from
Behind the French Menu
by
bryangnewman@gmail.com
A café in Le Marais, Paris.
Photograph
courtesy of Lars Plougmann
https://www.flickr.com/photos/criminalintent/52291671905/
Tipping in cafés and restaurants
Outside of the joys that a wonderful meal can bring,
the absence of tipping pressure is a pleasant surprise.
By
law, French cafés and restaurants must include all service charges and taxes in their
displayed prices; this applies to everything from the local corner bistro to a
three-star Michelin restaurant.
In a café, leaving your small change is sufficient—nothing more
is expected.
In a restaurant a French diner who has enjoyed an excellent meal and
good service might round the bill upward, leaving at most an extra 3% as a
thank-you. If you wish to show extra appreciation for all-around excellence,
you may leave 5%.
For poor service, nothing needs to be left at all.
All service charges, tips, and any taxes
are included in the bill. These charges could otherwise reach over 20% of the
bill. Regardless of whether it is explicitly written on the menu, the price you
see is the price you pay. Very occasionally, an unethical waiter or Maître D’
may try to imply that an additional tip is expected from a tourist.
Remember, you are NOT expected to pay any
more than the price on the menu. You do not have to be embarrassed about it; no
French diner would be.
Tipping for services in France
A Tipping Cheat
Sheet for France:
Traditional Taxis
The "Round Up" Rule: Most locals simply round up to the nearest Euro. If the fare is €14.20, giving the driver €15 and say, "Gardez la monnaie" (pronounced: garday la monay), Keep the change.
Credit cards for taxis: If you are paying a traditional taxi with a credit card, be aware that many French taxi card terminals do not have a built-in "add tip" screen. If you want to tip, it's best to have a few €1 or €2 coins handy, as you usually cannot add the gratuity to the card transaction after the meter is stopped.
Luggage: If the driver helps you with heavy bags, it is customary to tip €1 to €2 per bag.
Long Trips: For longer journeys (like a 45-minute ride from Charles de Gaulle airport to central Paris), a tip of 3% is acceptable and 5% is considered generous but neither are mandatory.
G7. For airport trips use the G7 official taxi service. (Its app works like Uber.) It is legally obliged to offer the following prices from the Paris airports (in 2026).
From Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Paris:
To the Right Bank (North of the
Seine): €56
To the Left Bank (South of the
Seine): €65
From Orly (ORY) to Paris:
To the Right Bank (North of the Seine): €45
To the Left Bank (South of the
Seine): €36
The G7 taxi service also works in area outside of Paris andin many other French cities. You can check with their app or use their central phone service. (You may hear an automated message in French, wait for the operator.)
Dial 3607 from any French phone.
On a foreign phone dial” +33 1 41 27 66 99
Uber
and Bolt
You
will often see the term VTC used to describe Uber, Bolt and their competitors. VTC stands for Véhicule de Transport avec Chauffeur
(Chauffeur-Driven Transport Vehicle). There
are other companies offering various variations on the same type of service.
However, for the occasional visitor Uber and Bolt are the easiest to use.
The
distinction between taxis and Uber and Bolt are important in France because
there is a long-standing legal and cultural divide between "Taxis"
and "VTCs."
Uber, Bolt and similar vehicles have a small, rectangular burgundy colored stickers on the front and back windows: the sticker shows the VTC Number assigned to the company or driver. A QR Code which can be scanned to verify that the driver's insurance and professional license are up to date and the vehicle’s license plate number.
App Convenience: Like in the US or UK, the Uber and Bolt apps will prompt you for a tip after the ride. There is absolutely no pressure to select one.
When to Tip: Most people only tip on the app if the driver was exceptionally helpful, the car was really clean, or they navigated difficult traffic particularly well. A small amount (e.g., €1 or €2) is plenty.
Hotel tipping
Porter/Bellhop: €1–€2 per bag. It is the most common "obligatory" tip in hotels.
If you like to tip the hotel housekeeping service: €1–€2 per day. Leave this on the bedside table at the end of your stay.
Concierge service: You don't need to tip for a simple request for directions, but if they secure a hard-to-get dinner reservation or theater tickets, a tip is appropriate. €5–€20 depending on the service
Valet: €2 when they bring your car around.
Tours and Sightseeing
Museum Guides: €2–€5 per person if the guide was particularly engaging.
Free Walking Tours: €10–€15 per person. While the tour is "free," these guides work almost entirely for tips.
Private Drivers/Guides: €10–€20 for a half-day or full-day excursion is a generous gesture for excellent service.
Beauty and Personal Care
Hairdressers: 5–10% of the total bill. Usually, you give this directly to the person who cut your hair.
Spa/Massage: 5–10%, though check your bill first; in luxury hotel spas, a service charge is occasionally already included.
Theatres
and their amazing divided tipping culture:
Theater and Cloakrooms
Cloakroom (Vestiaire): €1–€2 per item (coat or large bag) is standard if a price isn't already posted.
Theater Ushers: Only in specific historic private theaters in Paris) are tips expected. In national theaters (like the Opéra), tipping ushers is strictly forbidden. If you see a sign saying "Le personnel est rémunéré," do not tip. In the private theaters €1–€2 per person
The key difference for you as a visitor is that Private Theaters often still follow the tradition of tipping ushers whereas in Public/National Theaters, tipping is strictly forbidden.
Public & National Theaters
Tipping is forbidden. These are state-funded, and the staff are salaried. You will often see signs saying "Pourboire Interdit" (Tips Forbidden).
Comédie-Française (Salle Richelieu): The historic "House of Molière" near the Louvre.
Palais Garnier (Opéra National de Paris): The legendary 19th-century opera house. (Home to the ballet.)
Opéra Bastille: The modern opera house at Place de la Bastille.
Théâtre National de l’Odéon: Located near the Luxembourg Gardens.
Théâtre National de Chaillot: The grand Art Deco theater at Trocadéro (focused on dance).
Théâtre de la Ville (Sarah Bernhardt): Located at Place du Châtelet.
Théâtre du Châtelet: Just across from Théâtre de la Ville, known for musicals and opera.
Théâtre de la Colline: A national theater in the 20th arrondissement focused on contemporary works.
Historic Private Theaters only.
Tipping ushers is customary. In these venues, ushers (the ouvreuses) may rely on tips for their income. It is polite to give €1–€2 per person when they show you to your seat.
Théâtre du Palais-Royal: Famous for its stunning "Italian-style" architecture and velvet decor.
Théâtre Mogador: A massive, grand venue often hosting major Broadway-style musicals (like The Lion King).
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées: An Art Deco masterpiece on Avenue Montaigne.
Théâtre Édouard VII: Known for its history with English-speaking culture. The theater was built in 1913 and named after King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. Edward VII was nicknamed "the most Parisian of all English kings" because he spent a significant amount of time in Paris and was the primary architect of the Entente Cordiale—the historic diplomatic agreement that ended centuries of rivalry between France and Britain. In partnership with "Theatre in Paris," many of their French "Boulevard" comedies are performed with English subtitles projected above the stage.
Théâtre Antoine: A historic theater in the 10th arrondissement.
Théâtre de la Michodière: Famous for classic French "Boulevard" comedies.
Théâtre du Gymnase Marie Bell: One of the oldest private theaters on the Grands Boulevards.
Théâtre de l'Atelier: A charming, smaller theater in the heart of Montmartre.
Théâtre le Ranelagh: Noted for its beautiful carved woodwork and intimate atmosphere.
Shopping in France and getting the local sales tax
returned.
(Value added tax in French is Taxe
sur la Valeur Ajoutée (TVA),
The VAT (TVA) on clothes and most other purchases
(including gifts, art etc) is 20% in 2026.
Non-EU citizens (including UK
citizens) are entitled to a VAT refund on gifts, clothing, and other retail
purchases. Most shops in popular tourist areas participate in tax-free shopping
schemes, allowing a significant portion of the tax to be returned when you
leave the country. Taxes spent on clothes or gifts, the VAT (Value Added Tax),
could be returned to visitors from outside the European Union when they leave
the country. In shops, look for signs advising visitors that the VAT tax (in
French, the T.V.A.) can be reclaimed. If no signs are visible, ask directly.
In France, the VAT rate is 20%
for most purchases. For those who make a purchase of over 100 Euros in a single
shop in a single day, some 60% of that tax is refundable, as long as those
purchases are properly documented. The more you buy, the greater the percentage
of tax returned. (The difference between the tax paid and the sum returned is
the handling charge.)
To have your tax returned,
purchases have to be made at a retailer that offers tax-free shopping. The
total purchases must exceed €100 (including the tax) in each individual
retailer on a single day. The retailer must give the buyer the official
documents that allow the return of most of the VAT when leaving France.
Customers must show their passports to the retailer to prove their non-resident
status. If you do not have all the documents and receipts, you will not get
a refund.
Follow
the rules and regulations on these websites:
https://www.douane.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/documentation/pdf/detaxe-pablo-%28en%29-vat-refund-process-in-france.pdf
https://www.douane.gouv.fr/en/fiche/tax-exemption-france-tourists-pablo
If you are considering buying
gifts in France, it can pay to make all your purchases in a single store on the
same day. Before leaving home, search for a list of department stores in the
cities you plan to visit. Many large stores, such as Galeries Lafayette or
Printemps, often offer an additional 10% discount to international tourists. By
combining this with a VAT refund, you can "double-dip" on your
savings.
If you visit France during the
official sales seasons—Winter Sales (starting early January) or Summer Sales
(starting late June)—the savings can be even more significant. The accumulated
sales markdown, the tourist discount, and the tax refund may reduce the final
cost to 40–50% less than the original price.
Taxes that will not be refunded
Refundable taxes do not include, unfortunately,
your hotel bill, rental car, fuel, or restaurant bills. For other purchases,
you will find that most of the stores in areas that tourists frequent are used
to non-European visitors and have all the necessary paperwork. Without the
correct paperwork, nothing will be returned! Check with the store that they
have official permission to offer this service before you buy.
Business
expenses and refundable taxes in France
Most non-European residents and companies
can receive rebates on their business expenses that include the VAT; that can
be 20% of trade show expenses and related expenses. You will need to keep your
invoices and other paperwork, as these are refunds you claim after your return
home. Before you leave for Europe, check with your accountant or travel
advisor about what paperwork you will need to keep and where to send it
afterward. Remember, a simple receipt does not count; you need an official
invoice: Une Facture Avec TVA. And for some purchases, you may
need Un justificatif (Supporting Document): commonly used in
business contexts to mean "proof of purchase." There are filing
deadlines and minimum refund amounts.
Paris
Photograph courtesy
of Patrick Nouhailler
https://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick_nouhailler/16154299981/
