Tipping in Ireland Guide (Etiquette + How Much to Tip)

While tipping in Ireland is common, it’s not deeply ingrained in culture like it is in the USA. I’ve lived in Ireland for 35 years, and personally, I only add a 10% tip to restaurant bills when the service is good.

Tipping is most common in restaurants. It’s less common, though appreciated, in pubs, cafés, taxis, hotels and tours.

Below, you’ll find an honest breakdown of when to tip in Ireland, how much to give, and when you absolutely shouldn’t leave a tip.

What to know about tipping in Ireland

The quick answer to ‘Do you tip in Ireland?’ is yes. However, there are situations when it isn’t expected:

1. What’s the general rule for tipping in Ireland?

The general rule for tipping in Ireland is to leave a 10% tip after dining in pubs, restaurants, or cafés. Tips above 15% are uncommon and usually reserved for large groups or exceptional service.

2. Is it mandatory to tip in Ireland?

Tipping in Ireland isn’t mandatory and Ireland doesn’t have a tipping culture like America. If you’re visiting Ireland on a budget and cash is tight, don’t worry about it. If you can afford it and the service was good, it’s customary to leave a tip.

3. When is it customary to leave a tip?

Leaving tips in Ireland is customary when dining in a restaurant, pub or cafe when you’ve had table service. You’ll also frequently see people tip servers at a bar if they have dropped a drink to the table, taxi drivers and on multi-day tours.

4. Service charges can be added automatically

You’ll often find that a service charge has already been added to your bill. It’ll usually say it at the bottom of your bill. Also, note that, for groups of 10+, some restaurants will automatically add a 20% service charge to your bill.

5. Cash and Credit card tipping

Yep, tipping by credit card is a thing in some places, but do note that it won’t be available everywhere. When it comes to tipping in Dublin, Killarney and beyond, cash is king.

When to tip in Ireland (and when not to)

A disclaimer: the advice below is what I do and don’t do when it comes to Ireland tipping practices.

This contradicts some of the more popular American travel blogs, but I’m basing the below on living here for 35 years.

Tipping in restaurants in Ireland

Tipping in restaurants in Ireland (and in cafes/pubs where you’ve had a sit-down meal) is the most common situation where a tip is expected.

Once the service has been good and once there is no service charge included, of course.

How much to tip: In general, a 10% tip is more than acceptable. However, if there’s a large group (e.g. 15 – 20) a 20% tip is usually the norm.

Hotel staff

Tipping in hotels in Ireland is something that you won’t see many Irish people do, unless it’s for a meal in a hotel restaurant.

However, if you get food delivered to your room, if you have a porter help you with your bags or if you’re availing of the housekeeping service, it’s common to tip.

How much to tip: Room service: €2 if you get food to the room. Porters: €2 if you get bags brought to your room. Housekeeping: €2 per night.

Tipping in Irish pubs

Do you tip in Ireland every time you order a drink. No, you don’t and it’s never expected. Now, there are a few exceptions when it comes to tipping in pubs in Ireland.

The first, is if you’ve had a meal and you received good service. The second is if you’re receiving table service.

For example, if there’s a group of you sitting around a table and someone working in the bar asks if you’d like some drinks brought over, it’s the norm to tip.

How much to tip: After a meal, the 10%-20% ‘rule’ applies. If you’re getting table service, €1-€2 per round.

How much to tip tour guides

Tipping tour guides in Ireland is a topic that causes a lot of debate online. Mainly as some (generally tour guides themselves…) say that there is an industry standard to tip 10% of the total cost of the tour.

Now, if you’re on a 5-day tour that cost €2,000, that’d be an extra €200, which is completely unreasonable, in my opinion.

How much to tip: A common scenario, especially on a day-long or multi-day bus tour, would be to tip whatever you see fit and only if you’ve been happy with the service, e.g. €2 – €5 at the end of each day.

Do you tip taxi drivers in Ireland?

Personally, I’d never add a tip to a taxi ride as taxis here are expensive.

Now, you could argue that their overheads are high (e.g. insurance, tax, etc) but the price they charge is more than enough, in my opinion.

If you’re getting around Ireland on buses or trains, don’t worry about leaving a tip. It’s never expected.

How much to tip: If you want to tip your taxi driver, you can either round up the price (e.g. €17 to €20) or you can add whatever you like.

Tipping in Dublin and Northern Ireland

Tipping in Dublin is no different to tipping in Northern Ireland (although there are many differences between Ireland and Northern Ireland).

‘Dublin tipping’ isn’t a thing – the culture around Ireland tipping etiquette is the same in Dublin City as it is on the Antrim coast.

How much to tip: Tipping in Dublin is the same as tipping anywhere else in Ireland, so 10% is more than enough.

Now you have tipping mastered, here are more need-to-knows

Now you know when and how much to tip in Ireland, it’s time to throw you some more Ireland travel tips! Here are some guides you should find useful!

• Road trip itineraries: See our Ireland itinerary library
• Trip planning: See our guide to planning a trip to Ireland
• Getting around: See our guides to renting a car in Ireland and how to get around
• The dos and don’t: Here’s what not to do in Ireland