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Germanychecked Jul 2026Tipping in Germany
Germany has a real but modest tipping custom called Trinkgeld, and one habit that surprises visitors: you tell the server the total you want to pay, rather than leaving coins on the table. Here is how it works.
At a glance
Tipping (Trinkgeld)
Modest, about 5 to 10%
How
Round up to a tidy figure
The habit
Say the total, do not leave it
Pay with
Cash is simplest
Germany has a modest tipping custom, Trinkgeld, of roughly 5 to 10%, usually done by rounding up to a convenient figure. The key habit: when the server takes payment, you state the total you want to pay, including the tip, rather than leaving it on the table. For a 42 euro bill you might say 47, or stimmt so (keep the change). Service is not a separate line but staff earn a wage, so this is a courtesy, not an obligation. Cash is simplest, and when paying by card you tell the server the total.
Trinkgeld: how much, and the round-up habit
Trinkgeld (literally drink-money) is customary but modest: about 5 to 10% at a restaurant, usually by rounding up to a tidy figure rather than calculating a percentage. For a 42 euro bill, rounding to 45 or 47 is normal. At a cafe or bar, rounding up the coins is plenty.
Service is not added as a separate line, and staff earn a proper wage, so the tip is a genuine courtesy. Round up for taxis, leave 1 to 2 euros per bag for a porter, and a euro or two a day for housekeeping if you like.
The habit that surprises visitors: say the total
Here is the part that catches US visitors out. In Germany you do not usually leave the tip on the table. Instead, when the server tells you the total and takes your money, you state the amount you want to pay. For a 42 euro bill, hand over a note and say 47, and you get change for the rest.
If you want to give exactly the change in hand, say stimmt so (that is right, keep the change). The server sorts the tip on the spot, so have a rough total in mind before they come over.
Cash, and paying by card
Cash is still the simplest way to tip in Germany, and many smaller places are cash-preferred anyway. When you pay by card, tell the server the total including the tip before they enter the amount, or add it on the card machine if it prompts. Keep euro coins and small notes handy for rounding up.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Do you tip in Germany?
Yes, modestly. Trinkgeld of roughly 5 to 10% is customary, usually by rounding up to a convenient figure. It is a courtesy, not an obligation, since staff earn a proper wage. It is well below the US 15 to 20%.
How do you leave a tip in Germany?
You tell the server the total you want to pay when they take payment, rather than leaving coins on the table. For a 42 euro bill you might say 47, or say stimmt so to mean keep the change. The server handles the tip on the spot.
How much should I tip at a German restaurant?
About 5 to 10%, usually by rounding up to a tidy number. For a 42 euro bill, rounding to 45 or 47 is normal. At a cafe or bar, rounding up the coins is plenty.
Can you tip by card in Germany?
Yes, increasingly. Tell the server the total including the tip before they enter the amount, or add it on the card machine if it prompts. Cash is still the simplest, and many smaller places prefer it.
More on Germany
The little money things nobody warns you about.
- Taxis in Germany, and the FreeNow appGerman taxis are metered, regulated and honest, so there are no games to watch for. Install FreeNow, know that the S-Bahn usually beats a taxi from the airport, and round up to tip. Here is how it works.
- Do I need cash in Germany, or can I use cards?Short answer: more cash than the rest of Western Europe. Germany is card-friendly in larger shops and hotels, but a surprising number of everyday places take only cash, so carry euros. Here is how to handle it.
- Bringing your dog or cat to Germany.Germany is one of the most common EU destinations for US pet owners, and there is nothing Germany-specific to fear at the border. It runs on the single EU pet-entry process: microchip, rabies in the right order, and an EU health certificate on a 10-day clock. No quarantine, no rabies titer. Here is what that means for Germany, and the local parts worth knowing.
Sources, and how this was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
- US State DepartmentGermany country information
Our own readGerman tipping is cultural, and the say-the-total habit is a longstanding local practice, not a rule. The amounts here are our own read from recent traveler reports and local guidance, not a single official table. Checked July 2026.