Tipping in Greece: 5-10% in restaurants, round up taxis, 1-2 euros per bag for porters. Service is included in prices, so tips are discretionary.
Cover image: The Parthenon on the Acropolis of Athens against a deep blue sky — photo by Jebulon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Tipping in Greece is discretionary but appreciated: leave 5-10% in restaurants where service felt good, round up taxi fares, and hand porters 1-2 euros per bag. Greek menu prices legally include service, so unlike in the United States there is no obligation and no fixed percentage. The local habit is a modest cash top-up rather than a calculated gratuity.
That single distinction clears up most confusion. Travellers arriving from high-tip countries overtend, travellers from no-tip countries undertip, and both miss the relaxed middle Greece actually uses. This guide sets out what Greeks do in restaurants, tavernas, taxis, hotels, cafes and on tours, plus the cash-versus-card detail that determines whether your tip reaches anyone.
Do you tip in restaurants in Greece?
In sit-down restaurants, 5-10% of the bill is the standard range, with most Greeks landing nearer 5% or simply rounding up generously. Service is included in stated prices, so this is a reward for good service rather than a wage top-up. In family-run tavernas, where bills are small and owners often refuse fuss, rounding a 34-euro bill to 38 or leaving a few euro coins on the table is the typical gesture.
Check the bill before adding anything. Some tourist-oriented restaurants print a service charge, in which case no further tip is expected, though rounding up is still welcome. Bills elsewhere in Europe work the same way, and readers comparing customs can see how Greece sits between neighbours in our Italy tipping guide and France tipping guide.
Tipping in Greece by situation
| Where | What locals do | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurants | 5-10%, or round up | Service included in prices; tip for good service only |
| Tavernas and cafes | Round up / small change | A euro or two on the table is normal |
| Bars (drinks only) | Round up to the nearest euro | Table service may merit a little more |
| Taxis | Round up the fare | A 9.40 fare becomes 10; longer rides add 1-2 euros |
| Hotels (porter) | 1-2 euros per bag | Housekeeping: small amounts for multi-night stays |
| Tour guides | 5-10 euros per person for full-day tours | Half-day walking tours: a few euros |
| Spas and salons | Up to 10% | Discretionary, as in restaurants |
Do you tip taxi drivers in Greece?
Round the fare up. A metered fare of 9.40 euros becomes 10, and airport runs often attract an extra euro or two, particularly with luggage or late-night surcharges. Ride-hailing apps operating in Greece handle payment in-app, where tipping is optional and uncommon. One caution: agree that the meter is running before setting off, since a rounded-up fare on an inflated base helps nobody.
Do you tip in hotels in Greece?
Hotel tipping is light. Give porters 1-2 euros per bag, leave a few euros for housekeeping on multi-night stays, and tip concierge staff only for genuine extras such as sold-out tickets secured at short notice. There is no custom of tipping at reception or for standard service. Travellers continuing to Asia will find a stricter etiquette culture; our Japan tipping guide covers the opposite end of the spectrum.
Should you tip in cash or by card?
Cash, wherever possible. Card terminals in Greece rarely offer a tip prompt, and gratuities added to card payments do not always reach serving staff in full. Keep small-denomination euro coins and 5-euro notes through the trip for exactly this purpose. ATMs dispense larger notes, so break them at bakeries and kiosks early in the day.
Cruise passengers should note the separate system at sea: onboard gratuities are charged automatically per person per day and distributed by the line, as the recent round of cruise gratuity increases shows. Greek port tavernas ashore still follow the cash customs above, so carry euros off the ship.
Frequently asked questions
Is service charge included in Greek restaurant bills?
Yes. Greek consumer rules require menu prices to include all charges and taxes, so the number on the menu is the number you pay. Any tip you leave is genuinely extra, which is why 5-10% is generous rather than stingy. If a bill shows a separate service line, it is usually a tourist-area supplement, not a national custom.
What is a good tip in Greece for a 50-euro meal?
Three to five euros on top is the typical range, making the total 53-55 euros. Ten percent (5 euros) signals clearly that the service was good. Leaving coins totalling under a euro reads as an afterthought, so round to whole euros.
Do you tip tour guides in Greece?
For organised day trips and private guides, 5-10 euros per person for a full day and a few euros for a half-day walking tour are customary when the guide was good. Greece's licensed guides are professionals with set fees, so the tip recognises quality rather than subsidising wages.
Do you tip in Greece if paying by card?
Leave cash on the table even when the bill goes on a card, since terminal tips are rare and may not reach staff. This is the single most useful habit in the whole guide: a pocketful of euro coins solves nearly every tipping situation in Greece.
