tipping in Prague

All of the service industries in Prague are paid accordingly to allow a decent lifestyle, therefore, no-one relies on tips to survive. You may want to leave a small tip here and there for a friendly porter, efficient room service, or spotlessly-kept rooms but small change is sufficient for standard service and you should reward exceptional service with around a ten per cent gratuity.

The tipping etiquette for restaurants in Prague can be a little complicated. The service charge is always included but in some of the more touristy restaurants they will try and add extra charges to your bill, like service and cover charges. In cheaper restaurants it’s usual to round up your bill a few Korunas (Czech Crown) to a convenient amount; and at more expensive places it is better to add a ten per cent gratuity. For street venders and fast food a tip is not required.

Tipping is unusual in bars but if you spend all night in one establishment or have table service you may want to round up your bill or add five to ten per cent depending of the quality of the service. You shouldn’t reward bad service as this will promote the idea that servers can be as grumpy or slow as they like and tourists will still tip them. If you’re just grabbing a beer or two in a bar then you shouldn’t feel like you need to tip.

Paid tour guides receive a decent enough salary so you may just want to tip a little extra if you thought they were especially knowledgeable or friendly. If the tour guide is a volunteer then you should definitely show your appreciation and leave anything from a few Korunas to a more substantial amount depending on the length and quality of the tour.