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Private tailor-made journeys of a life time
Sep 14, 2023
By Ms. Minh Thu
Tip is a common term used in the service department, especially in tourism. Tip is understood as extra money that the customer gives to the staff to show his satisfaction or appreciation of the service. The tipping culture is diverse in countries. In the USA, people often give a tip of $ 2-5 per night to the room staff, depending on the attitudes and rate of the hotel. Regarding bellmen, American customers tend to give a tip of $ 1-5 for a luggage. At restaurants, Americans often tip 15-20% of the total bill. France is also a country whose tipping culture is common. The French are famous for being polite and nice, so they never forget to give tips to staff. Tips of French people are pretty high, can be as much as the American ones, or maybe higher. In many places, the tip of 15% is added to the bill in advice; however, customers still give more money as a thank you.
A lot of countries are quite liberal to this culture; still, there are some countries that say “no” to tip giving. Take Japan for example, this is the country that regards giving tips to staff as rude behavior. Japanese customers suppose that servicing is the obvious responsibility of the staff, whose fees are included in their salaries. Hence, customers still get the best service without paying any more. This is similar in China.
In Vietnam, tipping is not compulsory. Tipping culture in Vietnam is different according to areas, customers groups or service types. In 5-star hotels or high-end restaurants, tips are often charged directly to the bill, but customers are still willing to "tip" more if they are satisfied. But with popular restaurants and services, there is almost no such money despite good service quality and enthusiastic staff. "Sometimes tipping is also a way for people to show their class," said one customer.
Until now, Vietnam has not had any legal documents clearly stipulating that guests have to pay tips to the guides. Therefore, tipping for tour guides completely depends on customers, some have, some don't, including domestic and international tourists. Tipping is normally considered the satisfaction and appreciation of the excellent service and the kindness of the staff. However, to express that gratitude, you can only give them a bright smile, a sincere thank you ( cam on in Vietnamese), or treating them politely and nicely.
Hotels
Hotel is the place that can not be missed when it comes to tipping. If you are really satisfied with the room you get and the professional service of the staff there, then you can consider giving some tips to them. If you are happy with the amenities or the decoration of the hotel in general, you can leave your tips at the counter desk, gratuity jar or simply in your room. If you want to express your gratitude to a member of staff, you can give him/her in person besides your compliments.
The possible amount of money can be from 20,000 VND or 50,000 VND. If you are accommodated by a high ranking restaurant, the tips could be higher. Or respectively, you can give good reviews about that hotel on Tripadvisor. It is recommended for you to give good feedback to a particular employee you downright like on this site, which can facilitate his or her career.
Restaurants
At high-end restaurants, a 5-10% tip is already included in the bill, so whether the customer is satisfied with the meal or service, they still have to pay the tip. In other restaurants, this is not the case. You can still choose to tip or not. If you are satisfied with the service, you can still give an extra 10-15% tip to the staff as usual.
Street food vendors
Tipping when purchasing meals on the street is not customary nor expected because despite delivering delicious food, these establishments are frequently managed by families. Haggling is becoming more prevalent, and most street food prices are fixed. If the service was extraordinary or the circumstances were unusual, you could leave a tip. They will be very happy if you give them a thumbs-up or say thanks in Vietnamese - Cam on.
Bars
Because bars often demand higher costs than restaurants and stalls do, they are frequently considered to be upscale establishments in Vietnam. However, bartenders often make a meager living and rely primarily on tips to make ends meet. Gratuities are routinely given to bartenders; a reasonable sum is close to 50,000 VND.
Spas
Spas are a favorite of people from other countries. If you have a demand for using service in spas, you must know how to tip the staff the right way. In some luxurious spas, the tip is included in your bill already, so you can give more or not. You may have excellent service at certain less upscale spas without having to pay the service price separately. In such cases, a tip of between 50,000 and 100,000 dong would be greatly appreciated.
Taxi drivers
Because cab fares are often predetermined, tips are rarely expected in Vietnam. However, if the taxi driver provides excellent service or assists with the luggage, a small tip may be provided as a token of appreciation.
Tour Guides
Tour guides are the objects that need considering tipping the most because of their key role in every trip. If you are accompanied by a professional, knowledgeable, supportive and hospitable tour guide that you really highly appreciate, then don’t hesitate to give him some tips as your thank you.
Normally, the tip ranges from 3 to 5 USD per day. But if you feel super appreciative of the tour guide’s helpfulness or want to show your generosity, you can also give a tip up to 10 USD.
1. Is it customary to tip in Vietnam?
As mentioned above, tipping is not obligatory in Vietnam. You can tip if you like the service or staff, if you don’t, there is no need to tip. Even when you satisfy with the service, you can only say thank you or give a thumbs-up to them
2. Is 500000 VND a good tip?
500,000 VND (20 USD) is quite an excellent tip in Vietnam. This is the amount that you should give when experiencing service in luxurious overnight cruises for example. And at other places such as hotels, restaurants or bars, you can give various ranges from 2-10 USD according to the scale of each establishment.
3. Is 20000 VND a good tip?
Yes, it is. If you are impressed with service at Vietnamese restaurants, 20,000 VND is a reasonable tip.
4. Is it rude not to tip in Vietnam?
Tipping may be rude in countries such as Japan or China. But in Vietnam, tipping is acceptable, especially in the service sector, even though it is not a common culture here.
5. How much do you tip a Vietnamese driver?
Because cab fares are often predetermined, tips are rarely expected in Vietnam. However, if the taxi driver provides excellent service or assists with the luggage, a small tip may be provided as a token of appreciation.
More Information about culture in Vietnam you can see in:
Now your wonders about tipping in Vietnam have been solved and you can confidently plan out your Vietnam trip without any hesitation. Vietnam is a must if you want to merge into magnificent landscape, rich culture and friendly people, so don’t let problems such as tipping in Vietnam frustrate your great trip.
