Tipping In Estonia - A Complete Guide
Quick Guide
🍽️ Restaurant - Optional 5-10%
🍔 Fast Food - Not Expected
🏍️ Delivery Drivers - Not Expected
🍹 Bar - Not Expected
☕️ Café - Not Expected
🚕 Taxi - Optional 5-10%
🛎️ Porter/Bellhop - Optional €1-2 Total
🛏️ Housekeeping - Not Expected
📸 Tour Guide - Optional 5-10%
Tipping is either not expected at all or completely optional in Estonia, even for good service.
Calculate a culturally appropriate tip for Estonia using the calculator below and read on for more detail on tipping in Restaurants, Bars, Taxis, Hotels etc.
Estonia Tip Calculator
Good Tip For Estonia
Tip
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Total With Tip
$0.00
Split Bill By
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Tipping in Restaurants
Tipping your waiter is completely optional in Estonia since they’re paid a base level salary and they’re not reliant on tips to supplement their income.
A lot of Estonians don’t tip and when they do it tends to be around 5-10% for exceptional service in moderate/high-end restaurants in the more touristy areas (even then it’s optional).
Don’t confuse Estonian Value Added Tax or VAT (sometimes written as “käibemaks” on your bill) with a service charge. Service charges are extremely rare here.
You usually have the option to tip by card or mobile payment (e.g. Apple Pay) but a cash tip is always an option.
There’s no need to tip for fast food, takeaway food or food from self-service counters.
Tipping In Bars & Cafés
You don’t need to worry about tipping bartenders or baristas even if you’re getting table service.
Feel free to leave something in the “tip jar” if there is one but it’s completely optional and should be reserved for good service.
Tipping Taxi & Rideshare Drivers
It’s uncommon to tip taxi and rideshare drivers in Estonia. Tipping 5-10% (or rounding up your fare to the next €5 or €10) is always an option for great service but it’s not mandatory.
Tipping The Porter/Bellhop
Porters in Estonian hotels don’t expect tips but if you want to show your appreciation, feel free to give them around €1-2.
Tipping Housekeeping
Like porters, housekeepers won’t expect tips either so you should receive great service whether you tip or not.
If you want to help them out, just make their job a bit easier by making sure your room isn’t too messy.
Tipping Tour Guides
Even tour guides and drivers won’t expect a tip. If your tour was exceptional, informative and entertaining, feel free to tip 5-10% but there’s no requirement.
Which Currency To Use
Stick to the official currency of Estonia, the Euro (Symbol: €, Code: EUR) when you’re paying or tipping.
Cash, card and mobile payments are all widely accepted and since tipping is less common, there’s no real need to keep cash on hand.
Head reisi! - Have a good trip! 🇪🇪
