Do you tip in Amsterdam?

Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory. 10–15% at restaurants for good service is the norm. Rounding up a bill or leaving €1–2 is common for simpler meals and café drinks. Nobody expects an American-style 20% tip.

Tipping etiquette in Amsterdam — what to tip and when

Tipping culture in the Netherlands

The Netherlands has a different tipping culture from the United States or the UK. Service staff are paid a living wage (minimum wage in the Netherlands is among the higher in Europe), which means tipping is genuinely optional — not a social obligation that staff depend on for their income.

Dutch people themselves typically round up a restaurant bill or leave a small amount if service was good, but they do not feel guilty about leaving nothing for ordinary service. Tourists from tip-heavy cultures (particularly Americans and Canadians) often overtip by local standards — which is appreciated but not expected.

Restaurants

Sit-down restaurants

What is expected: If you are satisfied with the service, 10–15% is a reasonable tip. For a €40 dinner, this means €4–6 extra. Many people simply round up to the nearest €5 or €10.

How to tip: Tell the server “keep the change” when paying cash, or when paying by card you can usually add a tip on the card machine at the end. Some restaurants ask “would you like to add a tip?” on the card reader.

When not to tip: If service was slow, unfriendly or you had to chase your order multiple times, leaving nothing is completely acceptable. Dutch culture does not expect obligatory tipping.

Casual cafés and coffee shops

For a sandwich and a coffee at a neighbourhood café, rounding up by €0.50–1 is typical. Leaving nothing is also fine.

Tourist-strip restaurants

The restaurants along the Damrak (the main tourist boulevard) are widely considered the worst value in Amsterdam — see our Amsterdam tourist traps guide for why to avoid them. If you end up eating there, 10% is appropriate if the service was adequate.

Bars and drinks

For drinks at a bar, there is no expectation of a per-drink tip in the Netherlands as there is in the USA. If you are running a tab and the service was good, a round-up at the end or €1–2 is appreciated. It is also entirely normal to tip nothing at a bar.

Brown cafés (bruine kroegen): The traditional Dutch café where you would go for an evening beer and good conversation. These are typically small, independent operations with a loyal local clientele. If you spend an evening here, leaving €2–3 at the end of a long session is a kind gesture but by no means required.

Taxis and Uber

For licensed metered taxis, rounding up to the nearest round number is typical. On a €22 fare, rounding to €25 is generous; rounding to €23 is normal.

For Uber, tipping is optional and done through the app. Dutch Uber drivers receive relatively few tips compared to US markets — a €2–3 tip for a good driver on a busy journey is appreciated.

Hotels

Housekeeping: Leaving €1–2 per day on the pillow is a nice gesture but not expected. Most Amsterdam hotel guests do not tip housekeeping.

Porters/bellhops: If someone carries your luggage to your room, €1–2 per bag is appropriate.

Concierge: If the concierge has arranged a special restaurant reservation, booked tickets or gone out of their way to help, €5–10 is appropriate. For general directions and basic information, nothing is expected.

Tour guides and canal cruise staff

Walking tour guides: If your walking guide was knowledgeable and engaging, €5–10 per person is appropriate for a 2–3 hour tour. Free walking tour guides (tours that operate on a “pay what you want” model) depend on tips for income — €10–15 per person is the norm for these.

Canal cruise staff: The crew on a standard tourist canal cruise do not generally expect individual tips. For private cruises or dinner cruises where you have had dedicated service, €5–10 per person is reasonable if the experience was excellent.

Private tour guides: For a private half-day or full-day guided tour, €15–25 per person on top of the tour fee is appropriate for genuinely excellent guiding.

Spas and wellness

Tipping at Dutch spas and wellness centres is unusual. If you receive a particularly good massage or treatment and want to leave something, €5 is generous. Most Dutch spa clients leave nothing.

What not to do

Do not feel obligated to leave 20%. European tipping norms are different from North American ones. A 20% tip in a standard Amsterdam restaurant will be genuinely appreciated but will also slightly confuse the server.

Do not tip for bad service. Unlike in cultures where tipping is a social obligation, in the Netherlands leaving a good tip for bad service is not necessary. If you received genuine hospitality and warmth, reward it. If you were ignored for 20 minutes and the food was wrong, paying the bill and leaving is perfectly reasonable.

Do not tip at fast food or self-service places. McDonald’s, FEBO (the Dutch fast food vending machine chain), or any counter service doesn’t expect tips.

Paying the bill in Dutch restaurants

The Dutch phrase for “the bill please” is “de rekening graag” (deh reh-keh-ning khraakh). Most Amsterdam restaurants serving tourists will understand “the bill please” in English perfectly well.

Splitting the bill: Splitting is completely normal and expected. Say “apart afrekenen” if each person wants to pay their portion. Servers are used to splitting between 2–6 people. Dutch culture actually has a phrase for this — “ieder betaalt voor zichzelf” (everyone pays for themselves) — sometimes called “going Dutch” in English, though the Dutch don’t use that phrase themselves.

Card minimum: Some smaller cafés have a minimum card payment (typically €5 or €10). Check before ordering if you want to pay by card for a small coffee.

Quick tipping reference

Situation	Tip
Restaurant, good service	10–15% or round up
Restaurant, average service	Round up or nothing
Café, coffee and snack	Round up or €0.50–1
Bar tab	€1–2 at end of session, or nothing
Taxi	Round up to nearest €2–5
Hotel housekeeper	€1–2 per day (optional)
Tour guide (group)	€5–10 per person
Free walking tour guide	€10–15 per person
Private tour guide (half-day)	€15–25 per person

Frequently asked questions about tipping in Amsterdam

Do you have to tip in Amsterdam restaurants?

No. Tipping in Amsterdam restaurants is appreciated but not mandatory. Staff receive a living wage and do not depend on tips to survive. A 10% tip for genuinely good service is appropriate; leaving nothing for ordinary service is culturally acceptable.

How much should I tip a tour guide in Amsterdam?

For a group guided tour (2–3 hours), €5–10 per person is appropriate if the guide was excellent. For free walking tours (which operate on tips), €10–15 per person is the standard expectation. For a private guide (half or full day), €20–30 per person reflects genuine appreciation for outstanding service.

Do Amsterdam taxis expect tips?

Rounding up is the norm. On a €18 fare, rounding to €20 is typical. There is no expectation of a percentage-based tip as in North America. Most taxi drivers are happy with a round-up to the nearest €2–5.

Is it rude not to tip in Amsterdam?

No. Dutch culture does not attach social stigma to not tipping. If service was ordinary, leaving nothing is normal. If service was genuinely excellent and you want to reward it, any amount is welcome but there is no obligation.

How do I add a tip when paying by card in Amsterdam?

Most modern card terminals in Amsterdam restaurants display a tip option on the screen. Select the percentage or enter a custom amount. If the machine does not prompt you, hand over your card and tell the server “and keep €[X] please” to verbally communicate the tip before they process the payment.