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 Romanian lei by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, with no app on their side.
In Romania a tip, bacșiș, of about 10% is customary in restaurants, and common for taxi drivers, hairdressers and delivery couriers. Card and phone payments have grown quickly in the cities, and the tip is now often chosen on the bill before paying.
What people tip in Romania
| Who | Usual tip |
|---|---|
| Restaurants | About 10% |
| Bars and cafes | Round up |
| Taxis | Round up |
| Hairdressers | About 10% |
| Delivery couriers | 5 to 10 lei |
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 Romanian lei 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 Romania
- 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 Romanian lei.
- 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 Romania
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Download and monthly fee | Free |
| Platform fee | 10% of each tip |
| Card processing | 1.5% plus 1.20 lei 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 a small fixed amount |
Compared with what people use now
Restaurant tips now go through the till by law. For people outside that system, such as guides, musicians, couriers and hotel staff, a personal QR code is a simple way to accept a card tip.
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 Romania
Since 2023 Romanian law has required restaurants and bars to record tips on the receipt, and tips recorded this way are subject to income tax. If you receive tips outside that system, ask an accountant how to declare them.
This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Check with ANAF or a qualified adviser about your own situation.
Common questions
Is tipping expected in Romania?
In Romania a tip, bacșiș, of about 10% is customary in restaurants, and common for taxi drivers, hairdressers and delivery couriers. Card and phone payments have grown quickly in the cities, and the tip is now often chosen on the bill before paying.
How much does QR code tipping cost in Romania?
TipIns has no monthly fee. Each tip carries a 10% platform fee plus card processing of 1.5% plus 1.20 lei for domestic cards. By default the customer covers these, so you receive the full tip.
What bank details do I need in Romania?
You need your IBAN. Tips are paid out in Romanian lei.
Are tips taxable in Romania?
Since 2023 Romanian law has required restaurants and bars to record tips on the receipt, and tips recorded this way are subject to income tax. If you receive tips outside that system, ask an accountant how to declare them.
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.