American traveling to Greece, staying at a resort. Is tipping an expected thing over in greece as it is in America especially at resorts? Thanks.
Yea my husband and I have been to Greece a few times and only ever leave a euro or 2 to round up and that’s if we have it on us. The last trip we took, we brought some friends with us and one of them insisted on tipping 20% everywhere we went and it became a point of contention on our trip. We basically told him is he was going to tip it’s coming from his own pocket and he’s going to do it after we’ve already gotten up from the table. He wouldn’t listen to us (who travel to Greece often) that it isn’t a thing here, especially not at such a high percentage. Tipping culture is already causing so much anxiety everywhere we go in the US, I’d hate to see it infiltrate Greece as well.
Sure you hate it. Living in Greece as an expat is cheaper than in most other countries and you want to keep living the good life. Why should you tip? Because wages are low and cost of living is high for Greeks too. I say tip and share the wealth. Don't be selfish!
Are you Greek?
If you are American, tipping will be expected from you from experienced tourism workers. No one will say anything if you don't tip, however. Greek Redditors are fiercely against tipping (that is why most of them encourage you not to) because they argue that it will carry over bad qualities of work conditions from US to here. I have reasons to believe this is bullshit and can elaborate if asked.
I’m asking.
Those that have worked in tourism know that since the time Americans (and, to less extend, other tip-friendly nationalities) visited the country, they have been tipping. This is not, by any stretch, a new phenomenon that calls for worry. So, the discouragement from tipping towards foreigners falls flat and that is what I consider bullshit.
Also, as far as I remember, even though I am not that old, tipping existed in greek restaurants and delivery. It is a way of showing appreciation towards a person for the work they've done, be it a good restaurant service that extends beyond placing plates on a table, or a food delivery that went through cold and wind. Now, the tipping here has never been in the way of wage. In all the jobs I have done, I have never encountered such an opinion. Tips have always been considered an extra income, independent of wage, which must always be enough to sustain a person. When it isn't, it isn't due to tipping.
Are some of the concerns valid? Certainly, as long as the example of the US is there. I don't know how America got to this point, but I think the greek society is structurally different and it doesn't run the danger of a 300€ wage due to the extra tip money. Hell, we've been at extremely low wages not long ago.
Tipping should not be mandatory and at all times must not replace a wage. But I don't get the discouragement towards foreigners from tipping, and I suspect some of the fuss about it is people hating the idea of giving extra money (which is fine) and making it ideology.
Please don’t export tipping culture.
Anyone asking for tips in Greece is taking advantage of you as a tourist and as an American. The answer should always be 0.
Also, after you leave you ll normalise this horrendous system for locals.
Please don’t do it.
Please totally ignore this person who is totally clueless as to what he's talking about.
You should definitely tip. It's not a requirement but you should.
People leave their homes (likely from Athens) and families to go work on an Island to live under often terrible conditions (poor housing: small room with 2-4 others, unfriendly owners) with various random other employees (often crazies) ...getting slightly more than minimum wage and working in the supreme majority of cases 9-12 hours per day every day. No days off ever. Then after the summer season is over they go back to their homes finally only to be unemployed and seeking other work, which may take months.
Without the tiping from tourists it's not a job worth doing. Many argue (go to r/Greece and ask, that is the average opinion over there: ) it's not worth doing with the tiping included too.
This has resulted in lack of people wanting to do these jobs and many vacancies in the seasonal jobs. Just yesterday there were seasonal store owners crying about people not wanting to work for them and multiple tens of thousands empty positions.
Relevant article: https://www.kathimerini.gr/economy/563016238/toyrismos-i-sezon-xekina-me-80-000-kenes-theseis-ergasias/
...google translate it.
/
Yes, the Greeks tip other Greeks poorly but that doesn't mean you should too.
The supreme majority of the money that you're giving (other than the tiping) is going to the pockets of the owners.
If you want to be paid more you can ask the business owner for more more money or if you want to hear it in Greek “kateba apergia me to PAME”.
If you want charity you have a pretty sob story laid out there 😢 but all that is not the customer’s concern.
Tipping is not needed, thanks very much.
Not saying very much there buddy get well soon with your cynical abnoxious attitude.
Reality is exactly as i described it to be. No sob story or whatever.
While you're getting better do spare the rest of us. Thanks good chap! :)
Not saying much either apart from trying to guild trip tourists with “poor seasonal workers aren’t making enough money. Please perpetuate a horrendous system and let business owners off the hook form paying their staff fair wages.”
If the numbers Kathimerini posts are correct and people don’t want to work seasonal jobs that should drive wages up. It’s up to those businesses to figure out how to pay theirs employees, not the customer.
Again, no tipping is expected not just in Greece but anywhere in Europe.
The real question is... What makes people this way, the way that you are?
The answer is a difficult one. Psychology and psychoanalysis has tried explaining it, but it's not easy.
Someone’s feelings got hurt 😢
I’ve lived in a tipping culture for many years. I don’t want to see that in Europe every time I go.
If employees want more money they should negotiate that with their employers, not absolve them their responsibility of paying them fair wages.
In the same way we don’t pay teachers or healthcare workers that work at the islands in Greece extra by tipping we won’t do it for servers or other seasonal tourism workers just because we’re vacationing there.
Reality doesnt work the way you seem to think it does because your neuroticism doesnt lead you to like tiping.
I would discuss this with you in great length, but you should consider that political philosophy is my main hobby and it would be likely very boring for me to discuss this with a random who just doesnt like tiping because he's a neurotic.
The more interesting question is: What made you this way? ...and can something be done to reverse this terrible damage?
No. Tipping is uniquely American. There’s no reason to bring that horrible part of our culture to other places of the world.
We didn’t do resorts, so I can’t speak to that specifically.
This is not true.
I mean, it’s safe to round up with some change but it’s not expected. 1-5 Euros at most.
I know!
lol, this isn't even close to being true. Tipping is a thing in most of europe
Says who?
Europeans
You're kidding right? Horrible culture? Minimum wage in the states for service workers has always been too low until California upped it. How do you expect people to stop living in their cars if they can't make a living wage? Oh, but you want to eat out and be served by a person living in a car. Shame!
Tipping is a horrible part of our culture. Customers paying sky high prices also have to subsidize the labor costs of cheap owners.
That’s wrong. Business owners should pay a living wage and not rely on customers to subsidize their income.
I would never tip at a hotel because of the tourist tax... I give actual euros to the member of staff if want to.
It's not mandatory but it's common courtesy. Most workers in tourism work extremely long hours with no rights and are exploited. The fact that some workers may get higher salaries than average is because they pretty much work 12 h per day for up to 5 months straight with no days off. If you can afford it and your service was good don't hesitate to tip please! But no place can demand tips.
as an american i would feel so weird not tipping. ig it would be unfair if it's expected of me and not someone from idk switzerland but it's like .. you're on holiday and these ppl are waiting on u and serving u and working extremely hard as you said. would just feel so weird as a toursit/guest in the country not tipping good service (not applying the logic to locals obv)
Irish here, people in Greece are generally really nice and genuinely nice not the artificial fake nice you see in other countries, wages are quite low in greece and you get great food relatively cheap so even a 10-15% tip goes a long way in greece and they are really appreciative of it.
So do tip.
Yes, it is a thing
I was asked if I wanted to leave a tip when the waiter brought the bill at 95% of the places we went. Where I usually tip 20% in the US, I mainly just did 5-10% in Greece. And the waiters were super appreciative for it. They also usually brought us some kind of free dessert or drinks after we paid and tipped.
Also I should add that this was the first time I’ve ever had hotel reception ask for a tip when I checked out. Our hotel in Athens and the resort in Crete both had the generic “5% 10% 15%” options when you pay with a card. That was kind of weird.
They asked you because you were a tourist , as a Greek we have never been asked to tip in the 30 + yrs of visiting & 14 yrs of living there .
They bring the free desert / raki to everyone regardless of tip . We have always gotten it before we have even paid
I figured that. Which is why I think OP should prepare to be hounded for tips as an American tourist, like myself.
I sound like an American & don’t look Greek but have mastered ordering in Greek so haven’t been asked even when i’m alone .
They definitely target you because of the accent
Idk why people are downvoting you lol. They really think the Greeks aren’t targeting them meanwhile the resorts that cater to Americans have a tipping system on their machines and the resorts that cater to Greeks don’t have that lol it’s so obvious. And also I’ve never been asked for tips anywhere, at restaurants, at hotels, etc. because I look like a typical European.
Yes , it’s unfortunate but that is the way it is.
Has happened to me in Italy , restaurant in Rome , I went with my husband ( who looks EU mediterranean) and no service charge etc , i went with my daughter and Uk friends and they tried it on with the service charge and then said we needed to tip , even said service charge not a tip . When i said sorry i’m Eu and not from Usa they just walked away .
I mean I kind of understand in a way that they are overworked and underpaid but I still think it’s a bit scummy for them to abuse the tipping culture of Americans for their own benefit when they know that europe doesn’t have a tipping culture. Idk how to feel about that.
Well the American / Canadian tipping culture is out of control , and getting worse . Prices have gone up and the employers need to be less greedy and pay employees properly . Everyone should have a living wage , but forcing and harassing customers to do it has been the solution but isn’t the right answer .
Well there are worse things to be targeted for besides a tip I guess.
Indeed . Keep wallet zipped up . & don’t carry cash
So? Tip anyway. The staff are underpaid and you are travelling because of your privilege. Saying you get away with not tipping because of your accent is sneaky.
I’m not traveling, lived in Athens full time for last 14 yrs . Nothing sneaky about my accent, I sound like i’m american, nothing I can do about it. Can speak enough greek that I do when I am given the chance .
We have never been asked to tip , we never carry cash & when we pay by card the waiter had already entered the amount into the machine for us to tap , basically telling us they expect us to pay the menu price only
Those “5% 10% 15%” options are there because it was probably orginally made for the US market and they didn't bother to remove it for other countries. This tipping culture is slowly spreading everywhere else. Supposedly you can't even turn the tipping option off, even if you wanted to.
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I’m very surprised by this, I can’t remember ever seeing a hotel ask for a tip for the reception during checkout. Is there not a minimum wage law in Greece? We tip our waiters and bartenders because they only make $2.13 USD per hour. And if their tips don’t add up to our minimum wage, the business owner has to supplement the difference.
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That certainly explains why they were all so appreciative for the tips, compared to American servers who expect them every time.
My American guilt forces me.
At non touristy areas local people generally round up the bill if the service is good. For example lets say that the price is 18.25 euros, well in this case i would give them 20 euros and tell them to keep the change mainly because i dont want a bunch of coins in my wallet and they probably have a limited amount of coins for change so everyone is happy this way!
Now if the price was 14.50 euros and i had a 20 euro bill i would wait for them to bring the 5.50 change, pocket the 5 euro bill and leave the 0.50 for the waiter on the table.
Again tipping is not expected but I always leave something, as long as the service is good.
Americans need to stop exporting tipping culture. STOP IT
There is no tipping expectation at all. But a good number of Greeks will leave tips at restaurants or for delivery drivers, but even then it’s only a Euro or two mostly.
Tipping culture does not exist in Greece and for a very good reason. Sometimes we leave one extra coin with the bill when we leave but only up to that.
It seemed to be expected when we were there, and also very appreciated. We were even asked at checkout if we wanted to leave gratuity for the staff. The staff were utterly amazing, so we did. They worked super hard the whole time we were there and deserved it.
It seemed to be expected when we were there, and also very appreciated. We were even asked at checkout if we wanted to leave gratuity for the staff. The staff were utterly amazing, so we did. They worked super hard the whole time we were there and deserved it.
Yes, tipping is a thing in Greece. It never was, but Americans have brought this custom to Greece, and now it is expected. Waiters and transportation companies will expect a tip. I have been to Greece at least 25 times since I was a child, and this is customary. I'm going again this summer! Andros & Chios!
No, it is not.
My girlfriend was born and raised in Greece, currently she still is residing there until her visa comes in. Then once that happens she will move to Canada with me. But anyways, whenever I go and visit her we never tip. Maybe we will leave a couple cents, or at most 1-2 euros.
I will always remember the time when we went out, I was paying, the waitress asked for a tip because it was clear I was a tourist. My girlfriend’s face dropped, and she instantly put an end to that. Whatever she said in Greek, quickly made the waitress withdraw her request lol.
Then when my girlfriend came to Canada, she still did not tip and I admire it. Because I hate the tipping culture, it’s so extreme in the western world.
Nothing admirable about that
I disagree
So here's a very related question to those of you answering: Here in the U.S. [I actually loathe using "America" because of the negative connotation it has earned], wait staff at all but the most expensive/elite places (and maybe even there) are undervalued/NOT valued and are considered thoroughly replaceable. It's such a mill and so rare when anyone stays in one place for more than a few months. The pay is $2.13 USD per hour, + tips, which is why tipping is so important here. Two bucks an hour is SLAVE LABOR and not a living wage. And workers owe no loyalty to a job/boss that treats them this way, which is, again, why there's so much turnover. So my question is, do restaurants in the country you call home value their staff and pay them accordingly? (I'm assuming the answer will be a resounding "yes".)
God forbid you tip that waiter who works double shifts and makes 20 euros a day.
I tip as I see fit.
Every coffee shop and bakery I tip the worker.
If I eat at the yacht club I tip the waiter.
I choose to tip based on service anywhere I go in the world.
Greece you’re not expected to tip but once you get there you’ll understand why I tip at certain places.
Greece, Athens in particular is a run down slum. It reminds me of LA Skid row and Chicago mixed together.
Definitely travel away from Athens and if possible see the countryside or islands.
I tip some (not usually 20%) in foreign countries simply because they speak English and I don't speak Greek (or whatever). Sure I hesitantly spit out "parakalo" and "efharisto" (spelling on those is most definitely wrong), but that's about it. The server either knows English or puts up with me not knowing Greek. That right there is enough for a couple euro of my appreciation.
I just got back from Greece and knew tipping culture was not like North America, however was taken aback each time they handed me the machine and asked if I would like to leave a tip very awkward. I started at 15 % then eventually realize 5 or a few euro was appreciated. I was more comfortable paying by cash and leaving a few bucks it was always appreciated.
I was in Greece last week and found that tips were asked for in the tourist areas in Athens. All around the Acropolis and other sites. No tip option was provided in the more local neighborhoods nor on the island of Spetses where we stayed.
I used Uber a lot and tipped them. Especially the driver who took us to the ferry port and stayed with us until he was sure we’re had the forest ferry. It was chaotic and he went above and beyond to not abandon us.
It’s not and if they ask out of duty (a waiter in Athens once told me he asked because he has to but no obligation for me to tip), you can just say 0. The good thing is I’m Asian so I have no guilt doing it since I’m not familiar with or inclined towards tipping anyway
Tip your resort workers. Not just in Greece, but anywhere.
Bruh most resorts give their employees free housing and food plus around €1,200 a month which is very decent. They don’t need tips.
Is it decent to work 12 hours a day for 6 months without a single day off and the free housing being many times a container house or a basement with many others? And usually, all this for way less than the 1200 € you mentioned, which is not a good salary by any means, having in mind the exploitation of tourism employees, which is the standard in Greece.
Yes there will be places that make you do 7 days a week but cmon you’d have to be dumb to agree to that. Most places do 6 days a week, some others do 5 days a week and 8-9 hours a day if you’re lucky.
What you describe is definitely non-existent in Greece for the summer season jobs in the tourism sector. Those types of jobs in tourism are notorious in Greece for the bad conditions they offer.
Then why do people even take them lol. If people stopped lowering their standards for work the employers would eventually be forced to raise wages and living conditions.
Because it's Greece and the unemployment rate is steadily one of the highest in Europe. You stop lowering your standards when there are better alternatives available, something that isn't the case in Greece.
But even with this unemployment, the summer season tourism sector has difficulties finding employees, just because all this mistreatment backfired and they have a really bad reputation as employers in Greece.
It’s crazy how greedy they are. There are boating places that pay their sailing captains only €80 a day for 13 hours of work 6 days a week and a massive, massive responsibility. Meanwhile the boating place charges €140 per person and the boat takes minimum 14 people and they’re full all the time and they have a fleet of 8 boats so they’re making €15,000 A DAY in gross income. And they encourage cash payments so maybe they make €8,000 – €10,000 a day after taxes. And they can’t even bother to pay the captain €100 a day. It’s crazy.
Yes tipping is expected in places with a lot of tourism.
Tipping at restaurants or food delivery is a thing yes, I usually give a couple euros at a restaurant, or if it was a large bill 5 euros
Just came back from Athens and everywhere we went they asked if we wanted to leave a tip when paying with a bank card. Never did as the service was not good anywhere we went but the food was good. We lift whatever tips we had to our hotel cleaner before leaving
I live in Greece as an expat. Tipping is not a thing here, and they only ask tips from tourist. If you go out to eat, and you’re happy with the service you can leave 1-2 euro, but by no means is it required. I actually hate that I see the American tipping culture pop up in Greece more this year.