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Egyptchecked Jul 2026Tipping in Egypt
Tipping in Egypt, called baksheesh, is not an extra: it is woven into daily life. The trick is to carry lots of small notes and give little and often. Here is how much, when, and in what currency.
At a glance
Tipping (baksheesh)
Constant and expected
Restaurants
12% often added, else about 10%
Key habit
Carry lots of small notes
How
Always cash, in pounds
Tipping in Egypt is constant and expected, in small amounts, for almost any help. At restaurants, a service charge of around 12% is frequently already on the bill; if it is, a little extra for good service is enough, and if it is not, around 10% is normal. Beyond meals, small tips smooth almost everything: a few pounds for a porter, a doorman, someone who gives directions or watches your shoes. Guides and Nile cruise crews are tipped more generously, often at the end. Always tip in cash, in Egyptian pounds, and have 5, 10 and 20 pound notes ready, since you will reach for them many times a day.
How much to tip, by situation
At restaurants, check the bill first. Many add a service charge of about 12%; if it is there, a small extra for good service is enough. If it is not, around 10% is normal. Street food and takeaway do not expect tips.
Guides are tipped more generously. For a day tour, roughly 100 to 200 EGP per person for the guide and 50 to 100 EGP for the driver is a common range. Nile cruise crews receive a pooled tip at the end, often 200 to 400 EGP per person for a multi-day cruise, handed to the purser or placed in a communal envelope.
For everyday help, a porter, a doorman, a bathroom attendant, someone who gives directions, or anyone who opens a tomb or unlocks a viewing platform, a few 5 to 20 pound notes is the norm. Hotel housekeeping appreciates 20 to 50 EGP per day. For taxis, rounding up is fine.
Why small notes matter so much
Baksheesh runs on small denominations. You will tip many times a day, and nobody can break a 200 pound note at a tomb entrance. Keep a thick pocket of 5, 10 and 20 pound notes separate from your main cash, so you can reach for one without pulling out a large wad.
ATMs often dispense 100 and 200 pound notes, so break bills early: buy a water or a snack at a shop and ask for small change, or request smaller notes at your hotel front desk.
Cash and currency for tips
Always tip in cash. A card is no substitute for baksheesh, and many of the people you tip do not have a way to process one. Tip in Egyptian pounds for everyday situations.
A few small, clean US dollar or euro notes can be handy for tipping guides or on a Nile cruise, where staff sometimes prefer hard currency, but pounds are the default and work everywhere.
Common questions
Quick answers.
How much should I tip in Egypt?
Often and in small amounts. At restaurants, check for a service charge (about 12%) already on the bill; if it is there, a little extra is enough, and if not, around 10% is normal. Beyond meals, a few pounds smooths almost any help, and guides and cruise crews are tipped more generously. Carry lots of 5, 10 and 20 pound notes.
What is baksheesh in Egypt?
Baksheesh is the local word for a small tip or gratuity, and it is woven into daily life. You give a few pounds for almost any small service: a porter carrying bags, a guard unlocking a viewing platform, someone giving directions, or a bathroom attendant. It is expected and normal, not a scam.
Do I tip in dollars or Egyptian pounds in Egypt?
Pounds for everyday tipping. Keep a stack of 5, 10 and 20 pound notes for daily use. A few small, clean US dollar or euro notes can be handy for guides or on a Nile cruise, but pounds work everywhere and are easier for most people to use.
How much do you tip a guide in Egypt?
For a day tour, roughly 100 to 200 Egyptian pounds per person for the guide and 50 to 100 for the driver is a common range. For a multi-day Nile cruise, a pooled tip of 200 to 400 pounds per person for the crew, handed to the purser at the end, is typical.
More on Egypt
The little money things nobody warns you about.
- Do I need cash in Egypt, or can I use cards?Short answer: cash, mostly. Cards work at hotels and upscale spots, but almost everything else runs on cash, including the constant tipping. Here is how to handle it.
- Uber or Careem in Egypt, and the Cairo airport taxi trapEgypt is one of the places where an app quietly solves the problem. Here is which one to install, why the old street cabs are best skipped, and how to get out of Cairo airport without the invented fees.
- Common money scams in Egypt, and what they cost youEgypt is one of the world's great trips, and the hassles that do come up are almost all about money, not danger: overcharging, pressure, and a tip expected for everything. A few calm habits defuse nearly all of it. Here is each trap, what it costs, and how to sidestep it.
Sources, and how this was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
- US State DepartmentEgypt country information and local customs
Our own readTipping norms in Egypt are cultural, not legislated rates, so the amounts here are our own read from recent traveler reports and local guidance, not a single official table. The 12% restaurant service charge is a common practice but not universal, and how much extra to leave is a judgment call. Checked July 2026.