Heidi Even in my own country, I always find it a difficult issue. Should you tip and if so, how much should you tip? If you yourself have worked in the hospitality industry (like I myself as a student) then you know that a tip is very much appreciated. And not just in the hospitality industry! What are the expectations regarding tipping in Sweden? Do you have to tip in Sweden? And if so, to whom and how much?
To be straight to the point, tipping is not common in Sweden. You can certainly give a tip, but it is usually not expected. You can assume that in most cases the tip has already been included in the grand total.
How much to tip in Sweden?
In general, the tip in Sweden for service is already included in the price. Sometimes it can even seem rude if you insist that they take your tip.
Since in Sweden you mainly pay by card, the threshold for tipping is even higher. Sometimes you can enter the amount you want to pay yourself. In exceptional cases I have seen a box for tips on the counter. Your contribution is fully up to you.
Round up
You can also assume that the service cost is included in the restaurant. If you still want to tip, you can use 5 to 10% as a guideline. Even though tipping is not common in Sweden, many locals will simply round up the bill at a restaurant.
What about hotels?
Servants do not expect any extra. They can therefore generally count on a good wage in Sweden. So it’s not like in the United States where tips are an important part of wages.
You can leave a little money in the room for the cleaning staff of the hotel, but this is not necessary. If you travel with a lot of luggage, you can give the bellhop a little something for his extra effort, but even this is not common in Sweden. Equality is very important in Sweden and tipping could create a hierarchy.
And the taxi driver or the guide?
Porters and taxi drivers sometimes count on a small bonus. Rounding up the amount of the account is sufficient. The guide does not normally expect a tip, unless stated otherwise. This does not apply, for example, to city guides that show you around ‘for free’ but you are actually expected to give an amount of your choice.
In summary: tipping is not customary in Sweden. If you still want to tip at a restaurant or in the taxi: round up.
What do you do? Do you tip?
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