euros is reasonable if you order food for a larger group.

Tipping Hotel Staff In Greece

If you want to tip in a hotel, that is entirely acceptable but not expected.

• Porters: around 1 Euro per bag for the porter is a good idea
• Housekeepers: 1 Euro per day for the housekeeper. You can leave this on the bed or somewhere in your room where they can easily find it.
• Concierge: If you use a concierge and want to tip, you give the gratuity directly to them.

Tipping Taxi Drivers In Greece

Do you tip taxi drivers in Greece? Tipping in taxis isn’t expected or required, but if you want to do so, you can round up to the nearest Euro and tell the driver you don’t want the change. The maximum tip in a taxi is 5-10% of the final fare amount.

This applies to taxis you hail off the street and drivers you pre-book.

TIP: Some taxi drivers will try to take advantage of tourists with inflated prices, so consider using the BEAT taxi app. BEAT drivers use standard fares; some provide complimentary services like water and sweets. You may notice an extra fee of 0.50 Euro for lots of baggage handling or pick-up from congested areas like train stations, but these are well marked on the app.

Tipping Tour Guides In Greece

Tour guides are another group you may choose to tip if you enjoyed the tour they gave you.

If a tour is free and tip-based, you definitely need to tip your guide! Plan to tip around 5 Euro per person for a 1-hour tour and 10-15 Euro per person for multiple-hour tours.

For tours you pay for, a good tour guide tip is around 10-15% of the tour price, but the final choice is really up to you as there are no hard rules here, and they will be grateful for any tip you give them. Should you feel that the tour was quite expensive and you can’t afford anything more, there will be no hard feelings if you can’t leave a tip.

When you’re taking a tour as a group, it’s common to tip about 2 to 5 Euros per person.

On private tours, consider tipping your guide 15 or 20 Euros.

Always remember that if there are both a guide and a driver, both should receive a tip if you are giving one.