Tipping In Panama - A Complete Guide
Quick Guide
🍽️ Restaurant - 10% Customary If Satisfied
🍔 Fast Food - No Tip Expected
🍹 Bar - 10% Customary If Satisfied
🚕 Taxi - Not Expected - Can Round Up
🛎️ Porter/Bellhop - $1/Bag Customary
🛏️ Housekeeping - $2-3/Day (Opt. If Service Fee)
📸 Tour Guide - 10% Customary
🚶♂️ Free Walking Tour - $5-$10/Person
🛍️ Bag Boy/Girl - $0.25/Bag (Most Work For Tips)
In Panama, tipping isn’t an obligation but it is considered customary for good service in a lot of scenarios. Remember that typical Panamanian salaries are low by Western standards.
Calculate a culturally appropriate tip for Panama using the calculator below and read on for more detail on tipping in Restaurants, Bars, Taxis, Parking Lots, Hotels etc.
Panama Tip Calculator
Good Tip For Panama
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Tipping in Restaurants & Bars
Tipping your server or bartender 10% for good service is customary and expected (unless you’re eating fast food in which case a tip isn’t necessary). If you’re unsatisfied, don’t tip. If you’re really satisfied, feel free to tip more (15-20%) but that’s completely optional.
Don’t confuse ITBMS (Panamanian Value-Added Tax) with a service charge.
On a side note, in most restaurants you’ll need to get the waiters attention to get your bill. Just say “la cuenta por favor” (“check please”) or signal to them by imitating writing on your palm.
A lot of places are cash only so sometimes it’s best to check before you order. You may see a sign on the door that says “Efectivo” (“Cash”) but don’t assume they’ll take card just if that sign isn’t there.
Tipping Taxi Drivers
It’s not customary to tip taxi, Uber or Cabify drivers in Panama. Feel free to round up your fare if they provide you with good service by loading/unloading luggage or giving you local advice but that’s completely optional.
Be aware of unmetered taxis as your driver may charge you an inflated fare when you arrive at your destination. That’s why if there’s no meter, it’s usually best to negotiate your fare before you set off.
Tipping The Porter/Bellhop
Whilst most hotels add on a service charge (typically 10%), it’s still customary to tip the porter around $1 per bag.
Tipping Housekeeping
Standard practice is to tip the maid around $2-3 per day, especially in higher-end hotels.
If your hotels adds on a 10% service charge, consider the tip optional but appreciated.
Tip daily, rather than once at the end, and tip a little more on the first day ($4-5) and you’ll likely get better service that’s sustained throughout the duration of your stay.
Tipping Tour Guides
As long as you’re satisfied, a 10% tip, whether you’re on a private, group or multi-day tour would be considered customary.
If you’re on a ‘free’ walking tour, they rely on tips as their main source of income so tip in the $5-$10 per person range depending on the length of the tour and how satisfied you are.
Sometimes, instead of cash tips, guides will ask you to review them on TripAdvisor or similar.
Which Currency To Use
The US Dollar (USD) and the Panamanian Balboa (PAB) are the two official currencies of Panama. Balboa’s are coins only (you’ll tend to get them as change) and US Dollars are used when you’re paying with notes.
Don’t use other currencies like Euros as the person you’re giving them to will have to exchange them and in the process they may pay a fee or get a poor rate.
Cash is king here. Cards are accepted in some establishments like larger restaurants and grocery stores but it varies a lot. Never assume they’ll take cash.
Thankfully, there are ATMs everywhere. You’ll frequently find them in stores and local banks
“Disfruta tu estadía” - Enjoy your stay! 🇵🇦🌴🌅🏖️
