To Tip or Not To Tip? Complete Tipping In Poland Guide

When planning your Polish trip, you may wonder if tipping in Poland is necessary. Approach to money and services varies in different cultures, so you’ve got to be careful not to offend someone. Let’s have a look at what tipping in Poland looks like.

Should You Be Tipping In Poland?

A tip is a small amount of money, left to the person who is providing a service, as an appreciation for the work and care given. Tipping culture varies from place to place, and tips are less popular in Europe than it is in the US, let alone in Poland. So let me give you a few tips on what tipping looks like in this country.

Although tips in Poland are optional, they are always welcomed as a way for the customer to show appreciation for good service.

In Poland, tips are not regulated in any way regarding how much a customer should give extra for a good service. It generally depends on your goodwill. In some places, however, restaurants indicate how big the tip should be depending on the number of guests served

Tips In The Restaurant

When it comes to restaurants, tipping practices vary from place to place. Some restaurants share all tips equally among all staff, while in other places a waiter who receives a tip from a customer keeps the entire amount. You will find the latter model more in practice as it has a more motivating effect on staff and as an outcome, in general, the restaurant offers a higher service level.

Whom Should You Tip?

The rule is to tip the waiter that served your table and had direct contact with you. However, there is no obligation to tip, and it is only your goodwill and the desire to appreciate good service.

How Much To Tip?

While tipping in Poland is not necessary, if you decide to tip your waiter, the preferred tip is 10% of the value of your bill. But if you are happy with the service and consider that the waiter deserved a larger amount then, of course,  you can give a larger tip. If you are not sure, just round up the amount of money due. This is the simplest solution when you do not know how much you should leave.

Large and exclusive restaurants sometimes include tips on the bill as a service fee. You can find this information in the menu when you place your order.

In cafes, bars, or ice cream shops, you will often find a jar on the counter into which you can put some money as a tip. You can throw there any amount of money you want.

Do I Need To Tip A Taxi Driver?

You can but you don’t have to… In a taxi or Uber, you will usually have a specific amount deducted from your card, and it is normal. The same goes for hairdressers, florists, and beauty salons. No need to tip, but as I mentioned before it is always a nice gesture to appreciate good service.

Also, in the case of public toilets, cloakrooms, or luggage storage, it is not customary to tip.

Tipping In Poland – Hotels

You may give tips in hotels and it is always a good manner to tip the person that served you.

You can leave a tip of 10 PLN to a bellhop. You can also leave a small tip of 15-20 PLN for the housekeeping staff who clean your room too.

If the hotel has a concierge, you may tip them around 10-20 PLN for their assistance. Breakfast buffet, bar, and restaurant staff also receive tips, usually 10% of the bill value or more If you think that the service deserves it.

If you order room service, a gratuity of around 10-15% of the bill is usually added automatically to your bill.

Again, it’s not required to tip anyone in the hotel.

Deliveries And Couriers

Here the situation is similar, it is not customary in Poland to tip on delivery, especially since most often the service is already prepaid at the time of ordering or purchase.

However, in the case of express delivery, the effort is worth rewarding. If you order a pizza and it arrives within minutes, it is a definitely situation when you should tip the service.

Tourist Based Services

Services dedicated to the tourism sector, such as tourist guides, horse carriages, or souvenir shops staff often work seasonally.

In many places, those businesses depend only on tourists. It is expected there to tip for the service received, in fact, you can be sure, that without a tip, you will not be served well. Tipping is a common practice when it comes to tour guides, and it is a way to show appreciation for their knowledge, expertise, and service.

Take 10-20%of the total cost of the tour as general guidance on how much t tip. Such services exposed to tourists mean very often hard all-day work and it is worth rewarding the effort.