When planning your Peru trip, one question that often comes up is: Do you tip in Peru? While tipping isn’t always expected in some areas, it is appreciated, especially in the service industry. Here’s a breakdown of typical tipping practices across different service providers in Peru:
Restaurants and Cafes:
- High-End Restaurants: A 10% tip is usually included in the bill. If it isn’t, leaving 10% is customary, and for outstanding service, an extra 5% is appreciated.
- Mid-Range or Casual Restaurants: Leaving 5-10% is polite but not mandatory.
- Cafes and Small Eateries: Tipping isn’t common, but rounding up or leaving small change (S/.1–S/.3) is a nice gesture.
Tour Guides and Drivers:
- Tour Guides: Tips are often expected, especially for multi-day tours. The norm is around S/.20–S/.50 ($5–$15 USD) per day per person, depending on the group size and the quality of service.
- Drivers (Tour-Related): For private drivers on tours, S/.10–S/.20 ($2–$5 USD) per day is appropriate. For group tours, a smaller amount or no tip is fine unless they provide exceptional service.
Hotels:
- Bellhops: It’s customary to give S/.3–S/.10 ($1–$3 USD) per bag, depending on the level of the hotel and assistance provided.
- Housekeeping: You can leave S/.5–S/.10 ($1–$3 USD) per night in your room.
- Concierge: If they assist you significantly (e.g., booking tours, hard-to-get reservations), tipping S/.10–S/.20 ($3–$5 USD) is considerate.
Taxi Drivers and Rideshares:
- Street Taxis: Tipping is not expected, but you can round up the fare as a kind gesture.
- Rideshares (e.g., Uber): Tipping is optional but appreciated. Adding 5–10% to the final bill via the app is common for good service.
Museums and Cultural Sites
- Museum Guides: If you take a guided tour at a museum, you can tip the guide S/.10–S/.20 ($3–$5 USD) per person, especially if they provide an excellent explanation of Peru’s history and culture.
- Donation Boxes: Many museums have donation boxes near the entrance or exit. While not obligatory, leaving a small contribution (e.g., S/.5–S/.10) can support the preservation of Peru’s cultural heritage.
Street Performers and Musicians:
If you enjoy their performance, dropping S/.1–S/.5 ($0.25–$1.25 USD) into their hat or container is a nice way to show appreciation.
Grocery Baggers and Street Vendors:
- Grocery store baggers often work for tips only. Offering S/.1–S/.2 ($0.25–$0.50 USD) per bag is considerate.
- Tipping street vendors isn’t customary, but rounding up or paying a little extra is always appreciated for excellent service.
Do You Always Need to Tip?
While tipping in Peru isn’t as common as in countries like the United States, it’s becoming more common in urban areas and among tourists. In smaller towns or rural areas, tipping might be less expected but always welcomed. After all, a small tip can go a long way in showing appreciation for good service.
Whether you’re enjoying a meal in Barranco, Lima or enjoying a Cusco City Tour, we hope this guide helps you to understand more about tipping practices while you visit Peru.
