Short answer: create a tip page in an app such as TipIns, add your IBAN, then print or show your QR code. Customers scan it with their phone camera and tip in euros by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, with no app on their side.
Tipping in Ireland is appreciated and not assumed. Around 10% in a restaurant for good service is usual, taxi fares are rounded up, and pub tips are rare except with table service. Busking is a different matter: Grafton Street and Shop Street in Galway are among the best-known pitches in Europe, and they depend on passers-by who now mostly tap to pay.
What people tip in Ireland
| Who | Usual tip |
|---|---|
| Restaurants | About 10% for good service; check for a service charge |
| Pubs | Not expected at the bar |
| Taxis | Round up |
| Hairdressers | About 10%, or a few euros |
| Buskers | A euro or two for a song |
How QR code tipping works
- You show or print your QR code.
- The customer points their phone camera at it. A secure web page opens. They need no app and no account.
- They choose an amount in euros and pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay or a card.
- The tip appears in your balance straight away and is paid to your bank account.
Setting up in Ireland
- Create your account. Download TipIns and choose a username. You are asked for your legal name, date of birth and address, because payments are processed by Stripe and anyone receiving card payments must be identified.
- Add your bank account. Enter your IBAN. Tips are paid out in euros.
- Print your code. Export a design in business card, A5, A4 or A3 size, or show the code on your phone.
What it costs in Ireland
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Download and monthly fee | Free |
| Platform fee | 10% of each tip |
| Card processing | 1.5% plus €0.25 per tip for domestic cards. Cards issued abroad can cost more. |
| Who pays the fees | By default the customer covers them on top of the tip, so you receive the full amount. If they opt out, the fees come out of the tip. |
| Weekly payout to your bank | Free, once your balance reaches the minimum |
| Instant payout | 2% plus €0.25 |
Compared with what people use now
The 2022 Act makes card tips the employer's responsibility to distribute fairly and openly. A group QR code does the distribution automatically and leaves a record of every split that any team member can see.
Tips for a whole team
If tips are shared, create a group. The venue shows one QR code and each tip is divided between members, equally or by percentages the owner sets. With active shifts switched on, a tip is shared only between the people working when it arrives. Each person is paid to their own bank account, and every member can see how each tip was split. The methods are compared in how to split tips between employees fairly.
Tax and the law in Ireland
The Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Act 2022 has applied since 1 December 2022. Employers must display their policy on how tips are shared, must distribute tips received electronically in a fair manner, and cannot count tips towards basic wages. Tips are taxable income.
This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Check with Revenue or a qualified adviser about your own situation.
Common questions
Is tipping expected in Ireland?
Tipping in Ireland is appreciated and not assumed. Around 10% in a restaurant for good service is usual, taxi fares are rounded up, and pub tips are rare except with table service.
How much does QR code tipping cost in Ireland?
TipIns has no monthly fee. Each tip carries a 10% platform fee plus card processing of 1.5% plus €0.25 for domestic cards. By default the customer covers these, so you receive the full tip.
What bank details do I need in Ireland?
You need your IBAN. Tips are paid out in euros.
Are tips taxable in Ireland?
The Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Act 2022 has applied since 1 December 2022. Employers must display their policy on how tips are shared, must distribute tips received electronically in a fair manner, and cannot count tips towards basic wages. Tips are taxable income.
Do customers need an app to tip by QR code?
No. They scan the code with their phone camera and pay on a secure web page with Apple Pay, Google Pay or a card.