Tipping in Poland
|
So many things to take into consideration... Is service added to your bill or not? Is it customary to add a little extra or is that something only un-savvy tourists do? Well, tipping in Poland adds a whole new level of confusion!
In Poland, there is a service charge that is generally added to the bill. Tipping is not necessarily expected. We've read both that you don't need to tip any extra, and also that a little extra is customary. It seems like things are changing as there is more "western" tourism and influence. Ultimately, whether you leave a little extra or not is up to you… and we always feel it should be because you got good service.
There is one warning about tipping in Poland that you should be aware of, though, if you're paying cash for your bill at a restaurant. Don't say "thank you" as the waitress or waiter picks up the bill with your money unless you don't want any change.
We're not telling you to be rude. In Poland, if you say "thank you" when they pick up your payment, it means "keep the change".
This is a cultural tradition that you need to be aware of… it could lead to an embarrassing situation if you don't remember this. Need we even mention that it could be an expensive cultural lesson? No one in the restaurant is going to warn you about this, though we did read it in some of the city guides we picked up.
We read stories that they will take this literally even if you have a lot of change coming. Also that they might try to make you feel embarrassed if you try to correct your mistake, or that they might just conveniently disappear until you give up. We never had anything like that happen, but then we were forewarned.
So here's what you need to do…. When you get your check, if you put down a large bill, wait quietly for the change. Once you get it back you can say thank you and leave what you think is appropriate.
Use this same rule for taxis too. Wait until you get your change first, then say thank you and give a tip. Rounding up from your fare is a good way to go.
When we paid with a credit card and started to add a tip onto the credit card bill, the wait staff asked us not to do it that way. We ran into this more than once, so we left our tip in cash to make sure that they got it.
We thought food and drinks were wonderfully inexpensive in Poland, and the waiters and waitresses we had were friendly, so we had no trouble leaving a small tip, but we didn't want to leave a big one unintentionally. We're glad we knew about this quirk about tipping in Poland before we went. Now you know too.
Other Pages on Poland.....
Warsaw | Krakow | Exploring Krakow | Krakow Neighborhoods
Krakow Legends | Krakow Salt Mine | Polish Air Museum
Go from Tipping in Poland to MouseToursTravels Home Page
Privacy and Legal Policy
Use one of the handy "share this page" buttons below. Thanks, Judy and Mark
New! Comments
Have your say about what you just read! Did it help with your travel planning and preparation? Eager to leave on that next vacation? Please leave your tips or comments in the box below.
SBI Made This Site Easy For Us... Try It For Yourself - Risk Free Psst... What's BB2? Read the buzz...  We want you to feel comfortable out in the world and on our pages - so surf away in your own language... What are your resolutions? To lose weight? To Exercise more? Why not a FUN resolution! Resolve to TRAVEL! It's a good time to plan your travels... And we have lists to help.... Custom Tour Planning List Destination stories.... Europe Travel Tips Africa Dream List Travel Planning International Travel Planning Tips Guidebooks can help you plan Don't Forget Valentine's Day Romantic Weekends What About Your Passport? Time to get one... or renew... Answers about Passports and Visas Dreaming of Warm Weather or Snow?  Packing for a Tropical Vacation Cold Weather Packing List Find Travel Gear and Books Magellans Travel Supplies has great travel clothing, moneybelts, security purses... anything a traveler needs! or Lonely Planet Guidebooks We always say shop and compare at several sources. Here are some of our favorites... Cheap airfare, hotels, car rentals, vacations and cruises at Expedia.com! All the best hotel sites in one place right here. Hotels Combined... We are not travel agents, but we're affiliated with these and other great companies. What's Yours? We have lots of fun traveling... and we've had lots of fun creating this website. It earns us money too! No get-rich quick scheme here.... just honest pages about our travels. Is this something you've ever wanted to try? Are you passionate or knowledgeable about something? An expert even? Boats ...or... business? Plants ...or... parenting? Anything! Turn it into a web business. Click on the SBI TV icon below and learn how a new life could be yours...
Why NOT you? If you're like me, you like to talk to a real person and get answers to your questions... We get that! Honest answers... honestly ...Promise! Like Our Site Top Left Like Our Fanpage Below Thank You! "I love your website! It's easy to read, informative and engaging. I will come back and explore it over and over because I know there will be interesting things I missed the first time." --Dave, California "Your carry-on packing tips helped me so much. I never thought I could pack light enough, but with your packing tips and your packing lists, I CAN do it. I thank you, and my husband thanks you!" --Debbie, Florida "Thanks for this site.... it's great stuff!" --Jim, Canada "I just started reading and love your site! I haven't even read much, but I had to stop and tell you 'yeah!' I am excited to pack well for this trip and start planning the next one!" --Natalie, U.K. |
