Tipping In Prague: How To Tip In Restaurants, Bars And Cafés? (2024)

FAQs

Tipping In Prague: How To Tip In Restaurants, Bars And Cafés? ›

Tipping in Prague is not as common as it is in other European cities, so you don't need to feel obligated to tip everywhere. Generally speaking, restaurants will include a surcharge of 8-10% on the bill, but if this isn't the case, 10-15% is the standard.

In both Prague and the Czech Republic, it's standard practice to leave a tip, ideally 5% to 10% of the total bill, in restaurants and cafés. Locals usually round up the amount to the nearest 10 or 100 crowns. At the bottom of the receipt you'll see “service is not included”.

Tipping is very easy in the Czech Republic. Tips are usually never included in the final price (shouldn't be!) that's why it's polite to leave 10 % as a tip. However, only if you were satisfied. Tipping is not mandatory and you can leave whatever you think the service deserves.

Bars: $1 to $3 per drink

Tip your bartender 15 to 20% of your tab, which could be somewhere between $1 to $3 per drink, according to Johnson, and Nick Leighton, an etiquette expert and co-host of the podcast "Were You Raised By Wolves?"

Respect Personal Space: Czechs value personal space, and maintaining a comfortable distance during conversations is appreciated. Avoid physical contact unless you've developed a close relationship. A friendly nod or smile is often sufficient for greetings in public spaces.

In bars and cafes in Prague you can round the bill to the next significant amount, or leave a small tip each time you order a drink. If you are in a fancy co*cktail bar, where co*cktail making is a craft - or have a particularly skilled barista make your cappuccino - you might wish to splash out and leave a bigger tip.

DEAR WONDERING: The employees you describe are also “working hard.” If you're eating in the restaurant, leave a couple of dollars for the bussers who are clearing the dishes. If you receive service IN ADDITION to that, leave 10%.

Some larger hotels, shops and restaurants accept Euros (EUR) too, but not all. The trend is towards cashless payments, but it is still advisable to carry at least a small amount of Czech Crowns. Some local businesses and market stalls do prefer it.

If you come to Prague, it is always good to have some cash with you. Not much, Prague is a very card friendly city. However, just for your personal comfort and back up you should exchange at least a small portion of your budget to Czech Koruna / Czech Crown / CZK.

Tap water is safe to drink in Prague!

You can drink water from taps in Prague without worrying about the effect on your health. In parks and streets, you'll see drinking fountains with clean water; don't be scared to fill bottles with it.

Do you tip at cafes? ›

You're not required nor even particularly expected to tip, but it's there. Most often customers drop some of their change in the tip jar; unlike restaurants, many if not most coffee shop transactions are in cash.

A good rule to follow is about $1 a drink. In nicer bars, leave $2 per drink.

The $1 for one drink rule is totally acceptable — except when you're ordering co*cktails. The consensus among most of the bartenders I spoke with is that you should tip $1 per beer but $2 per co*cktail. "A lot of people will go to a bar, and they'll order a round for their friends," a New Orleans bartender said.

In large cities, such as Prague, and in tourist areas, the locals will speak English. However, if you venture to the smaller towns of Czech Republic, it is unlikely you will encounter anyone who speaks English.

Pay by mobile (via Google Pay and Apple Pay) and credit/debit cards (including contactless cards) are widely accepted at hotels, shops, bars, cafés and restaurants in Prague. Life in the city is no different in this respect than, for example, in London or Paris. Czech people are proud of their currency.

Do Prague stores and restaurants accept the Euro? – Euro is not in official use. – Some shops, restaurants, and hotels accept payments in Euro and other currencies but usually with an inconvenient exchange rate. – It is recommended to change your Euros at the bank and pay for everything in Czech Crowns.

In Prague, you are not required to tip when you receive a service. However, if you tip a tour guide in Prague, the tip should reflect the quality of service. A rule of thumb is to round off to the nearest hundred or at least 5% of your total bill.