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Do you tip wait staff in Greece?

Restaurant workers in Greece don't expect you to tip, though the restaurant may sometimes charge a service fee. That fee can function as a tip instead, though it may go to the restaurant instead of the server. If you want to see your waiter receive the tip, you're better off leaving coins with the bill.



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At bars in Europe, tips are not customary, but leaving change or a few euros is always appreciated, if not expected. For takeaway food or drinks, counter dining, or stand-up service, tips are also not customary.

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Iceland is an emphatically no-tipping country. A side effect of the tipless culture is that waiters in Icelandic restaurants are usually happy to split the bill for groups.

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There is not a strong tradition of tipping in Greece, particularly among the locals, but it's become expected that tourists leave a small tip while travelling through the country. In restaurants it's common to leave a cash tip for whoever is looking after you – 10–15 per cent is standard.

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Tipping in Greece is not rude at all. It is a nice way to show that you have enjoyed someone's service. Even a small tip is always appreciated.

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Tip in the local currency Whenever you tip during your trip to Greece it is important to use the local currency, that is - Euros. Otherwise you'll leave your service providers with cash they can't use without paying high fees on currency exchange.

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Greek: “To logariasmo parakalo” After eating a delicious meal in Greece, you'll get your server's attention and ask for “To logariasmo parakalo” from your server. Both “logariasmo” and “parakalo” have the strongest accent on the last vowel, which sounds like the English word “oh.”

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The answer is yes. Tap water in Athens is absolutely safe to drink. This is why we do not have to buy water bottles since all buildings have direct access to drinkable water from the nearby lakes Marathon and Yliki.

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Greeks are very demonstrative and affectionate. Nodding your head yes is not polite; say yes instead. Yes is signified by a slight downward nod of the head; “no is a slight upward nod of the head. The “O.K.” sign is a rude gesture; thumbs up means O.K.

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In Athens and many other parts of Greece, the water is safe to drink. However, because of various concerns regarding supply and infrastructure, it's popular on both the islands and the mainland to buy bottled water rather than drinking straight from the tap.

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Pro tip: Tip everyone: While most travelers know to tip a bellman or valet, few leave anything for the front-desk agent—despite their enormous power to influence the quality of your stay. “The front desk isn't a tipped position, so when you do tip, it makes them beholden to you,” Tomsky said.

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Always keep your palm turned toward you. Making a fist with your thumb between your index and middle fingers is considered obscene. Thumbs up signals approval but thumbs down is a rude gesture. A single nod of the head downward is the expression for yes and a single nod of the head backward means no.

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Japan. Unlike Spain, Japan is a country where you should not tip at all; it's actually offensive. In the majority of Japanese restaurants a bill is not brought to the table. Instead, payment is accepted at the bar, so even trying to leave a tip for the waiter can be tricky.

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If you've been to Greece you may know about the practice of throwing toilet paper in the bin rather than flushing it away. It's something that I've never come across anywhere else in Europe but wherever you go in Greece you'll see signs in the bathrooms.

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Japan. Unlike Spain, Japan is a country where you should not tip at all; it's actually offensive. In the majority of Japanese restaurants a bill is not brought to the table. Instead, payment is accepted at the bar, so even trying to leave a tip for the waiter can be tricky.

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Follow the one-euro rule A good rule of thumb for tipping in Europe is to give at least one euro (or the equivalent in local currency) per service. For example, pay one euro per bag carried up to your room by a bellhop or porter, one euro per day for housekeeping, and one euro per day for breakfast staff.

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