Tipping in India
 

Is there a 'fair' rule of thumb for tipping in India? On one hand, I don't want to be a cheapstake and get my food spit in, but on the other hand, I don't want to support the worldwide American tradition of overtipping and making it worse for future tourists. I am going to India this December and I look every bit like a tourist, so there is no blending in with the locals. There aren't too many 6'0" white men running around India (I think).

Maybe 10% of a dinner check. Rs. 50 for the various services in a hotel.

There are PLENTY of 6' white American and British men running around, and even many 6' Indian men running around, but, no, you won't blend in.

I now rather often tip 10% of a check up to a maximum of 150-200 rupees at better establishments. Of course a lot of people still do tip way more than needed or even expected. Furthermore, a lot of foreigners in India don't tip at all or don't tip more than the change/coins they get back if paying the bill in cash. This has not resulted in any trouble on that visit or on repeat visits.

Doggone if I didn't think tonight on the way to the hotel about this very topic. It is late and I need to sleep. I have not been tipping in the past with no negative effects. I have started to tip here and there but there are far too many people that I could potentially so I'm a bit perplexed.

1) Guy that tries to grab your bag and take it to the car at the airport.
2) Airport pickup/dropoff driver
3) Bellhops taking/placing your bag from/into car
4) Bellhop bringing/takig bag to/from the room
5) Room service delivery person
6) Local run car driver
7) Hotel restaurant/bar waiters
8) Waiters outside hotels

So do y'all tip all of them while in India? How much do you tip them each?

Here's how I do it generally:

With regards to Person:

1 above. Only gets tipped if I ask for the help and he's not pushy. (For those that try to milk me, I have a bunch of old Turkish lira that look good -- a million old Turkish Lira, you know, a big amount :D -- which I give them. They can't even get it converted into two INR. :D ) Never more than 40-50 rupees.
2 above. Never more than 50 rupees.
3 and 4 above. Never more than 50 rupees and only to the person who did the last or biggest delivery step.
5 above. 50 rupees regardless of bill
6 above. 70-100 rupee tip per day for local run driver if he negotiates down things on my behalf but never more than 300-500 rupees per month in total.
7 above. Never more than 100 rupees regardless of tab.
8 above. Restaurant waiters never more than 10% with a cap of 150-200 rupees.

Not tipping has not yielded me any trouble either. There have been some trips where I have not even tipped more than 200 rupees in total on the entire trip and my service the follow-up time was not impacted negatively as far as I could tell.

1) I shake my head, say no/"nahin"/"naa" (whatever) and grab it back. If I have a car from a hotel, the driver can very well take my suitcase, if I have one. My rollaboard stays with me all the time.

2) 20 or 50 rupees, depending on whether he helps me with my suitcase, adjusts the air conditioning to my liking, plays the right music, etc.

3) If its the same person as in 4), he'll get a tip. If I just have a rollaboard, it goes with me into the backseat - and I can do that myself.

4) Usually 50 rupees for 1 or 2 heavy bags.

5) Nothing. There's always a ~10% service charge.

6) Haven't used one.

7) Nothing. There's always a ~10% service charge.

8) If there's no service charge, I'll usually round up the bill. eg. for a Rs. 40 bill I'll just pay with a Rs. 50 note and leave, for a Rs 200 bill I may leave a Rs 20 tip, for a Rs. 500 bill I might leave Rs. 50. Never more. You're not likely to have a bill larger than a couple of hundred rupees at a place that does not have a service charge anyway.

Wow. I am starting to feel a LOT better about myself as I read this and Savage25's post also. I tip exactly in this range (although, like Savage25, I never, ever let the guy at the airport grab my bags). And I have always considered myself a hopeless cheapskate w/r/t tipping, particularly compared to some of my American finance-industry colleagues. I guess I am doing the right thing after all.

However, I did have one experience with a local Europcar driver where it was clear that he thought I was being seriously stingy. He was hired by my Hyderabad hosts to take me around for one day for business meetings and a second day for sightseeing, and he did a nice job of being a bit of a tour guide too. I tipped him INR 200 at the end of day 2, and he looked at it like I had just given him a dirty Kleenex. I wasn't sure what to make of that (although I was not motivated to give him any more money!). It was the first time I'd gotten that reaction.

A regular indian would tip the restaurant and maybe the driver if the car was assigned to him personally during the time. Taxis sometimes have their fare rounded off if he was quick to get you someplace or if you only drive for a short distance after hailing him out of a queue at the airport or train station.

At restaurants 10% is for really good service, otherwise just round off. I've noticed that in some restaurants they often just skipped the coins on the return change, expecting me to leave the change anyway. Now this I hate and make it a point to call the guy in charge.

Drivers get 100 INR. Service people in india KNOW the tip is for extra service and not a given. In US you tip because the persons get minimum wage and the tip is part of their pay. Don't forget that.

The 10% service charge is a tax that the govt. levies on these establishments. It is totally ridiculous, but it isn't a service charge like in gratuity.

While true, one could argue that what some of the service staff in India make in establishments outside of the very good ones probably is far less than what might be the equivalent of minimum wage in the US, in order to maintain a bare minimum standard of living.

I like tipping in India more because I am not always made to feel obliged to do so.

Well said. I tip in India not because it's demanded -- for when it is, I don't tip at all there -- but because it's to reward service and help out people making a very basic honest living. As the begging and pestering has dropped off, my willingness to tip (and tip more) has risen. The people selling newspapers along the road -- who used to beg -- now get me to buy their papers and I let them keep the change although they routinely try to give me back the change. It's a huge improvement over the nonsense that used to happen along the roads, especially around DEL (before they started to fine the persons giving money to beggars).

Is this just speculation? I would never argue that.

Tipping
 

Tipping is more sought out in India than in other countries but the amounts are lesser. Staying in India (and being local), I generally go by the guidelines:

1. At airports, I move bags to trollies myself and do not allow airport porters and other hanger ons (they are in abundance) to touch the trolley. They usually have absurd demands and are real pains in the a**.
2. At the car, I do not tip the driver since he gets tipped at the end of the day.
3. I do not tip public taxis. They may expect it but it is not practised at all in India. Only full day hired cars of private operators who are wating on you for 8-9 hours need to be tipped (about Rs. 50-Rs.100) per day depending on his efficieny and demeanour. I also offer them about Rs. 50 for lunch which suffices.
4. At hotels, the bell desk gets tipped small amounts (Rs. 40 for 2-3 bags)
5. Restaurants, if the bill amount is < Rs. 1000, I tip 10%. For bill amounts of Rs. 1000-2000, I tip about 7% and above that not more than 5%.

I also regard (as mentioned in some of the postings) tipping also as a means of creating rightfully earned income for the poorer sections in a country with high wage inequalities.

I'm glad you mentioned this about the annoying people at the airport. I had a ?porter? in Kuwait who refused to let go of my trolley. He was an immigrant from one of the poorer Muslim countries. I told him no time and time again and even forced his hands off the bar, but he put them right back on and refused to let go. I didn't want to cause a scene, so I ended up just using his services, but I was not happy about it. What can I do if they are like this? I see my only options as:

1-Drop kick them (probably getting myself arrested in the process).
2-Call the police over (will they actually do anything?)
3-Use them and then pay them a few pennies or something (would this work?)

I don't like using service people like this because I'm perfectly capable of doing these things myself. I don't need or want someone to open a door for me, carry my bags to my room, etc. I tip in restaurants because the wait staff are performing a service, but other than that, I don't like tipping because I always feel like I'm being ripped off.

You just gave me some bad ideas :D

:D I look forward to hearing about your approaches and experiences. :D

not "always" a service charge
 

I noticed on my last trip that some finer restaurants are not adding tips to dinner bills and even room service. The words "We levy no service charge" were found at a number of the five star hotel restaurants in Mumbai (Oberoi, Taj, etc.). Examination of the bill confirmed this.

It is speculation based upon my observation of bare minimum standards of living in India and the USA.

I am not so sure that the standard of living of the people working in these establishments is so bad though it would interesting to know more about that.

I would agree with knit-in. In India, the classes are multi tiered and
some of the people who work in such establishments make a lot less
compared to someone in the middle-class.

I think its something people are used to. More so depend on to sustain
the middle and upper-middle class society. In this day and age you
can still afford to have domestic help in India without being
super rich. That wont be possible if the vast majority was paid close
to the standard of living. Now what would be a standard.. is another debate.
I dont think there is a simple answer to that one.

I'm sure you've observed some of this before.

In some countries waiters are paid a decent salary and the tip is icing on the cake. In others the waiters are essentially not paid anything by the establishment and rely on the tips for 99% of their living expenses.

I'm not trying to be contrary, just trying to get a better understanding of this issue.

Of the following, which do you folks think are making a decent living by Indian standards from their salary and which are relying on the tips?

1) Disqualified Guy that tries to grab your bag and take it to the car at the airport.
2) Airport pickup/dropoff driver
3) Bellhops taking/placing your bag from/into car
4) Bellhop bringing/takig bag to/from the room
5) Room service delivery person
6) Local run car driver
7) Hotel restaurant/bar waiters
8) Waiters outside hotels

I'd vote for the guy #1 making a decent living... ofcourse
it would be seasonal.

To be honest, I find it very complicated to explain. I hope someone else
can put it in words.

But I think none of these people can afford to travel by air across the
country today. The gap is closing up fast, but just not there yet.

Only 1% of Indians had travelled by air as of year end 2004. By year end 2005, the number certainly rose but we're still talking well less than 2% of Indians having ever been on a flight.

With regards to the list by job occupations, I'm going to presume we are talking about persons (directly or indirectly) affiliated with the major internationally-branded hotels. :

2) Airport pickup/dropoff driver -- decent by Indian lower middle class standards; could live off salary but improves family's future in life with tips.
3) Bellhops taking/placing your bag from/into car -- lives off salary but gets tips to get closer to Indian upper lower class lifestyle
4) Bellhop bringing/takig bag to/from the room -- lives off salary and tips and better off socio-economically than #3's bellhop.
5) Room service delivery person -- lives off salary and tips and a bit better off to significantly better off than #4's bellhop
6) Local run car driver -- gets by on salary (of whatever sort it comes in) but uses tips to improve personal and family's future earning potential to move from upper lower class into lower middle class lifestyle (or better).
7) Hotel restaurant/bar waiters -- gets by on salary and tips and living lower middle/middle middle class lifestyle
8) Waiters outside hotels -- lives off salary but it's not more than an Indian lower middle class lifestyle and their lot in life is not going to improve a lot based on salary and/or the random tip here and there.

India has a lot of socio-economic rigidity on the cultural side but there are still an amazing amount of people who break out of it and an even more amazing number of people who actually do see upward socio-economic mobility being realized by their children, at least in urban areas. (India is still mostly a rural country, dense as it may be.) Most of this is done by salaries -- not tips -- being used to pay for the children's education or for them to acquire the means for their children to get gainfully employed in better professions. But the tips certainly go toward helping too.

This is a good thread that everybody should read! I hate tipping for things that I don't want/need, and I don't. If someone is truly great I tip big. I just have trouble drawing the lines sometimes :).

Thanks,

Dr. PITUK

Tipping in India
 

Tipping is not mandatory in India especialy in mid scale service establishments. In upscale sevice establishments (4-5 start hotels, expensive restaurants, Hertz, Avis etc) it is more the matter of mannerism than a rule. All the people working in these places get salaries. I have never seen any improved service after paying the tip and bad serive for not doing so.

In India, I especially like tipping in mid scale sector becuase many of these guys make less than minimum wages and have to support larger families and I would like to encourage them to continue making an honest living. If I can pay 15% tip in US to the students why not these poor guys who see no light at the end of the tunnel.

I never pay a penny to Airlines porters at the airport, I say no and if they still insist its their time. Airlines pay them more than minimum wages for sure.

I tip only the guy who brings my bags to the hotel room 20-40INR.
I generally don't pay anything to the driver who drops me to the airport. But paying 20-40INR won't hurt.
Nothing to guys who bring me water in my room or delivers any utilities. The only exception in in room service for which I pay 5% of the bill with minimum bing 20INR and max 50INR.
For local taxi only the fare. No tips.
For full day / 8 hour taxi between 50-100INR depending on the service and attitude. My observation is that most of them don't expect it from Indians (a lot of times I have seen them coming back to return the excess money paid by an Indian, only to be explained that it is tip) but seeing an outsider (aka foreigner) they start expecting it. I also make it a point to pay about 40INR each for the lunch or dinner or both if they are with me during that time and they do expect it.
In restaurants, in a mid scale place I tip 5-7% and in upscale place 7-10% up to 200INR max.

If retaining a driver for a daily period or longer, then taking care of the driver's meals (i.e., supplying them with food or giving them some money to grab a bite) is pretty standard -- particularly while they are on duty and not near your or their "home" or "permanent" place of work.

If a meal is not supplied to the driver by my host while "on the road", then I give the driver 40-50 rupees for lunch and 50-100 rupees to eat at those times when I'm eating "away". Basically, if having a meal while "away", make sure the driver is getting a meal too.

The above expectation also exists even if using someone else's driver.

Agreed. When in India, I end up mostly using cars that belong to the Govt of India or Govt of Delhi and I make sure I give the drive some money when I go to eat and tell him to do the same.

Tipping rates in India
 

I've done a search and the last thread is 5 years old... so possibly worth checking again.

What are decent tipping rates in India.

I'll be an independent traveller... staying in basic accommodation... with a couple of 5 star hotels.

However my main tipping issue will be the Andaman Islands where I'm being met by someone from the airport... who will have purchased my ferry ticket to Havelock and take me to the port for the boat. How much should I tip for this?

Tipping in India is usually reserved for very good service, and is not an expected thing always. That being said, if you are using 5 star hotel, and on tourism, people may expect you to tip. I would say 5 to 10% would be a very good amount.

I've found the rates escalating in recent times. Previously no tipping was ever required, in my second home of bombay at least, but these days 10-20% at restaurants and rounding up significantly when paying taxis and autos is becoming the norm.

In North India, i would give 10% at restaurants for excellent service only and only ever round up cab fares for exceptional friendliness, honesty, etc.

As for other tourism services, i would only tip someone for carrying my bags a long way or providing useful honest advice.

In any case, Rs.150..200 would be a fantastic / out of the ordinary tip at most places. Keep that your upper limit.

I largely agree with hserus. Outside of restaurants, one needs to consider an absolute rather than relative amount. Rs 200 is an excellent tip for virtually any service (including manual labour of any sort - carrying bags included). Ultimately, it is a question of what each individual is comfortable with and can afford.

In general agree with other posts that anything between 10-20% is good for restaurants, though I'd probably cap it at 15% unless the service was quite exceptional.

It also depends on what he charges u for the ride from airport to port.. but I assume he charges the standard rates and say the total bill for the ride + boat ticket is Rs 2500, pay him 10% of that and thts shd be quite ok.. since I would guess he has already factored in his service charge for pickup in the total cost he asks from u.. so whtever u tip him is above that service charge and rs 200 is quite a decent extra earning ..

+1.. unless u hv a restaurant bill of 5-6k :rolleyes:

I posted in this thread a few years ago. Haven't changed much.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/india...ing-india.html

i generally just tip inr 100....its the safest amount....at some places i'll tip a little more & 10% at restaurants....but just stick to an inr 100 tip at most places & you will be fine....

Tipping in India
 

Sorry if this has already been discussed.

I'll be in India as part of a Friendly Planet Tour group and according to the final documents, it states to tip the in the following fashion:

Driver:3
Local guide:4-6
Tour escort 6-8

My question is do I tip in USD or do I tip them in Rupees?

Thanks in advance!

ND

tip in inr....anywhere between inr 100 - 500 would be good....i usually stick to inr 100 most of the time....

you can also check out this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/india...tes-india.html

I would not tip in USD. I'd use Rupees.

I wouldn't tip at all.

I gave the bellman a tip when shown to my room at the ITC Maurya Delhi a few weeks ago. He was quite shocked.

Then we moved to the Meridian in Delhi and the kindly bellman was gone before I could even get my hand into my pocket. Our luggage was delivered by a guy who (contrary to US approach) did not hang around waiting for a tip but just left.

So, I asked some of the Indian guests at the Meridian about tipping and was told it was not done.

Then, went on a tour to the Taj Mahal where it was obvious neither the driver or guide were expecting a tip.

So, as far as I can tell it just isn't an Indian thing.

not true....its very much an indian thing....the bellman are told not to expect or pester for tips so they never hang around for one....with the driver & guide, they were definitely expecting a tip, but they would never show it or pester you for it....