Tipping in Amsterdam

[TiogaCruiser]

We will be doing 3 days on our own precruise and have not been to Europe.

 

In The Nederlands, who do we tip, how much, and how?

 

We will be staying at a mid range hotel, eating in cafes and restaurants and taking at least 1 guided tour. I’m planning on using a CC for most purchases.   Can I add a tip to the card or does it need to be cash? If cash, can I leave on the table, do I look for a jar, ????

[caripoo]

As in alot of Europe....tipping is not necessary, but for outstanding service, they do appreciate it. look for a service charge in a restaurant, then if you want round up the bill with extra change. Do tip bellpersons 1 euro a bag, we do tip our driver and tour guide, they just do not expect the large tips we Americans leave here in the states.  ENJOY!!

[MAVIP]

58 minutes ago, caripoo said:

As in alot of Europe....tipping is not necessary, but for outstanding service, they do appreciate it. look for a service charge in a restaurant, then if you want round up the bill with extra change. Do tip bellpersons 1 euro a bag, we do tip our driver and tour guide, they just do not expect the large tips we Americans leave here in the states.  ENJOY!!

Maybe I can add a suggestion to leave a tip for the person that cleans your hotelroom. In restaurants tips are included in the published price. I fully agree with caripoo: for excellent service an extra will be appreciated. In general I pay with CC and hand a tip in cash. In France it is a kind of a habit to leave a tip on the table. It is not in the Netherlands. Sometimes you will see a little box near the cash register.  I hope you will enjoy your stay in the Netherlands. 

[VMax1700]

On 4/19/2019 at 6:39 PM, MAVIP said:

Maybe I can add a suggestion to leave a tip for the person that cleans your hotelroom. 

No, no, no!

Unless you are extremely messy or vomit all over the room do not even think about it. 

[MAVIP]

12 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

No, no, no!

Unless you are extremely messy or vomit all over the room do not even think about it. 

My DH and I are not messy at all, but we leave a little extra in hotel rooms everywhere and even in The Netherlands. Of course only if the hotelroom is impeccable and of course it is up to you to handle otherwise. 

 

[GrJ Berkshire]

There is no need to tip at all. The Dutch like all European workers are paid proper wages, not the US slave wages which are topped up by tips. You are not expected to tip people who are paid to do the jobs. If you round up bills etc but it should only be for those who go above and beyond normal service. Europe is going away from tips. In the past year I (a Brit ) have not tipped for any service, in restaurants a service charge is added to the bill, no where else expects it: except if you have an American accent as your reputation as stupid tippers precedes you !!

[MAVIP]

16 minutes ago, GrJ Berkshire said:

In the past year I (a Brit ) have not tipped for any service, in restaurants a service charge is added to the bill, no where else expects it: except if you have an American accent as your reputation as stupid tippers precedes you !!

I'm so sorry, I have just a dutch accent and sometimes I am a not so stupid tipper. For example in the cases that I know that people in certain professions are not paid as they should. 

[GrJ Berkshire]

Was not being rude to you but tipping is an American import into Europe which is not needed, sadly Americans inflate expectations, bringing in a culture not needed. In Europe we pay upfront without an extra added on. Most Europeans are not underpaid and don't rely on the hand out culture to make a living.

2 hours ago, MAVIP said:

I'm so sorry, I have just a dutch accent and sometimes I am a not so stupid tipper. For example in the cases that I know that people in certain professions are not paid as they should. 

 

[Ine]

Tipping indeed isnot needed.. However it is appreciated if you ""roundup"" the bill by good service.  If you bill is e.g. E. 18,- I will in that case tell the waiter to make is E. 20.  Also guides on a tour often ger E. 5 or more if he did a good job.

Yes I am dutch and I tip if I liked the service.

[3rdCoastFan]

22 hours ago, Ine said:

Tipping indeed isnot needed.. However it is appreciated if you ""roundup"" the bill by good service.  If you bill is e.g. E. 18,- I will in that case tell the waiter to make is E. 20.  Also guides on a tour often ger E. 5 or more if he did a good job.

Yes I am dutch and I tip if I liked the service.

@Ine, how does this work when using a credit card? When I was just in Amsterdam - and this is something @TiogaCruiser asked above - there was no option to add a gratuity when I used a card. In your example above, can the server run the card for €20 even if the bill is only €18? 

[Ine]

Indeed often depending the restaurant that is possible. Check with the waiter.  Or have some cash ready.

[fabnfortysomething]

On ‎4‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 3:13 PM, TiogaCruiser said:

We will be doing 3 days on our own precruise and have not been to Europe.

 

In The Nederlands, who do we tip, how much, and how?

 

We will be staying at a mid range hotel, eating in cafes and restaurants and taking at least 1 guided tour. I’m planning on using a CC for most purchases.   Can I add a tip to the card or does it need to be cash? If cash, can I leave on the table, do I look for a jar, ????

if you are staying at a mid range hotel then there wont be a bell boy to tip as per a previous post

most of our hotel stays are 1 night and would never consider leaving cash out for more than that

housekeeping  would probably assume cash left out to be     by accident and assume theft to take it unless specific mote left 

[Ine]

10 hours ago, fabnfortysomething said:

if you are staying at a mid range hotel then there wont be a bell boy to tip as per a previous post

most of our hotel stays are 1 night and would never consider leaving cash out for more than that

housekeeping  would probably assume cash left out to be     by accident and assume theft to take it unless specific mote left 

To avoid misunderstanding leave your tip for the roommaid on your pillow on the bed. That way they will understand it is not money you forgot but it is the tip.

[MAVIP]

4 hours ago, Ine said:

To avoid misunderstanding leave your tip for the roommaid on your pillow on the bed. That way they will understand it is not money you forgot but it is the tip.

Thanks Ine, That's exactly how we do it everywhere. Lenny

[jocap]

We've left a couple of £1 coins on the table in hotels, and it's always been there on our return.

Now we leave it on the tea tray on our last morning.

 

[Host Bonjour]

Jo presents an interesting angle to this long-debated topic which is, leaving a little bit of money out, in this case something nightly for housekeeping or turn-down service, staff would be rightly inclined not to take the money in a culture where tipping is NOT the norm for fear of being accused, possibly, of having taken money from a guest. 

 

It sort of leans further into the fact that indeed, tips are not generally expected by workers in these jobs. For an outstanding situation or in particular circumstances, there can be reasons to make exceptions as with breaking any with other cultural norms or standard procedure/rule/matter. 

 

But discretion is the better part of valor and planning to straight out have a strategy of going into a country and breaking with tradition rather dismisses the practices and routines of every day people in that country. Who are we to shake things up as guests?

 

Gotta try to be good citizens in every way when we travel whether it's with money, communication, etiquette, or just a smile. Maybe try only rounding up your bill in a restaurant (or taxi) if your service has been extraordinary or if in someway, the person attending your room/cabin has gone above and beyond. Otherwise, nothing more is expected. 

 

Have a great journey. 

 

(Hi jocap! x)

 

[jocap]

Hi, Bonjour!

To enlarge on my post... years ago, we took a package tour from the UK to Florida- our first time in the USA. The tour rep. asked us all to meet so she could inform us about tipping in the US... one thing she told us was that it was sensible to leave $2 each day in the ash tray (that's how long ago it was!) for the cleaner... and more at the end of the week. 

Soon after our return, we were in a UK hotel, and thought- oh, help, have we been not tipping enough back home? So- two pound coins in the ash tray... it had been dusted and the coins replaced. Next day, we left them on the bed side table- same thing, dusted around... It became a game with us. In the end we left them on the tea tray, which had to be removed daily... and the £2 was left on a shelf.

Unbelievable!

So now we leave a tip at the end of our time, on the tea tray.

[Globaliser]

On 4/28/2019 at 10:52 PM, jocap said:

So now we leave a tip at the end of our time, on the tea tray.

 

I'm very bad at remembering to tip the housekeepers, even in tipping countries. But when I do remember, I usually take the notepad, write "Thank you!" and put the money on that. No ambiguity.