Q: 3. Should I tip taxi or DiDi drivers?

No. Pay the metered fare. Nothing extra. DiDi fares are automatically charged to your Alipay account when you arrive. There is no tip option in the standard DiDi interface for Chinese drivers. Rate the driver with stars after the trip. That is all that is needed.

Question 1

1. Should I tip at restaurants in China?

Accepted Answer

No. Do not tip at local Chinese restaurants. It is not expected and can cause confusion. The exception is international hotel restaurants, which sometimes add a 10 to 15% service charge to the bill. If a service charge is already on the bill, you are done. If you are at an upscale international restaurant with no service charge, a small cash tip is understood. At a regular restaurant: pay the bill, say thank you, and leave.

Question 2

2. Should I tip tour guides in China?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Tipping tour guides is appropriate and increasingly expected for private guiding. Private guide for a full day: ¥100 to ¥150. Half-day private guide: ¥50 to ¥80. Group tour guide (if they did a good job): ¥20 to ¥50 per person. This has become an industry norm in China's tourism sector.

Question 3

3. Should I tip taxi or DiDi drivers?

Accepted Answer

No. Pay the metered fare. Nothing extra. DiDi fares are automatically charged to your Alipay account when you arrive. There is no tip option in the standard DiDi interface for Chinese drivers. Rate the driver with stars after the trip. That is all that is needed.

Question 4

4. What about tipping at hotels?

Accepted Answer

Not expected at local hotels. Optional at international chains. At a five-star Marriott or Shangri-La, leaving ¥20 to ¥30 for a bellhop or housekeeping is understood and appreciated. At a local three-star hotel, the staff are unlikely to expect it. Leaving cash for housekeeping at any level is a gesture that will be appreciated but is entirely optional.

Question 5

5. What about massage or spa services?

Accepted Answer

No automatic expectation. At an upscale hotel spa, a small tip is within norms. At a street foot massage shop, it is not expected. A foot massage shop charging ¥60 to ¥80 for an hour does not expect a tip. An upscale spa at a five-star hotel: ¥50 is within the norms that have developed at that level. Use your judgment based on the setting.

Tipping

Tipping in China: Why You Should (Usually) Avoid It

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