A Complete Guide to Tipping in Spain - Who, What, and When to Tip
Tipping in Spain is a little bit different than in the United States. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated. Here is a quick summary of when and how to tip in Spain:
I go into detail for each of these categories below. So if you're looking for any clarification, be sure to read on!
Transportation
Local Taxi Rides: Round Up or leave 1Euro
Longer Taxi Rides (like Airport Transfers): 1 Euro up to 10%
Local Ride Share Rides: Round Up or Leave 1 Euro
Longer Ride Share Rides (like Airport Transfers): 10% (no bag fee applied to fare)
Private Drivers: 10 Euros (Airport Transfer) or 10%
Eating Out
Fine Dining: 10%
Standard Restaurants: 10% if a service charge is not already included
Cafes and Casual Restaurants: Round up, no tip, or a small cash tip for exceptional service
Food Delivery: 1 Euro for a standard order
Tours
Small Group Tour: 3-5 Euros per person
Large Group Tours: 1 Euro per person
Private Tours: 5-10% of the Tour Cost
Free Walking Tours: 5-20 Euros depending on quality and duration
Hotels
Bellmen and Porters: 1-2 Euros per bag
Housekeeping: 1-2 Euros per night
Room Service Delivery: 1-2 Euros
Concierge: 5-10 Euros for a booking
For a more detailed rundown of each of these categories, keep reading! Or, if you’re looking for a Tipping in Spain Cheat Sheet to carry while traveling in Spain with your family, save this photo to your phone.
If you’re headed to Spain with your family, you may find these articles helpful:
Transportation: Tipping Taxis, Drivers, and Ubers in Spain
Getting around Spain with kids in tow means using a variety of transportation options. Whether it’s hiring a private driver for the jet-lagged ride from the airport or grabbing a quick taxi for tired feet after a traditional late-night Spanish dinner. You’ll want to know how to tip accordingly, so you have one less thing to think about on the journey.
Tipping in Taxis in Spain
Tipping in a taxi in Spain isn’t expected but is certainly appreciated.
For standard rides, round up to the nearest euro if you’re paying in cash.
If you’re paying with a credit card, you likely won’t have the option to add a tip on the card reader. In that case, you can either skip the tip altogether or hand over a 1 euro coin.
Of course, if the taxi driver provides exceptional service, I always like to tip a euro or two for their extra efforts. This includes things like giving local insights, somehow giving my kids extra attention or care, or managing to get me somewhere on time in congested traffic situations.
For airport pickups (or any longer rides) with my jet-lagged children and multiple suitcases, I typically add around 10%. Some taxi drivers have even helped me to get the suitcases all the way inside the door of our accommodation, not just to the curb.
Some sources say that taxis charge an additional bag fee from the airport, so tipping still isn’t necessary. But in my case, I usually require extra help because we have additional bags with kids, and fewer helping hands. So I still like to show my appreciation with a 10% tip.
Headed to Malaga and don't feel like relying on taxis? Check out my list of 11 Things To Do in Malaga With Kids - No Car Necessary!
Tipping in Ubers in Spain
I love using ride-sharing apps. Especially when I’m traveling solo with my two daughters. Nothing beats the convenience of knowing the price, paying in the app, and not having to physically hail a cab. And for safety concerns that come with traveling solo, being able to see the driver’s rating? Game changer.
Regarding tipping in an Uber in Spain (and similar services like Cabify and Bolt), the expectations are the same as traditional taxis—it's not required but always welcomed.
The app conveniently offers tipping options after completing your ride. This feature makes it easy to add a small tip (around 1 Euro for standard rides) without fumbling for change while managing kids and all the stuff that comes with daily mom life.
Of course, similar to taxis, if your Uber driver helps with multiple pieces of luggage, it's considerate to add about 10% as a tip. Especially because Uber doesn’t add a bag fee (like taxis do) when you have suitcases.
Tipping Private Drivers in Spain
I love the comfort of knowing that when I land in a foreign country (after an overnight flight), I have a ride waiting for me.
I don’t care how easy and reliable the taxi queue is. Not having to figure out that one thing when you land, and the driver already knowing the address of your destination, is worth the extra cost to me.
The tipping expectations for private drivers are notably higher than for taxis or ride-shares. For a standard airport transfer with our family, €10 is usually an appropriate tip for a private driver. This tip reflects the personalized service and convenience of having someone waiting specifically for you and your jet-lagged kids.
For extended services like half-day or full-day tours, the standard is to tip approximately 10% of the total fare.
Some private drivers do more than just drive. They may recommend certain bathroom stops that are clean and convenient, interact with your kids, or share certain facts and information about the area. In that case, you may want to think about adding some additional tip on top of the standard 10%.
Tipping in Spain at Restaurants and Cafes
If you’ve traveled a bit, you know that almost no other country expects tips at restaurants like the United States does. That’s because, in other countries, servers and wait staff are actually paid at least minimum wage!
Tipping doesn’t make the difference between servers being able to pay rent or not. But tipping in Spanish restaurants and cafes is still appreciated. And in some cases, it’s expected. Read on to know when and how much to tip at restaurants and cafes in Spain.
When to Tip at Restaurants in Spain
As a quick note, you will need to request the bill at a Spanish restaurant. Simply make eye contact with your server and say, “La cuenta, por favor.” Aka, “the check, please.”
Before leaving anything extra, I always check if "servicio incluido" (service included) appears on the bill. This means a service charge has already been applied. In this case, you would only tip if the service is exceptional.
The menu should also state when a service charge is going to be included in the bill.
IVA is tax - Don't confuse it with a service fee!
The above restaurant is located in La Herradura, about an hour outside of Malaga. If you're headed there (or to Malaga), you may find these articles helpful:
What to Do in La Herradura, Spain With Kids - When You Don’t Have a Car!
Free Activities for Families in La Herradura, Spain
11 Things To Do in Malaga With Kids - No Car Necessary!
Tipping in Spain at Different Types of Restaurants
With young kids, you don’t find me frequenting upscale dining restaurants. But if you’re traveling sans kids or have found yourself a babysitter for the evening, 10-15% tip is appropriate at fine dining restaurants.
At standard restaurants (like what you tell your kids is a nice restaurant), if the service fee isn’t already included, you could leave up to 10% for good service. Especially if the servers are extra patient with your kids, any messes they make, or special requests you have to make.
Let’s be honest, you’re much more likely to find me dining out with my two kids at a casual cafe than at a sit-down formal restaurant. I eat out for breakfast or lunch. Dinner times can be unpredictably feral with toddlers and preschoolers.
At a casual cafe, if the server takes our orders and delivers the food, I either don’t tip at all or round up if paying in cash. Of course, unless there’s exceptional service. Which is kind of what tip is for, right?
If you’re paying with a credit card, there’s no need to tip. Or you can leave a small tip on the table in cash.
For places that we frequent often and become “regulars”, I make it a point once in a while to bring some cash to leave a small tip. They’ve gotten to know our orders and greet us with a smile. I appreciate the extra effort and personalized service.
One of our "regular" cafes in Spain.
As far as bars go, I don’t exactly have a lot of first-hand experience. Kids, remember? But from what I’ve read, if you order at the bar, no tip is necessary. If table service is provided, you would treat the tipping situation the same as restaurants and cafes.
Using Cash vs Credit Card to Tip at Restaurants in Spain
I pretty much always pay my restaurant bills in Spain using a credit card. But it’s a different story leaving tip at a restaurant.
Whenever possible, tip in cash. This ensures your gratuity reaches the server rather than potentially going to the restaurant owner.
If you prefer tipping by card, simply tell the waiter the total amount you'd like charged, including the tip. Spanish checks don’t typically have a designated space for adding tips.
So if your bill is €68 and you want to leave a 10% tip, just ask the server to charge €75 instead. You can say it’s “para propina”, which means “for tip”.
The most convenient way to get cash in Spain is through an ATM. I have a debit card that waves ATM fees and allows for foreign transactions. Make sure to check your card's policies! For a full list of everything you'll want to do before your trip to Spain, check out Preparing for a Trip to Europe With Kids: Don’t Forget These Steps.
Do You Tip for Food Delivery in Spain?
After sightseeing all day with tired children, ordering delivery to our accommodation is sometimes a lifesaver. While not mandatory, delivery drivers appreciate a small tip of about one euro for an average order. If using Uber Eats or a similar service, you can do this right on the app.
Consider the circumstances when deciding what to tip—factors like holidays, flights of stairs they need to climb, bad weather, and order size matter.
Tipping Tour Guides in Spain
I’m often a bit of a “DIY” type traveler when it comes to exploring new cities and sites. But sometimes, it’s just worth the money to have someone else showing you where to go. And providing facts about a site that are actually interesting for your kids!
I hired a private tour guide when we went to Alhambra, and it was so worth the added cost. Traveling solo with two kids, she helped me carry my bag sometimes and made sure we got the best family photo opportunities.
Our private tour guide, Anna, helping with my bag because I had a tired toddler in my arms.
She gave me interesting facts and stories intermixed with interesting nuggets of kid-friendly information. Like that 43 cats were living at Alhambra. Finding all the cats was my 2 year olds’ main entertainment. But that also meant I could enjoy, learn, and marvel in (relative) peace!
She made the whole trip enjoyable, stress-free, and fun for all parties… which was all reflected in her tip.
If you want to book this same private tour for Alhambra, Anna was our guide with this tour. I would highly recommend it!
Tipping in Spain for Group Tours
Unlike restaurant servers, tour guides may depend on tips in order to make a liveable wage in Spain.
For large group tours in Spain (25+ people), tipping 1 Euro per person is considered pretty standard.
For small group tours in Spain, tipping 3-5 Euros per person is acceptable, and obviously depends on the quality of the tour given as well as the duration of the tour.
Tipping in Spain for Private Tours
For private tours, tipping amounts can depend greatly on the duration of the tour, the quality of the tour, and the number of people that were in your private group. In general, tipping 5-10% of the tour cost will adjust for quality and duration factors.
When I took that private tour of Alhambra, my youngest was free because she was so little. But Anna, our tour guide, made the extra effort to make the tour interesting for her as well. And entertained her enough to allow me to enjoy the tour. That wasn’t reflected in the total tour cost, but I tipped as though my daughter had been a paying participant.
A rare photo of the 3 of us that isn't a selfie - All thanks to Anna, our private tour guide at Alhambra!
Tipping in Spain on Free Walking Tours
For free walking tours, typically 5-20 Euros is the tip range you’ll be working with. I know this is a huge range, but quality levels on these free tours can vary greatly. Pay the amount that you feel reflects the value of the tour you were provided.
As a general rule for tipping tour guides in Spain, tip in cash! Many tour guides won’t have any way of accepting card payments, especially if you paid for the tour online ahead of time.
Tipping at Hotels in Spain
We tend to be more of a vacation rental family. Having a kitchen and a living room is pretty much essential to everyone’s mental health on an extended trip. But there are times that we find ourselves in a typical hotel room.
Tipping at hotels in Spain is more commonly expected than in other situations like taxi rides and eating out. Have some Euros handy when you arrive to be prepared for these hotel tipping expectations in Spain.
If you're headed to Spain with your kids, you may find these articles helpful:
Preparing for a Trip to Europe With Kids: Don’t Forget These Steps
11 Things To Do in Malaga With Kids - No Car Necessary!
Who to Tip at Hotels in Spain
Bellmen and Porters
In my opinion, anyone who helps with suitcases deserves a tip. Having someone take care of luggage for me after handling it all through airports and taxis is priceless. You’ll typically find bellmen and porters at higher-end hotels. But you can also consider this category as “luggage helpers”.
The general rule is to tip around 1 Euro per bag.
Housekeeping Staff
Everyone knows how quickly a small hotel room can get messy. Three people sharing a small bathroom, hotel meals and the associated crumbs that are bound to happen, and hotel towels that are used to clean up spills. It adds up quickly. A tip for housekeeping will be greatly appreciated.
A general guideline is to leave 1 Euro per night, on a nightly basis.
Room Service Delivery
When the kids have gone to sleep before dinner time and you’re hungry, room service can come to the rescue. Tipping for room service in Spain isn’t necessary, but is appreciated. Especially if they are extra cautious about not waking up sleeping little ones.
1-2 Euros is an appropriate (optional) tip for room service delivery.
My kids' ideal room service at a hotel in Spain.
Concierge Staff
If the concierge makes bookings for you, arranges tours, or finds you that perfect kid-friendly restaurant for dinner, a tip is appreciated and expected. How much you tip could depend on the service provided.
If the concierge handled the research and the booking for you, 5-10 Euros is an appropriate tip to leave.
Doormen
If the doorman simply opens the door for you at the hotel, a tip isn’t necessary. But if they help with strollers, shopping bags, or getting you a taxi in the rain, a small tip of a euro or two can help to show your appreciation.
Final Thoughts on Tipping in Spain
In general, tipping in Spain isn’t as prominent or expected as in the United States. For the most part, if you’re observant, you can copy what the locals do. The exception is in tourist hotels and for tour guides, of course.
Always keep some cash on hand, though. Tipping in Spain almost always occurs via cash. And when in doubt, a tip won’t be offensive in Spain like in some other countries. Tipping is welcomed and accepted in restaurants, taxis, hotels, and on tours.
FAQs About Tipping in Spain
Q1. Is tipping expected in Spain? No, tipping in Spain is not expected or required in many situations. Unlike some countries, service workers in Spain receive regular salaries and do not rely on tips for their income. Leaving a tip is entirely optional and seen as a gesture of appreciation for exceptional service in most situations.
Q2. How much should I tip at restaurants in Spain? If you choose to tip at restaurants in Spain, 5-10% of the bill is considered generous. For casual meals, rounding up the bill or leaving small change (€1-2) is common. At upscale restaurants, you might tip 10-15% for outstanding service.
Q3. Should I tip taxi drivers in Spain? Tipping taxi drivers is not mandatory in Spain. Most locals simply round up the fare to the nearest euro. If the driver assists with luggage or provides exceptional service, you might add an extra euro or two as a gesture of appreciation. The exception fo this guideline is extended taxi rides, in which case you can consider tipping up to 10% of the fare.
Q4. Is it appropriate to tip hotel staff in Spain? Tipping hotel staff is appreciated for good service. Consider leaving €1-2 per day for housekeeping, €1-2 per bag for porters, and €5-10 for concierge services if they've been particularly helpful during your stay.
Q5. How do I tip if I'm paying by credit card in Spain? If you want to tip when paying by card, ask the server if it's possible to add a tip to the card charge. Many restaurants don’t have this option, so it's a good idea to carry some cash for tipping.
My Favorite Travel Resources for a Family Trip to Spain:
Accommodation: Booking.com because you can view reviews across multiple platforms, find hotels or vacation rentals, often find free cancellation policies, and frequently find sales.
Tours: Viator because of the wide range of tours, upfront reviews and pricing, and its one stop platform for tours across multiple cities and locations.
eSIM: Holafly because of its unlimited data, affordability, fast connection, and straight-forward installation process (even for the technologically challenged).
Digital Protection: Surfshark because of its affordability, ease of use, and ability to connect it with unlimited devices (which is especially important when factoring in kids!).