Lucy Devine
Although tipping is generally expected in the US, travel experts across Europe are warning tourists how to properly tip when traveling outside of America, pointing out that it's actually very different.
Although tipping is appreciated no matter which country you're in, in the US, many servers rely on tips to supplement their low earnings, whereas in other countries, it's seen more as a bonus and is usually optional.
In Europe for example, waiting staff are paid minimum wage, so while a tip is always welcome, it's not necessarily seen as a must.
In fact, travel expert Rick Steves wrote a blog post explaining some of the best tipping etiquette, revealing how one kind of tip could actually cause more harm than good.
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Steves explained: "Restaurant tips are more modest in Europe than in America. Servers are paid a living wage, and tips are considered a small bonus — to reward great service or for simplicity in rounding the total bill to a convenient number. In many countries, 5 percent is adequate and 10 percent is considered a nice tip. Locals just leave coins on the table, round up, or often don't tip at all.
"Resist the urge to tip American-style. If your bucks talk at home, muzzle them on your travels. As a matter of principle — if not economy — the local price should prevail. Please believe me — tipping 15 or 20 percent in Europe is unnecessary, if not culturally ignorant. You're just raising the bar and messing up the local balance. And it's bad style."
Steves also explained that ideally, the cash should be handed to the member of staff, to avoid other people pocketing the tip themselves.
"Since most European credit-card slips don't have a line for adding a tip, plan on tipping in cash," he added.
"Typically, it's better to hand the tip to the server when you're paying your bill than to leave it on the table, particularly in busy places where the wrong party might pocket the change."
In some countries, however, such as Germany, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, tipping with coins can be seen as rude, especially if the coins are of low value.
“It is not always the amount alone that shapes the impression,” LaDell Carter, founding partner of Royal Expression Travels in Maryland told the New York Post. “It is the presentation and the intention behind it.”