When visiting any country in the world where tipping is much more common than anywhere else, it can be a drama when it comes to bill time; it’s awkward, to say the least!
Now, if you’re visiting Croatia, the good news is that there is not a big tipping etiquette, and generally, gratuities are not widely expected, but that certainly doesn’t mean that they’re not appreciated!
The best rule of thumb to use here is that if you feel you experienced outstanding service and staff who were friendly and attentive, then, by all means, go ahead and leave a few extra kunas.
It’s worth remembering that servers in restaurants and cafes don’t really earn so much, and although they do not expect you leave a tip, every little really does help.
Kuna – Croatian Currency
So, you want to show your appreciation – how much should you tip?
Again, it’s not really carved in stone, which takes the pressure off a little. Basically, tip whatever you feel is appropriate, because the amount of tip you leave reflects how much you appreciated the service.
On the other hand, if service is sub par or not to your liking, you’re not obliged to tip anything – I know I certainly don’t!
If you want a more general guideline in terms of what to tip, check out this rough guide, to help you through this murky, and sometimes awkward subject.
What to Tip in Croatia: Restaurants
Restaurants do not have a hard and fast rule about tipping, and this is entire down to you.
If you want to leave a tip, you could simply round up the bill and tell them you don’t want the change, and that will be very appreciated. In higher class restaurants, e.g. fine dining, the most common amount is to leave 10% – 15% of the bill total as a tip, if you feel the served deserved it.
If you’re paying by card, you probably won’t find the facility to leave a tip this way, so you would have to leave cash on the table instead.
A note to pay attention to however, in a larger restaurant, check there isn’t a ‘service charge’ already added onto your bill.
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What to Tip in Croatia: Bars & Cafes
Again, no rules here but if you want to round up the bill then it will be appreciated. For instance, if a coffee is 9 kunas, it’s nice to pay with a 10 kuna note, and leave the 1 kuna as a tip.
What to Tip in Croatia: Cruise Ships
The general rule here is 20-40 kuna per day, per guest, but again there is no hard and fast rule, and it is up to you on the whole.
What to Tip in Croatia: Taxis
In Croatia, there is no rule to say that you must leave a tip for taxi drivers, but if you want to round up the fare, that will be very appreciated.
Local Tip: Octopus Transfers is the new go-to for great private and shared transfer services. Whether you need airport transfers, excursion transfers or help getting from one city to the next, you will find your needs met. For drivers who give you great service, again a tip it always appreciated.
What to Tip in Croatia: Hotel Porters
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There is always that awkward moment when a hotel porter has helped you carry your heavy bag up the stairs, and you’re not sure whether it’s okay to tip or not.
Well, it’s nice to do so and if you want to then the general amount varies from 5 up to 20 Kuna per bag. If you are staying in a seriously swanky hotel, you might want to up the figure slightly.
What to Tip in Croatia: Hotel Maids
Your maid looks after you throughout your stay, so it’s always nice to leave a little something at the end of your stay if you want to say thank you. The general amount here is around 15 kunas for every night of your stay.
What to Tip in Croatia: Tour Guides
If you head off on a tour and you feel that your guide really helped make it special for you, you could give them a 10-15 kunas tip, and they will be very appreciative of it.
As you can see, Croatia is pretty laid back about tipping, and that makes the whole subject much easier on guests! You don’t have to tip by any means, but if you want to show your appreciation, it will always be greatly received.