Tipping in Ireland has no standard rules, and they have no strong tipping culture either. It is especially tricky for first-time visitors, whether you came from a country where tipping is customary or not. A good rule of thumb is to leave a tip when service given exceeded expectations.
Another is to just figure out the 10% to 15% of the total amount to be paid if unsure how much tip you should leave for the staff, or you can simply round off to the nearest euro (nearest €5 or €10).
However, if you’re a first time visitor in Ireland and you want to make sure you do things right, we have compiled some easy to remember tipping guidelines when in Ireland.
Things you'll find in this article
First-Thing You Need To Know Before Tipping in Ireland
Service Charge
Some establishments include Service, or a Service Charge, in the final bill. You have to make sure to check the receipt (usually at the bottom) for that detail before tipping extra. This means that if you get relatively good service, you must give a tip that’s equivalent to 10% to 15% of the total bill/charge.
Credit Card Payments
Servers/staff do not receive tips if payment is made via credit card. In this case, try to leave them with that 10 to 15 % whenever you can.
Tipping In Ireland By Services
Restaurants Tipping in Ireland
When in restaurants tipping the staff 10 to 15% of the total bill is expected. But first, you need to check the receipt if the amount you paid already includes a service charge. This detail is usually printed at the bottom of the paper. If there’s a service charge, there’s no need to leave an additional tip. If the receipt doesn’t include a service charge, a 10-15% tip is encouraged.
Cafés
Most cafés in Ireland whether it’s in the city or rural areas, won’t require or expect you to tip their staff individually. However, these places may have a table service charge, and you can just round off to the nearest €5 from your total bill.
Other cafés have bowls or jars usually located near the cash register, with a sign that says ‘Tips are Appreciated’ in case you want to leave some. Others have collection boxes for some cause or charity, and you may leave a few euros there as well.
Pubs/Bartender
If you try to tip in an Irish pub you will most likely receive an incredulous stare – it simply is not the norm. There is such a thing as table service, however, and it is considerate to leave a €1 to €2 for great service. If the pub doesn’t have a table service tip, you can just offer to treat the staff or bartender. He or she would say “Don’t mind if I’ll be having it later do you?” With this, the bar person will just pocket the money instead of drinking on the job.
Hotels Tipping In Ireland
How you tip at hotels in Ireland depends on which staff or personnel you’re dealing with. You can give hotel porter or bellhop €1 – €2 per bag if it is brought to your room. It may depend on size, but no more than €5. Generally, you would give the porter over €5 though.
For housekeeping services, it is expanded to leave €1 – €2 per night.
You may also give 1 – €2 to the doorman who assists with luggage or hailing transportation, although a simple ‘thank you’ is already very much appreciated.
As for the concierge who goes above and beyond with helping you book reservations, giving you directions, and providing recommendations, it’s considerate to give €1 to €2.
These are merely suggestions though and you can tip as much or little as you like.
Taxi Drivers
A tip isn’t expected among taxi drivers in Ireland, but it is appreciated. A good rule of thumb is to round up to the nearest euro for a short trip and to the nearest 10 euro for a longer ride. If the taxi driver was extra helpful or informative, you could always leave him or her a little extra. The tip usually ranges from €1 to €10 and it is always welcome.
Meanwhile for airport shuttles, tipping your driver is not required but feel free to give €1 per bag if they help with your luggage.
Tour Guides
How you tip tour guides in Ireland depends on whether you’re taking a private tour or group tour. If you’re on a private tour, you must tip your tour guide around 10% of the tour cost. Meanwhile, during guided group tours, there is often a small basket or hat that’s passed around at the end of the tour for tips.
If there is none, consider collecting a euro or two from each member of the group before the tour starts. You can give it to the guide at the end of the tour while expressing your gratitude. The tour guide may politely refuse at first since this is part of the Irish custom. If this happens, just insist again that he or she takes the tip while expressing your gratitude again.
Spa Services
There are different types of spas in Ireland such as destination spas or resort spas. Their staff is typically given a tip that’s equal to 10% off the bill, but you can always give more if the service is particularly exceptional. It is not always expected to give tips to spa personnel but as long as you’re given good service, that 15% should be worth it.
Hair Salon Services Tipping In Ireland
It is standard practice to tip hairdressers in Ireland by giving 10% of the final bill. You can always leave more if you like, and in some instances, some will also give a few euros to the person who washed their hair (if it wasn’t the hairdresser).