Quite frequently, we get asked if tipping is a thing in India, and if so how much to tip. Every situation – hotels, restaurants, etc. – has a different amount that you should tip, but not to worry. This can be used as a rough tipping in India guide in regards to tipping when you’re in India. If you’re planning to visit India for a trip, let us know and we can help you plan a nice journey.
Every situation – hotels, restaurants, etc. – has a different amount that you should tip, but not to worry.
How much should you tip at restaurants?
If you’re eating a snack, breakfast or a small meal that is less than INR 300, a tip of 10% is quite nice just as an appreciation. Try to keep small bills for these types of tips.
The tipping in restaurants in India then starts to get lower the more you spend at a restaurant. From INR 300 to INR 1000, around 7% to 10% is sufficient. Any bill above INR 1000, a tip of 5% to 7% works.
Restaurants in Delhi and Mumbai often charge a ‘service charge’, not to be confused with ‘service tax’ (which is a government levied tax). When the service charge is included in the bill, there’s no need to tip.
For a more detailed look at tipping, check out our updated page here.
What should you tip at hotels?
Tipping in India at hotels is slightly confusing and annoying at times.
As a rule we encourage tipping whenever it’s possible. For example, if you see a central tipping box then do it cumulatively. If they don’t have a central tipping box, tip one central person at the reception and let them know that it’s for the entire staff. Cumulative tipping in India at hotels should be between 5% to 7% of the hotel tariff per night into number of days.
Tipping in 5 star hotels in India: If the hotel is on the expensive side, cut the tip down a bit in terms of percentage.
Bellboys and room service staff will sometimes wait outside your room expecting a tip, especially with no central tipping box. We recommend avoiding individual tips, so sometimes a polite thank you, a smile, and walking away suffices. If it’s an uncomfortable situation, a small tip of INR 10 or 30 is more than enough for small tasks.
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How does the tipping in India for drivers work?
For airport transfers, for example, you should tip in India about INR 50 to 100. If your renting a car for the day, its normal to tip for a private tour in India about INR 100 to 250. This obviously will depend with how satisfied you were with his service, which could be evaluated through local tips on restaurants, monuments and didn’t take you to commission shops. For taxis or tuk-tuks with an already decided price, tipping is not needed.
When having a driver over multiple days, between INR 300 to INR 600 daily if you are a few people is a good amount. If you are a bigger group you can slightly increase the amount and lower the amount each pays. Again base this on how happy you were with his service and local knowledge.
For more knowledge on car rentals and guides, here’s a good place to start.
For guides, how much should you tip in India?
When on a personalised tour, INR 300 to INR 1000 tip, definitely depending on how well or how happy you’re with your guide. With normal guides INR 100 to INR 300 is sufficient if you believe he deserves it.
What is the tipping culture in India?
India isn’t a strong traditional tipping destination, yet locals expect it at most if not all tourist spots. How much you should tip in India is entirely up to you. Only tip higher when you’re very happy with the service provided. We recommend tipping in the aforementioned paces and encourage to tip higher, but it’s really up to you.
This is a brief overview and a quick look at how much one should tip in India. If you’re looking for more detail, please visit here for a detailed and all encompassing analysis for tipping.
We’d send many more India tips, routes, general info in every city you’d like to visit if you plan your trip with us.
