One of the most common problems tourists have when visiting our city is uncertainty over tipping in Krakow. With ‘Should I tip in restaurants in Krakow?’ probably one of the most commonly asked questions on our Krakow free tours.
What tourists need is a guide to tipping in Krakow.
Tipping in restaurants in Krakow
One of the great things about Krakow is it’s much cheaper to visit than many other places around Europe. Compared to the UK, Italy or Scandinavia, tourists can feel like royalty dining in the most expensive restaurants in Krakow. Also, most waiters and waitresses in Krakow usually speak excellent English, so don’t worry that you won’t be understood.
Knowing whether tipping is expected in Krakow, however, can lead to problems.
In restaurants, you should know that tipping is very common. However it is not expected in the same way as it would be in the USA for instance. Where you would be considered very rude to leave nothing at all.
When it comes to tipping in Krakow, treat it like you would many other European cities. If the service is good and warrants a tip, then by all means leave something for your server.
The amount to tip is really up to you. Leaving around 10% of the price of the total bill can be a good guideline.
It’s worth bearing in mind that Krakow might seem cheap to many tourists, but wages are comparable to the prices. Meaning that your server will likely not be earning much per hour.
Meaning, if you’ve received great service in a restaurant, it might well make your server’s day to receive a nice tip. Particularly if it’s more than 10% of the bill.
How much to tip on a Krakow Free Walking Tour?
If you’ve never taken a free tour before, they’re popular in many cities around the world- and particularly in Krakow. Free walking tours give tourists a great insight into the city they’re visiting and are genuinely free to join. Instead of charging to be on the tour, guests can leave the tour guide a tip to show their gratitude at the end.
So, now you’re probably wondering ‘how much should I tip the guide on a free walking tour?’
The simple answer is, it’s up to you. Unfortunately, there is no 10% guideline to use with free walking tours like there is for tipping in restaurants. That means judge it on how much fun you’ve had and how good the tour and the guide were. Ask yourself, ‘how much would you be happy to have paid for that tour if you were buying a ticket at the start?’
When it comes to tipping on free walking tours in Krakow, most guests tend to leave somewhere between 50-100pln per person. Which works out at between €12-22 or £10-20 per person. This might seem quite generous for something that is advertised as free, but it’s important to understand that probably around half of that money doesn’t end up in the pockets of the guide. Not only that, but most paid tours start at around the €20 mark and increase in price, so free tours are really the cheapest option out there.
Find out more & book your place on the Krakow Old Town Free Walking Tour
So how do free walking tour companies make money?
The thing to remember with free walking tours, is that although they are free for guests to join, they are not free for the tour company or the guide to operate. Free Tour companies have to market and promote themselves like any other business, and that requires paying for expensive online ads on Google and for bookings through third-party tour hosting sites like freetour.com or Guruwalk. So while it might be free for guests to book through those sites, the companies running the tours usually pay for those bookings instead.
Tour guides working on free walking tours usually pay a marketing fee of between €2-4 for every guest on the tour, to cover the costs of getting people onto the tours in the first place. Part of this fee will be profit for the free tour company.
There are also lots of other costs that go into running a tour. For instance, if you opt to tip by card, it migh tbe easier than taking out cash, but a finance app or a bank is most likely taking a transation fee from the amount you have tipped to the guide. On top of that, there are also those pesky things called taxes that have to be paid out of that tip as well. So in reality, what the guide actually ends up with, will always be a lot less than it might first appear.
When you think about it, if you join a free tour and expect to tip even €20 at the end, you are getting a 2.5-hour guided tour where you are led around by an expert on the city you are visiting, you get plenty of insight and information, and you can get recommendations and advice for your trip, as well as being thoroughly entertained. All for the price of a couple of Starbucks coffees. So it’s really not so much when you put it in the context of how much some other things cost.
The good thing about free walking tours the world over, is that the standard is usually very high. After all, you can’t be expected to tip for an awful tour, can you? Meaning the guide will often go the extra mile to make sure their tour is the best it can be. Basically doing everything in their power to work for that tip at the end.
Should I tip for Taxis in Krakow?
Tipping taxi drivers in Krakow is not common practice. It is usually recommended to arrange a price for your journey that you are happy with beforehand. Of course, if your driver is particularly helpful then by all means leave a little extra, but this isn’t expected.
If you’re ordering through a ride-sharing app like Bolt or Uber then your journey will probably be a little cheaper than with a regular taxi. You will have the option to leave a tip within the app itself afterwards. Again, if you feel like your driver was friendly and professional, then you can add a little extra. Most apps will usually recommend a tip of 10,15 or 20% and you can choose your amount, or select a custom tip.
Tipping in Bars in Krakow
Krakow has some great and lively nightlife. However, when it comes to tipping in bars in Krakow, it’s not expected. Most bars and pubs will have a tip jar on the bar where you can show your gratitude for a job well done but you won’t be judged harshly if you don’t tip after every drink you buy.
If you are receiving table service for your drinks, however, then you might want to leave your server something for their effort. Usually, around 10% of the bill should cover it.
Join the Jewish Quarter Krakow free tour. The best way to see the sights and learn about Poland’s Jewish culture and World War Two in Krakow.
