Tipping at Dutch restaurants
Dutch consumer rules require prices to include all unavoidable costs, service among them – which is why some menus still say inclusief BTW en service (VAT and service included). A tip, or fooi, is a voluntary extra: round up, or leave 5–10% for good service. The official tourism site calls 10% quite acceptable; many Dutch diners give less.
Handy phrases: “Laat maar zitten” means “keep the change”, and “Maak er maar 40 euro van” tells the server the total you’d like to pay.
Tip screens on card terminals
The Dutch pay by card for almost everything – around 95% of hospitality bills. More and more card terminals now pop up a tip menu: in 2026 about a fifth of restaurants and over half of bars and cafés used one, usually offering 5, 10 or 15% plus geen fooi (no tip).
According to the hospitality association KHN, tips are always voluntary and a no-tip option must always be there. Most people choose it – and of those who do tip through the menu, 5% is the most popular choice.
Cafés and brown bars
In a café or a traditional bruin café (brown bar), round up or leave your change. It isn’t expected.
Taxis, Uber and Bolt
Taxi, Uber and Bolt drivers don’t expect a tip. If you’re happy with the ride, round up by €1–2.
Hotels
Tipping hotel staff isn’t customary in the Netherlands either. A few euros for a porter, or for someone who has gone out of their way for you, is a nice gesture.
Tours in Amsterdam and beyond
On paid group tours, €2–5 per person is optional; for private tours, 5–10%. Free walking tours in Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Utrecht depend on tips – €10–15 per person is usual.
Worked example: dinner in Amsterdam
Two people, a bill of €58.40:
| Tip | Amount | Total | Per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round up to €60 | €1.60 | €60.00 | €30.00 |
| 5% | €2.92 | €61.32 | €30.66 |
| 10% | €5.84 | €64.24 | €32.12 |
Many would simply say “Maak er maar 60 euro van”. Crossing over to Germany or the UK? The rules are a little different there.
Sources
Last reviewed: . Based on official tourism boards, laws and public authorities, consumer organisations, and established travel guides and media. Tipping is always voluntary – all figures are guidelines.
- holland.com (official tourism site): tipping and cash holland.com
- KHN (Dutch hospitality association): tips are always voluntary khn.nl
- ACM (consumer authority): prices must include all costs acm.nl
- IamExpat: tip menus on card machines (2026) iamexpat.nl
- NL Times: card payments and on-screen tip requests (2026) nltimes.nl
- DutchReview: tipping culture in the Netherlands dutchreview.com
