Tipping in Spain: what is customary
Tipping in Spain is entirely voluntary and considerably more modest than in many countries, with rounding up or five to ten per cent in a restaurant regarded as generous rather than expected.
gelisted editorial team · Updated 15 August 2026
The short version
- Service is not added to the bill as a separate charge.
- In a bar, leaving the small change is normal.
- In a restaurant, 5 to 10 per cent is regarded as generous.
- Staff are on a salaried contract, not on tips.
Visitors from countries where tipping is part of the wage frequently overpay here, and occasionally underpay by assuming a percentage that does not apply.
How it works
Hospitality staff in Spain are employed on salaried contracts under a collective agreement, so a tip is a genuine extra rather than a substitute for wages. Service is not added to the bill as a separate line, and no percentage is expected. Leaving nothing at all in a bar is unremarkable; leaving 10 per cent after a long dinner is noticed and appreciated.
| Situation | Usual amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee at the bar | the small change | 0,10 to 0,50 € |
| Menú del día | 0,50 to 1 € | or round up |
| Dinner in a restaurant | 5 to 10 % | regarded as generous |
| Tasting menu | 5 to 10 % | on a large bill |
| Terrace drinks | round up | |
| Taxi | round up | no percentage expected |
| Hotel porter | 1 to 2 € per bag | |
| Housekeeping | 1 to 2 € per night | optional |
Where the confusion comes from
Card terminals in tourist areas increasingly offer preset tip percentages of 10, 15 or 20 per cent, which mirrors practice in other countries and does not reflect Spanish custom. Those buttons are a setting on the machine, not a local norm. Choosing to leave nothing on that screen and rounding up in cash instead is entirely normal here.
Cash or card
Cash reaches the staff more reliably. A tip added to a card payment goes through the establishment's till and how it is distributed depends on the house. Leaving 2 € or 5 € on the table when you go is the clearest way to make sure it lands where it was intended, and it is what most locals do.
On a bill of 80 € for four people, leaving 4 € to 8 € is a normal and well received gesture.
When not to tip
When the service was poor, without any awkwardness, because nothing is owed. When a service charge already appears on the bill, which is lawful if announced but means the tip has effectively been taken. And when paying for a fixed price group menu where the terms already included service. In all three cases leaving nothing is simply the correct answer.
Frequently asked
+Is tipping expected in Spain?
No. It is voluntary and considerably more modest than in many other countries.
+How much in a restaurant?
Five to ten per cent is regarded as generous, and rounding up is perfectly normal.
+Is service included in the bill?
Not as a separate charge in the ordinary case. Staff are on salaried contracts.
+Cash or card?
Cash reaches the staff more reliably, since a card tip goes through the establishment's till.
+What if the service was poor?
Leaving nothing is entirely acceptable, since nothing is owed.
Sources
- 1Boletín Oficial del Estado, BOE (August 2026)
- 2Instituto Nacional de Estadística, INE (August 2026)