Visitors to Paris often wonder how much to tip servers at restaurants, bars, and cafes. With the weak dollar pinching at most American travelers' budgets, overtipping can be a worry. Here are some basic guidelines to help you decide on a reasonable amount to add to your meal or drink.
Paris Tipping Culture
First of all, you should be aware that in France, a 15 percent service charge is added automatically to your bill in cafes and restaurants. Keep in mind, however, that servers do not customarily receive this service charge as extra wages. Adding extra (around 10 percent) is recommended if the service is good, particularly in restaurants.
Drinks Only?
In cafes and bars, leaving a small tip (pocket change, essentially) is considered acceptable if you have only one or two drinks-- and if the service is unfriendly, you can feel free to abstain, like most Parisians do.
