Tipping In Uruguay - A Complete Guide
Quick Guide
🍽️ Restaurant - 10% If Good + No Service Charge
🍹 Bar - Optional Round Up To Next 10 Pesos
☕️ Café - Optional Round Up To Next 10 Pesos
🚕 Taxi - Round Up To Next 5/10 Pesos Customary
🛎️ Porter/Bellhop - 20 Pesos Total Expected
🛏️ Housekeeping - Optional 20 Pesos/Night
🅿️ Parking Attendant - 10 Pesos (Day), 20 (Night)
🚗 Windscreen Cleaner - 1-2 Pesos
📸 Tour Guide - 10-20% If Good (5% Minimum)
⛽️ Petrol Attendant - 5-10 Pesos If Extra Service
🏍️ Delivery Driver - Optional 5-10 Pesos
In Uruguay, it isn’t mandatory to leave a tip (“propina”) but it is a customary way to reward good service in certain scenarios.
Calculate a culturally appropriate tip for Uruguay using the calculator below and read on for more detail on tipping in Restaurants, Bars, Taxis, Hotels etc.
Uruguay Tip Calculator
Good Tip For Uruguay
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Tipping in Restaurants
It’s customary to tip your server 10% for good service. It’s not mandatory but it is standard practice. Never tip poor service.
Pay the main bill with an international card if you can and usually you’ll get the VAT (“IVA”) auto-deducted or auto-reimbursed. Leave the tip in cash and base the tip percentage off the non-VAT inclusive total.
If you tip by card when you pay the bill, the tip percentage will be based on the VAT-inclusive price.
Service charges aren’t that common but they might be added to your bill if you dine in a touristy area. If there is a service charge, don’t tip.
See “Cubierto” on your bill? That’s a cover charge. It’s a fee that’s paid directly to the restaurant for the provision of bread, water, cutlery and other small accompaniments. Since it covers cutlery, they’ll usually still charge it if you refuse the bread.
Tipping In Bars & Cafés
If you’re just ordering a drink, feel free to tip nothing or just round up the bill to the nearest 10 Pesos. Only tip good service.
If you’re getting food, stick to the 10% restaurant rule but check that a service charge hasn’t been added (more common in tourist hotspots).
Tipping Taxi Drivers
It’s customary to round up your taxi fare to the nearest 5 or 10 Pesos for a safe drive with a friendly driver. That’s the case whether it’s a short or long drive.
Usually they won’t have change or they’ll just assume you’re rounding up but feel free to wait for your change if you don’t want to tip them.
Bear in mind that due to the lack of taxi tipping culture, it’s rare for drivers to go above and beyond. For example, sometimes you’ll have to ask if you want them to load or unload your luggage.
Tipping The Porter/Bellhop
Hotel porters usually expect a tip of around 20 Pesos, total.
Airport porters, who make a living off of tips, usually expect the same, 20 Pesos. If you don't want help with your luggage in the airport, just ignore them, don’t engage in conversation.
If you’re taking a long-distance bus journey, it’s common to tip the baggage handler who loads your luggage into the hold. Give them 5-20 Pesos or just see what other people are giving them (sometimes, they don’t expect a tip).
Tipping Housekeeping
Most housekeepers don’t expect a tip. If they’ve cleaned the room to a high standard, feel free to leave them a tip of around 20 Pesos per night but that’s completely optional.
Tipping Parking Attendants/Cuidacoches
If you’re trying to park your car on a city street, you might run into “Cuidacoches” (unofficial parking attendants).
Usually middle aged men, they’ll guide you in and out of your parking space. They’re also supposed to watch your car whilst you’re away but that rarely happens.
It’s customary to pay them around 10 Pesos during the day for a longer wait (20 Pesos at night) or 1-2 Pesos if you’re away for around 10 minutes or less.
Tipping Car Windscreen Cleaners
When you stop at traffic lights, a guy might come up to your car and offer to clean your windows.
If you accept, give them 1-2 Pesos.
If you neither want nor need your windows cleaned, look straight ahead, avoid eye contact and shake your head.
Tipping Tour Guides
Uruguayan tour guides are accustomed to getting a 10-20% tip. If you’re unsatisfied, try to leave a minimum of 5% and give them honest feedback.
Which Currency To Use
Stick to the official currency, Uruguayan Pesos (Symbol: $U, Code: UYU) if you can since they’re accepted everywhere.
US dollars (USD), Argentine Pesos (ARS) and Brazilian Real (BRL) may be accepted in some cities like Colonia del Sacramento, across the water from Buenos Aires (Argentina).
Larger supermarkets, hotels and highway tolls may also accept USD, although you’ll likely get your change in Pesos.
You may notice that ATMs can dispense Pesos or US dollars. This is because a lot of Uruguayans save in dollars so have separate UYU and USD bank accounts. Stick to Pesos when withdrawing.
If you pay with an international card, you can usually claim the VAT (“IVA”) back. This may happen automatically when you use the card. If not, keep your receipt and you can try to claim it back at the airport.
¡Buen viaje! - Safe travels! 🇺🇾🍷🌅🏖️
