German holidaymakers take top spot in tipping
Germans on holiday may have a reputation for being over-organised, demanding or boorish, but it seems they are the Europeans most likely to tip their wait staff. Many even do their homework to find out what the local rate is.
A survey conducted by online travel portal Tripadvisor suggested 70 percent of German holidaymakers tip staff at restaurants and bars, the Frankfurter Rundschau reported on Thursday.
This rate is well over the European average of 42 percent. Just 39 percent of British and French holidaymakers add something to their bill, while of Italians just 25 percent give wait staff a tip.
The Germans are also top of the class when it comes to finding out in advance, what kind of tip is usual in the place they are on holiday. Of those who took part in the survey, 74 percent said they checked it out before their trip. Just 24 percent of Spanish people said they did so, while only 19 percent of Brits heading abroad arrived knowing what the locals might expect.
It stands to reason then that 44 percent of Germans said they tipped according to local custom - but around 25 percent said they stuck to a normal Teutonic tipping rate of around 10 percent, while 18 percent said they added extra depending on how happy they were with the service.
Most Germans in the survey said they would not be happy to see the practice of tipping succeeded by a standard service charge, preferring to decide themselves what to tip.
The Local/hc
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A survey conducted by online travel portal Tripadvisor suggested 70 percent of German holidaymakers tip staff at restaurants and bars, the Frankfurter Rundschau reported on Thursday.
This rate is well over the European average of 42 percent. Just 39 percent of British and French holidaymakers add something to their bill, while of Italians just 25 percent give wait staff a tip.
The Germans are also top of the class when it comes to finding out in advance, what kind of tip is usual in the place they are on holiday. Of those who took part in the survey, 74 percent said they checked it out before their trip. Just 24 percent of Spanish people said they did so, while only 19 percent of Brits heading abroad arrived knowing what the locals might expect.
It stands to reason then that 44 percent of Germans said they tipped according to local custom - but around 25 percent said they stuck to a normal Teutonic tipping rate of around 10 percent, while 18 percent said they added extra depending on how happy they were with the service.
Most Germans in the survey said they would not be happy to see the practice of tipping succeeded by a standard service charge, preferring to decide themselves what to tip.
The Local/hc
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