Tipping in Greece: 2026 Guide for Travelers

Tavernas and Restaurants

For a relaxed taverna meal with good service, leave 5–10%. Rounding a €43 bill to €45 or €47 is perfectly normal; 10% is generous. At a souvlaki or gyros counter, nothing is expected beyond leaving the coins from your change.

Many tavernas add a small charge for bread (psomi), sometimes listed with the cover, usually around €0.50–€2 per person. It is a charge for the bread basket, not service. If you don’t want it, you can say so when it arrives.

At the end of a meal, many tavernas bring a free dessert, fruit, or a shot of raki or tsipouro “on the house.” It’s a gesture of hospitality, not something added to your bill — a sincere “efcharistó” (thank you) is the right response.

Leave the Tip in Cash

Greek card terminals almost never have a tip option, and adding a tip to a card payment is awkward for staff. Pay the bill by card if you like, then leave euro coins or a €5 note on the table or tucked into the bill folder. Cash left on the table is understood as the tip.

It helps to keep small notes and coins on hand, especially on the islands. The USD to EUR converter shows today’s rate, and our cash vs card guide explains why cash is usually best abroad.

Cafés, Beach Bars, and Nightlife

For a frappé or freddo espresso at a café, round up or leave the small change. At beach bars where staff bring drinks to your sunbed, a euro or two per round is a nice gesture. In a cocktail bar on Mykonos or in Athens, rounding up each round is plenty — no percentage needed.

Sunbed and umbrella rentals have a set price; you don’t tip on top of that.

Taxis, Hotels, Guides, and Boats

• Taxis: round up to the next euro, or add €1–2 when the driver loads heavy luggage. Agree the fare or confirm the meter is running on island taxis.
• Hotel porters: €1–2 per bag.
• Housekeeping: €1–2 per night, left at the end of the stay.
• Tour guides: €5–10 per person for a guided visit to the Acropolis, Delphi, or Knossos; more for a private guide.
• Boat trips: on a group day cruise, tipping the crew is optional; a few euros per person is a kind gesture. On a private yacht or sailing charter, tipping the skipper and crew is customary — ask the charter company for its usual range before you go.

For US benchmarks on guided tours, see our tour guide tipping guide.

The 20% Mistake

Tipping 20% in Greece is far more than custom. On a €70 taverna dinner, €5–7 is a good tip; €14 is lavish. It won’t offend anyone, but it isn’t necessary — and if you’re eating out twice a day for a week, those extra percentage points add up quickly.

Save the higher end for a server who went out of their way — recommending dishes that aren’t on the menu, finding you a table by the water, or looking after a big family group. To ask for the bill, say “to logariasmó, parakaló.”