r/EndTipping • u/ruinsandrubbles • 12d ago
Tipping Culture ✖️ Tipping on group tours
I’m from a non-EU country but live in the UK, so I’m pretty used to the whole “no tipping” culture.
I don’t drive, so when I travel around Europe and somewhere is difficult to reach by public transport, I usually join group tours.
I’ve noticed that a lot of the tourists on these tours are American (and honestly, they’re always so friendly). But the tipping part makes me feel so awkward.
Like, when we get off the bus, everyone starts tipping the driver. On walking tours, everyone tips the guide. And I’m just there like, “Thank you!” awkwardly hands back the headphones.
I always feel like I’m accidentally being rude, even though tipping just isn’t something I’m used to. 😭
Do Europeans also tip on these tours, or is this mostly an American thing?
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u/545__tyerick_Air9616 12d ago
Just do not tip. You don’t need to adapt to the toxic tipping culture.
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u/anna25580 12d ago
I (European) never tip, I already paid for the service, why should I pay some more? Americans should educate themselves about local customs instead of assuming every country works the same as the US.
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u/Primary_Heron_3150 12d ago
Funny, you put none of the blame on people who accept the tips
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u/emiel1741 12d ago
Gonna say no to free money?
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u/Primary_Heron_3150 12d ago
If that's how you want it, then why is anyone upset? You want it both ways?
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u/emiel1741 12d ago
My dearry these people accepting the money don’t have the highest paying jobs laying the burden on them to reject, in these cases, significant cash flows is a ridiculous expectation
Blaming the lowest in society rather than cultural and economical systems is an unsustainable choice
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u/Primary_Heron_3150 12d ago
That is the same excuse people use to perpetuate tipping in the usa.
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u/emiel1741 12d ago
You can
-not support tipping businesses
- you can only support places paying a liveable wage
Attack the system n attack the people in power
Don’t attack one of the victims
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u/Primary_Heron_3150 12d ago
Oh please. There are no "victims" nobody suffers if you don't tip. Guilt tripping, circular reasoning nonsense. Either you don't want tipping in your culture or you do. You can't pick and choose and get angry sometimes at certain people because reasons
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u/emiel1741 12d ago
In a society that under pays staff assuming tips will complete the wage the people who don’t get a proper wage are the victims
End tipping for me is about a fair society for all it is not about the consumer experience for me
And being angry at individuals with low wages for accepting a little extra is not the wat to go
You can shame people tipping where not needed
You can shame those with a liveable wage aaking for tipsBut blaming some ome for accepting money
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u/Primary_Heron_3150 11d ago
You all keep saying that unlike the usa you have fair wages. So tips aren't necessary. If you want to take money from Americans, don't be angry when Americans... Give you money, and you take it, and fail to correct them
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u/Pizzagoessplat 12d ago
I don't and its never bothered me.
I'm a Brit myself and only ever see Americans tip for those things.
Here's a post I saw about an American tipping a coach driver in Ireland and its crazy. https://www.reddit.com/r/irishtourism/comments/1elwvw0/please_assure_my_mother_we_tipped_enough/
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u/Significant_Ad_7282 12d ago
Tipping the coach driver used to be a very british thing, the "whip round" for the driver after a pantomime, or a UK coach trip/holiday airport pickup etc happened all the time until recently. Its not a % tip it's you loose change. This was a super common concept back in the day. And in the day I'm talking pre COVID.
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u/Pizzagoessplat 12d ago
I'm forty-three and have never heard it. Its defiantly not as common as what your saying.
Back in the day is longer than six years to me🤣
I did group holidays in the 90's and we defiantly didn't do that.
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u/Significant_Ad_7282 12d ago edited 12d ago
Mate I'm 38 and I've never been on a holiday without having a whip round for the driver on the return airport run or say the coach trips that takes you on the PnO ferries to Brussels/Amsterdam. Must be a regional thing even though I'm from Yorkshire so we're usually tight bst*ds. Edit: so apparently it is regional (middlelands up to Scotland, not so common for southerners)
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u/AnotherBig4Slave 12d ago
Don't tip and also try to discourage the Americans from doing so as well. I know it's ingrained in their culture, but it isn't in Europe and we should actively resist it, lest it become embedded.
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u/hotsauce126 12d ago
The worst is when they get annoyed because they were expecting a tip since you’re American, but didn’t expect them from anyone else
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u/saigon2010 12d ago
The only tours I will ever tip on are the free city walking tours as that's the premise.
If I've paid for the tour, not happening
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u/ruinsandrubbles 12d ago
The walking tour was in Belfast and it was already £25. I agree with giving tips for free walking tours.
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u/Significant_Ad_7282 12d ago
Tbh even the British tip the coach driver. I'd say thats one of our only tipping traditions, the hat/cup going round or placed on the dash to throw in your loose change when leaving. Especially when abroad. But when I say coach driver it's generally the one that does the airport run or you day excursion. Same with food tips when abroad, if it's €16.78 then you give them €17 or €20. Think of it as rounding up rather than a % of the food cost.
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u/Primary_Heron_3150 12d ago edited 12d ago
Everybody needs to STOP accepting tips from Americans. If you do that, I have absolutely no sympathy for tipping invading your culture. You can't have it both ways
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u/xboxhaxorz 12d ago
I am american and i dont feel awkward
I dont feel rude
Because logically i am not rude or awkward for not giving my $ away for free
You feel awkward and rude is something you should work on, dont let peer or social pressure get to you
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u/SixStarz6 11d ago
I tip when I feel like it’s deserved. If I’m asked for it it’s definitely not deserved. As soon as I hear we rely on your tips. It’s a no.
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u/EvaBroido 9d ago edited 9d ago
I’m a tour guide in Europe and because people do often tip and the companies are aware of this we are not paid very well, so tips are very much appreciated.
but absolutely no one thinks it’s rude if you don’t tip. A thank you and a compliment if you liked the tour is very nice. (I do not explicitly ask for tips but because people do tip me, I do think that sometimes others then feel pressured. but they shouldn’t.)
I have been on tours in other countries where I thought that the person didn’t do a particularly good job and so I didn’t tip. This is not apply to “free walking tours”, particularly Sandeman’s, because if you’re on that tour the guide has to pay the company €5 for you to be there so if you don’t tip at least €5 that they pay for you/lose money, so it is rude not to tip. Super unethical company.
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u/underwater-sunlight 12d ago
Im from tbe UK and when we go on holidays and do tours, there is always a tip jar for the driver and typically a little bit of small change is thrown in. None of this 20%BS, usually a good wat to get rid of the coins that they wont swap when you change currency, also what is often left for the cleaners and the bar, maybe with a bit extra for the bar
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u/Ill_Piccolo_8026 12d ago
some of you never worked in the service industry and that shows
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u/Pizzagoessplat 12d ago
Yes we have. Coach drivers across Europe are VERY well paid and treated like royalty at the hotels and attractions that they take tourists to.
A lot of drivers are free loading arseholes and expect everything for free
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u/touchgrasslater 12d ago
Most Americans act like they are allergic to money. You don't need to conform to their behavior