What You Need to Know About Tipping in France (by a local)

Last Updated on 8th January 2024 by Sophie Nadeau

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Wherever you go in the world, tipping can be a confusing part of the meal because it’s so different in every country (and, sometimes, in every region of the country!) In this guide, we’ll run through everything you need to know about tipping in France, including where you should tip, how you should tip, and when you should tip.

Whenever I visit a new place, I often find that while tipping remains one of the most confusing aspects of visiting a new destination (language barriers aside) and there is often little to no information in guidebooks about how to navigate this aspect of eating out. In this guide I’m going to try and breakdown everything you need to know, but do leave me a comment below if you require any more information!

If you’re new to this site then, hi! I’m Sophie and I’ve spent a large part of my twenties living in Paris. I’m even married to a local and much of this site is dedicated to helping navigate travel in France.

If it’s your first time in France, then be sure to check out our top France travel tips! If you’re looking for more inspiration on dining out, then check our our article on how to order in a Parisian restaurant.

Tipping is probably one of the most confusing parts of travel because every culture has a different notion as to what a tip should look like (or shouldn’t as the case may be) and so it’s definitely one of the more stressful parts when dining out while travelling.

Do you have to tip?

Tipping is usually not expected in France, and it may surprise many visitors, but it’s not even considered the norm! This is the case in restaurants, bars, taking a taxi, and most other services. If you pay by card, then there is no way to leave a tip unless you have cash on you.

Basically, it’s never expected nor mandatory to tip and no one will shun you if you don’t. Indeed, most of the French people I know never leave a tip when dining out, and if they do, it’s typically a small tip of around 5% of the total bill.

However, tips can still appreciated and are not considered rude. As such, you can add a tip of around 5% – 15% if you particularly enjoyed the service/ experience (but this is in no way expected).

As a basic rule of thumb, here is what you can tip per service you receive:

• Restaurant- you can leave nothing or between 5-15% of the bill if you would prefer to leave a tip. Tipping is never expected in casual dining situations or small transactions such as a coffee on a terrace or buying food to go.
• Luxury hotel- you can leave a euro per bag if you are helped to carry your bags, €10 for the parking valet
• Taxi- you can round up to the nearest euro or tell your driver to keep the change. Please note that there are fixed fares to travel to/ from the different Paris airports into/ out of the city.
• Getting your nails/ hair done- Unlike in most other establishments, if you’re getting your hair done, getting your nails done, or going to a spa, then tipping is typically expected. You can tip around 5-10% of the total charge.
• Tour guides- it’s not expected that you’ll give a tip but it is much more common to tip such a service than dining out in a restaurant. You can tip around 5-10% of the total charge.
• ‘Free tours’- over the past decade or so, free tours have become pretty common all across Europe. While these walking tours are indeed free, it’s the expectation that you will generously tip €10- €20 per person who goes on the tour.

Why isn’t tipping the norm in France?

In a restaurant, when you are presented with your final bill, it will say “service compris” which means “service included”. Unlike in some destinations, service is included as part of the final bill and so you literally can’t be asked to leave a tip. In fact, as part of the bill, each menu item will already include a 15% tip when it’s listed.

For example, if a coffee costs €3 then this is the final price, and the €3 already includes the 15% service charge. This is the case in all restaurants, cafés, and bars. In France, it is the law to present you with a bill that includes everything.

Since 1985, France has passed a law that means that all employees have to be paid at least SMIC (mandatory minimum wage). Prior to this, it was common practice for the French to leave a tip/ service charge.

Servers in France are paid a living wage that includes time off, sick leave, etc. They don’t rely on tips as part of their wages. No one will be annoyed/ upset if you don’t leave an extra tip after you’ve paid ‘l’addition’ (the check).

What is un pourboire?

Un pourboire is a gratuity and is different from service. Pour boire literally means ‘to drink’ and if you ask a French waiter if the gratuity is included, they will say no. This is because service is different from gratuity, but you’re still not expected to pay.

However, a pourboire is not expected but can be a few euros extra on top of your bill if you particularly loved the service. I personally rarely leave an extra tip in France when dining out, which is completely different than when I visit somewhere like the USA where I leave around 18-20% on each meal!