tipping in Finland
Finland was one of the initial eleven nations to adopt the euro, replacing the Finnish markka as legal tender.
For travellers enjoying a marvellous personal experience in a foreign country, tipping is the language of goodwill, gratitude, camaraderie and warmth. Tipping etiquette in Finland is not a straightforward practice though. Some will tell you that the Finns don’t expect to be tipped, so it’s best to simply not do it. But it's more complicated that that: tipping in Finland is a complex expression of etiquette and grace where timing and manner is everything, and the actual amount is secondary. This tipping guide for Finland will tell you when to leave a gratuity and how much you should tip.
should you tip your tour guide?
in Finland Don't Tip your tour guide
Tipping the tour guides should really not be on your agenda in Finland. It is not customary to leave a gratuity for tour guides and you will probably be met with awkward acceptance or polite refusal rather than pleasure or satisfaction. Tipping government staff in state-owned institutions such as national museums and art galleries is totally inappropriate and illegal. If you want to express gratitude, why not try praising and thanking your guide in the Finnish language, your effort will certainly be noted and probably highly appreciated.
tipping in spas in Finland
in Finland Don't Tip at a Spa
While tipping therapists borders on the obligatory in some parts of the world, it is not necessary to leave a gratuity in Finland. Here, you are entering an environment of highly qualified professionals who simply do not expect any further compensation for the services you are paying for. If you feel that a particular therapist or masseur has gone out of their way for you, then you may want to compensate them for the extra trouble. Just be cautious and try not to offend with an expansive demeanour.
tip etiquette at restaurants in Finland
In Finland Round Up your restaurant bill
The Finnish in general find hidden costs and surcharges deceitful. This means that the price of your meal includes table service and you are not expected to tip. Rounding up your meal is good tipping etiquette, but this is considered not so much a tip as a measure to facilitate accounting. If you’ve called on your waiter more than usual and he or she is never found wanting, then this is an appropriate circumstance to show gratitude and recognition with a small gratuity of between five and ten euros.
tips at hotels in Finland
in Finland Tip €10-€20 at Hotels
Large hotels are international arenas with standard, generic practices found all over the world. Tipping the usual baggage staff, maids, room service attendants, waiters and bar staff in Finnish hotels is therefore not uncommon. Remember that personnel are all respectably paid and tips should therefore communicate gratitude and appreciation for impeccable service. Two Euro coins and five Euro notes are perfectly good tips for single occasions that you feel warrant tipping. The bellboy should perhaps be given €10 for a particularly heavy load, and you may want to give €20 to the maid at the end of the week.
should you tip your hairdresser
in Finland Don't Tip your hairdresser
Your hairdo in Finland shouldn’t cost you any more than what you are charged. It is not customary to leave tips in salons and barber shops, but there is no law against giving a little extra “drink money” as they call it, if you had a particularly lovely experience. Just don’t be surprised if your hairdresser looks at you a little perplexed.
should you tip your taxi driver?
in Finland Round up your taxi fare
The taxi service in Finland is very well organised and highly professional. You will most certainly find yourself in a very comfortable and rigorously non-smoking vehicle with a driver mindful of passenger safety diligently obeying traffic regulations. At the end of your journey you will be shown your fare which you can pay by cash or credit card. Rounding the fare up is fairly commonplace, but this again is more about making it easier for the driver to return your change than rewarding the driver for doing his job.