← Part of the Hong Kong money guide
Hong Kongchecked Jul 2026Tipping in Hong Kong
Hong Kong has a light tipping culture. Most sit-down restaurants add a 10% service charge, so a tip is largely built in, and casual spots and taxis expect little or nothing. Here is what you actually owe.
At a glance
Tipping
Light, service often included
Restaurants
A 10% service charge is common
On top
Round up, or leave the small change
Taxis
No tip, or round up
Hong Kong has a light tipping culture. Most sit-down restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill, so a tip is largely built in; if you were pleased, people often round up or leave the small change on top, but it is not required. At casual places, cha chaan teng, dai pai dong and cafes, no tip is expected. For taxis, drivers usually just round up to the nearest dollar or keep small change. Leave anything extra in cash (HK dollars).
Light tipping, mostly built in
Hong Kong is not a big tipping culture. Staff earn a wage, and at casual places, cha chaan teng (tea cafes), dai pai dong (open-air food stalls) and coffee shops, no tip is expected.
At sit-down restaurants, a service charge usually does the work (see below), so you rarely need to think in percentages the way you would at home.
The 10% service charge
Most sit-down restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill. That stands in for a tip, so you do not need to add more. If you were especially pleased, it is common to round up or leave the small change or a few coins on top, but it is optional.
If a place does not add a service charge, leaving the small change or roughly 10% for good service is a kind gesture.
Taxis, and the rest
For taxis, drivers typically round up to the nearest HK dollar or keep small change, and nothing more is expected. Hotel porters, a few HK dollars a bag is a kind gesture.
Leave any extra in cash, in HK dollars. Day-to-day, an Octopus card covers most small spending anyway. For the wider picture, see cash or card in Hong Kong and the Hong Kong money guide.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Do you tip in Hong Kong?
Lightly. Most sit-down restaurants add a 10% service charge that covers the tip, so you need not add more, though people often round up. Casual spots and taxis expect little or nothing.
Is there a service charge in Hong Kong restaurants?
Usually, at sit-down restaurants: a 10% service charge is common. It stands in for a tip, so you do not need to add more, though rounding up for good service is a kind gesture.
Do you tip taxi drivers in Hong Kong?
Not really. Drivers usually just round up to the nearest HK dollar or keep the small change, and nothing more is expected.
How much do you tip in Hong Kong?
Little. A 10% service charge covers most sit-down meals. Where none is added, leaving the small change or about 10% for good service is generous. Casual spots and taxis need no real tip.
More on Hong Kong
The little money things nobody warns you about.
- Do I need cash in Hong Kong, or can I use cards?Short answer: a card for most things, an Octopus card for the rest, and a little cash for markets. The Octopus card is the real key to Hong Kong. Here is how to handle it.
- Bringing your dog or cat to Hong Kong.Hong Kong is stricter on paperwork than on waiting. The US sits in its middle risk tier, which means no quarantine by default, no rabies titer, and no long biology clock. The whole game is the AFCD Special Permit, which you must hold before you book a flight, and getting every document exactly right, because a single gap can turn a no-quarantine move into months of it. Here is the route.
Sources, and how this was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
- US State DepartmentHong Kong information
Our own readHong Kong tipping is light and mostly handled by the restaurant service charge. Amounts here are our own read from recent traveler reports and local guidance, not a single official table. Checked July 2026.