Tipping in Poland: 2026 Guide for Travelers

Restaurants: 10% and How to Pay

Ask for the bill with “Poproszę rachunek.” The server brings it to the table, often with a portable card terminal. Many Polish terminals now show a tip screen (look for napiwek) where you can pick a percentage or skip — use it, or tell the server the total you want to pay before they enter the amount.

Some restaurants add a service charge (serwis) for larger groups. It should be stated on the menu and shown on the bill; if it’s there, you don’t need to tip again. To work out 10% quickly, use the 10% tip calculator.

At a casual pierogi restaurant or pizzeria with table service, rounding up to a tidy number is common. At a smart restaurant in Kraków’s Old Town or Warsaw’s center, 10% is the baseline for good service, and a little more for an exceptional evening is appreciated.

The “Dziękuję” Rule

In Poland, saying “dziękuję” (thank you) as you hand over cash is widely taken to mean “keep the change.” On a 72 PLN bill paid with a 100 PLN note, a thank-you at that moment may leave you with a 28 PLN tip you didn’t intend.

Locals who want to leave the change say “Reszty nie trzeba” — “no change needed.” It’s an easy phrase to learn, and it makes your intent unmistakable whichever way you mean it.

If you need change, wait to say thank you until it’s in your hand. If you do want to tip, saying the total — “80, please” — is the clearest way.

Milk Bars, Cafés, and Bars

A bar mleczny (milk bar) is a cafeteria-style canteen where you order pierogi and soup at the counter and collect your own tray. No tip is expected. At cafés, leaving the coins from your change is enough. At a bar where you order at the counter, tipping isn’t necessary; with table service, round up or add about 10% on a larger tab.

Taxis, Hotels, Guides, and Day Trips

• Taxis: use Bolt, Uber, FreeNow, or a licensed taxi, and round up the fare. App tips are optional.
• Hotel porters: 5–10 PLN per bag. Housekeeping: optional 5–10 PLN per night.
• Free walking tours in Kraków, Warsaw, and Gdańsk run on tips; 20–50 PLN per person is a fair amount.
• Day trips from Kraków to the Wieliczka Salt Mine or Zakopane: 20–40 PLN per person for the guide if they were good, and a little for a separate driver. More in our tour guide tipping guide.
• Hairdressers and barbers: about 10%.

Złoty, Cards, and Currency Tips

Cards and contactless phone payments work almost everywhere, including small cafés and taxis, so you don’t need much cash. Keep some 5 PLN coins and 10–20 PLN notes for milk bars, tips, and walking tours. If you exchange money, use a kantor (exchange office) in town rather than at the airport.

When a terminal or ATM offers to charge you in dollars, choose PLN — the dollar option usually comes with a worse rate. See our cash vs. card tipping guide for when each works best.