Eating out and tippingArticle 5 of 12 · 2 min read
Tipping in Spain, when it is normal, optional or unnecessary
Tipping in Spain is modest and optional, and the custom differs between restaurants, bars, taxis and hotels. This page tells visitors and newcomers what is normal in each place, so you can tip without overpaying or worrying.
Key rules
- Tipping: Tipping is optional everywhere in Spain, because service is included in prices.
- Restaurants: Round up the bill or leave 5 to 10 percent at most for good service.
- Bars: No tip is expected for coffee or drinks; leftover coins are enough.
- Taxis: Round the fare up to the next euro or leave small change.
- Hotels: One or two euros per bag for porters and a few euros for housekeeping, mainly in higher-end hotels.
The short answer
You never have to tip in Spain. Service is already included in menu prices, and staff earn regular wages. A small tip is a thank-you, not an expectation.
Restaurants
In a sit-down restaurant, locals round up the bill or leave small change. For good service, they leave at most 5 to 10 percent. Leave the money on the table or tell the waiter to keep the change when you pay by card or cash.
Tourist-oriented places may expect a little more. Even there, a large tip is not needed.
Bars and cafés
For a coffee or a drink at the bar, you do not need to tip. Some people leave the small coins from their change. Many leave nothing, and nobody will mind.
Taxis
Tipping a taxi driver is not required. Most people round the fare up to the next euro or leave small change. If the driver helps with heavy luggage, a little extra is a kind gesture.
Hotels
Tipping hotel staff is optional and modest. It is mostly done in higher-end hotels.
- Porters: one or two euros per bag.
- Housekeeping: a few euros left at the end of your stay.
In simple or mid-range hotels, you can skip both.
If you are unsure
Round up, leave small change, and move on. Amounts are informal and vary by venue, so copy what the people around you do. The questions below cover common doubts.
Frequently asked questions
Should I tip a taxi driver in Spain?
No, tipping a taxi driver in Spain is not required. Most passengers round the fare up to the next euro or leave small change. A little extra is common if the driver helps with your luggage.
How much should I tip hotel porters and housekeeping?
A porter might get one or two euros per bag, and housekeeping a few euros at the end of your stay. This is optional and mostly done in higher-end hotels. In simple hotels, most guests leave nothing.
Do I need to leave a tip for a coffee at a bar?
No, you do not need to leave a tip for a coffee or drink at a bar in Spain. Some people leave their leftover coins, but many leave nothing.
Do tourist areas expect bigger restaurant tips?
Yes, tourist-oriented restaurants may expect a little more than the usual round-up, but a tip is still not obligatory. If service was good, stay within the 5 to 10 percent range.
More in Eating out and tipping
- Choosing between a bar, a restaurant and a beer hall (cervecería)
- The set lunch menu (menú del día) and how to use it
- Tapas, pinchos and sharing plates (raciones): ordering without over-ordering
- Ordering, asking for the bill and splitting it in a Spanish restaurant
- Kitchen times and when to book a table in Spain
- Ordering coffee and breakfast at a Spanish bar, and becoming a regular
- Reading a Spanish menu, dishes, cuts and cooking terms
- Regional dishes to try and how to avoid tourist traps
- Eating out with children in Spain
- Why Spanish meals last, the lingering table (sobremesa)
- Takeaway and food delivery apps in Spain compared
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