Tipping in Italy

The coperto is a per-person cover charge that most sit-down restaurants add to the bill, commonly 2 to 3 euros and sometimes more in tourist spots. It covers the table, bread and service setup. It is not a tip and not a scam, it is a normal Italian practice.

Note that in Rome's Lazio region, the coperto is actually banned. Some restaurants there offer a bread charge (pane e coperto) instead, which you can decline if you do not want bread.

A few tourist-heavy restaurants also add a servizio (service charge), typically around 10 to 15%. If you see it on the bill, you do not need to tip on top. If neither coperto nor servizio appears, the listed price is the price, and a small tip is a kind gesture.

For a normal meal, nothing beyond the coperto is expected. For genuinely great service, rounding up the bill or leaving a few euros on the table is appreciated. At a nicer restaurant, up to roughly 5 to 10% is generous.

For taxis, round up the fare to a convenient figure. For hotel porters, 1 to 2 euros per bag is appreciated. For housekeeping, 1 to 2 euros a day left on the pillow is a kind gesture. At a bar or cafe, Italians sometimes leave the small change from an espresso, but nothing more is expected.

Leave any tip in cash, in euros. Card tips are unusual in Italy, and small establishments may not be able to process them separately. Keep a few euro coins and small notes handy for tips, the coperto, and espresso bars.

Common questions

Quick answers.

More on Italy

The little money things nobody warns you about.

• Taxis in Italy, and the airport fixed fareTaxis in Italy do not work the way most visitors expect: you cannot really flag one down, and Uber is not the cheap option it is at home. Here is how to get a cab, and the airport rule that saves you money.
• Bringing your dog or cat to Italy.Italy is a popular EU destination for US pet owners, and there is nothing Italy-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 Italy, and the local parts worth knowing.
• Italy's tourist tax, and the Venice access fee.Almost every Italian city adds a small per-person, per-night tax to your stay, and it is rarely in the price you paid online. Here is what it costs in 2026, who is exempt, and why Venice has a second, separate fee that confuses everyone.
• Do I need cash in Italy, or can I use cards?Short answer: cards for most things, a stash of euros for the small ones. Italy is more card-friendly than its reputation, and merchants must legally accept cards, but cash still oils the daily stuff. Here is how to pay well.
• Italy's VAT refund, and what you actually get back.Italy has the EU's highest VAT at 22%, and non-EU visitors can claim some of it back on shopping. The process is now digital and the threshold is low, but operator fees mean the real refund is well under the headline. Here is how it works.
• Staying connected in Italy.In Italy the coverage is strong where the visitors are, the cities, the coast, the hill towns, so the real decision is how you pay for data. For most US travelers an eSIM is far cheaper than the carrier day pass. Here is the math, and the few places signal drops.
• What does renting a car in Italy really cost?A car is wonderful for Tuscany, Puglia and the islands, and a liability in the big cities. Two things catch US drivers out before they even hit the road: a permit you must carry by law, and the camera zones that quietly fine you long after you fly home.