Short answer: Appreciated, not expected. Tipping in Ireland is discretionary. Around 10% is usual in restaurants and for table service in pubs, but you do not tip when ordering drinks at the bar. Some restaurants add a service charge, so check the bill first.
Is service included?
Some restaurants add a 'service charge'. Ireland's consumer regulator (CCPC) says mandatory charges must be made very clear in advance, and optional charges must never be added to a bill automatically.
How much to tip in Ireland
| Who | Usual tip | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurants (sit-down) | About 10% | If no service charge is already on the bill. |
| Cafes and bars | Not expected at the bar | About 10% for table service in pubs; counter service needs no tip. |
| Taxis and rideshare | Round up | Round up to the next euro; a little more for help with bags. |
| Hotel housekeeping | Optional | A small tip left in the room is nice but not expected. |
| Hotel porters | €1 per bag | At hotels with porters. |
| Tour guides | €2 to 5 per person | For a good group tour; €10 to 20 for a few hours with a private guide. |
| Hairdressers and spas | Optional | Small tip if you are pleased; no firm custom. |
| Food delivery | Optional | Small tip or round up if you like; no firm custom. |
Amounts are in the local currency (EUR). They are common customs, not rules: tip more for great service and less where it was poor.
How to tip
Card payment is normal, and many places use card terminals with a tip screen, sometimes a separate tipping terminal. Cash handed to the server also works well. Read the terminal screen carefully: in a 2026 survey by the regulator, one in four people who met standalone tipping terminals had tipped by mistake.
What to avoid
Do not tip the bartender for each round at the pub bar; it is not expected.
Tipping by card
Card terminals in restaurants often offer a tip step with presets such as 10%, 12.5% and 15%, plus a custom amount. Since December 2022, Irish law requires employers to share electronic tips fairly among staff.
Tips and the law in Ireland
Who keeps the tips
The Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Act 2022, in force since 1 December 2022, requires employers to share electronic tips and any charge that looks like a service charge fairly among workers, and the employer cannot keep any share of electronic tips except limited amounts such as legal deductions and the direct cost of distribution. Employers must display and give workers a written tips policy, give a statement of tips received, and may not deduct anything from wages in relation to tips. Cash tips given directly to a worker are not otherwise regulated. Using the words "service charge" for money that is not passed on is an offence. Workers with a month's service can complain to the Workplace Relations Commission within 6 months.
Are tips taxed?
Tips paid out through the employer, whether originally cash or card, are added to pay and subject to PAYE, USC and PRSI. Cash tips handed directly to an employee by customers are not run through payroll, but the employee must declare them on their annual income tax return as income not subject to PAYE. Revenue's Tax and Duty Manual 42-04-35A sets this out.
Tips and the minimum wage
No, employers cannot use tips and gratuities to make up contractual rates of pay.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Work out a tip
The tip calculator is set to Ireland and the local currency: enter the bill, pick a percentage and split it between the table.
Tipping with no cash
When you have no local cash, ask whether a tip can go on the card. More and more guides, drivers and performers show a QR code instead: point your phone camera at it and you can tip by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay without installing anything. Workers in Ireland can read how QR code tipping works in Ireland.
Street performers
Tipping a busker is always optional. If you enjoy the show, a coin or a note in the case is the custom, and more performers now show a QR code so you can tip by card. Rules for buskers by city:
Sources
- CCPC: Transparency is vital, new research and guidance on tipping in Ireland
- AFAR: Ireland travel guide
- Rick Steves: Tipping in Europe
- Tips and gratuities
- Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Act 2022
- Tax and Duty Manual Part 42-04-35A: Employers' Guide to PAYE
Checked in October 2026 against the sources above. Customs change and vary between cities and venues.
Common questions
Is tipping expected in Ireland?
Appreciated, not expected. Tipping in Ireland is discretionary. Around 10% is usual in restaurants and for table service in pubs, but you do not tip when ordering drinks at the bar. Some restaurants add a service charge, so check the bill first.
How much should you tip at a restaurant in Ireland?
About 10%. If no service charge is already on the bill.
Is a service charge added to the bill in Ireland?
Some restaurants add a 'service charge'. Ireland's consumer regulator (CCPC) says mandatory charges must be made very clear in advance, and optional charges must never be added to a bill automatically.
Do you tip taxi drivers in Ireland?
Round up.
How much do you tip hotel housekeeping in Ireland?
Optional.
Are tips taxed in Ireland?
Tips paid out through the employer, whether originally cash or card, are added to pay and subject to PAYE, USC and PRSI. Cash tips handed directly to an employee by customers are not run through payroll, but the employee must declare them on their annual income tax return as income not subject to PAYE. Revenue's Tax and Duty Manual 42-04-35A sets this out.
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