Tipping in London

Tipping is appreciated but not always appropriate in London. There are some situations where it is customary, for example in restaurants. Here are a few guidelines, although ultimately tips (or gratuities) are discretionary and depend on the quality of the service you receive.

Tipping in London's Restaurants

It is customary to leave 10-15% of the bill when eating out. However, restaurants often add on a service charge, especially if you're in a large group, so always check your bill to avoid tipping twice. It's not customary to pay a tip for fast food, self-service or takeaway meals.

Top tip: Although restaurants (and other businesses) should make their policy clear, it's worth checking with your waiter that he/she will personally receive your tip rather than the company – particularly if you're paying by credit card.

Tipping in Bars and Pubs

People generally do not tip in pubs in London, but may offer to buy a drink for the bartender who will either have it then, save it for later or keep the price of the drink as a tip. Bartenders sometimes hand back change on a tipping tray, although it's still up to you to choose to leave a tip.

Tipping in Hotels in London

Like restaurants, most London hotel bills include a service charge, usually 10-12%. If there's no service charge added to your bill in a hotel restaurant, it's customary to tip as for any other restaurant (10-15% of the bill). For room cleaning staff, you can leave an amount of your choosing on departure. Tips for other hotel staff such as concierges and door staff are discretionary and are most commonplace for porters.

Tipping Taxi Drivers

It is polite to tip 10-15% of the taxi fare for black cabs and licensed minicabs in London. However, most people simply round up the fare to the nearest £1 and tell the driver to "keep the change".

For more information on tipping, visit the UK government's dedicated consumer website: GOV.UK

Read about British currency