Tipping at restaurants in Spain
Spain has a relaxed approach to tipping. Service is included in the price, and a propina is a voluntary thank-you rather than an obligation. Spaniards themselves are divided: in a 2026 survey by the booking platform TheFork, only a quarter said they always tip, and most of those who do leave less than 5%.
- Menú del día or a casual bar-restaurant: leave a few coins or round up.
- A good restaurant with attentive service: 5–10%.
If you’re used to American tipping, dial it back: 5% at a good restaurant already puts you above what many locals leave.
Tapas bars and cafés
Hardly anyone tips for a café con leche at the bar. For tapas and drinks at a table, people leave a few coins on the saucer with the bill or round up – €18.60 becomes €20.
Taxis, Uber, Cabify and Bolt
Round the taxi fare up to the next euro. If the driver hauls heavy suitcases in and out, a couple of extra euros is a nice touch. With Uber, Cabify or Bolt, tipping in the app is entirely optional.
Hotels
- Porters: €1–2 per bag, rarely more than €5 in total.
- Housekeeping: €1–2 a night as a kind gesture.
- Concierge: €5–10 when they’ve genuinely gone out of their way.
Tours and free walking tours
Free walking tours are everywhere in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Granada. The guide is paid only through tips, so €5–10 per person is fair for a good tour. On paid group tours, €3–5 per person is typical, while private guides usually get €10–15 for a half day and €15–25 for a full day.
Tipping by card
Card terminals – datáfonos – increasingly suggest a tip, typically 5, 10 or 15%. It’s optional, and many Spaniards find the prompts inappropriate. If you want the money to reach your server directly, leave it in cash.
Service and cover charges
Spain’s consumer organisation OCU and regional consumer authorities take the view that a separate service or cover charge (cubierto) isn’t allowed, because service must be included in the price. Items that are clearly listed on the menu – bread, olives or a terrace supplement – can be charged. If a bill lists a mandatory “propina”, you don’t have to pay it.
Useful phrases: “La cuenta, por favor” (the bill, please) and “Quédese con el cambio” (keep the change).
Worked example: tapas night in Seville
Three friends, a bill of €38.60:
| Tip | Amount | Total | Per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round up | €1.40 | €40.00 | €13.33 |
| 5% | €1.93 | €40.53 | €13.51 |
| 10% | €3.86 | €42.46 | €14.15 |
Most people would simply make it €40. Carrying on to Portugal? Tipping there is just as laid-back – with one thing to watch on the table: the couvert.
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.
- spain.info (official tourism site): currency, payments and tipping spain.info
- OCU (Spanish consumer organisation): unfair practices in restaurants ocu.org
- Consumo Responde (Andalusian government): illegal restaurant charges consumoresponde.es
- AFAR: tipping in Spain afar.com
- Infobae: TheFork survey on tipping in Spain (2026) infobae.com
