How much to tip at a restaurant in China (2026 Guide)
¥0; 10% service charge sometimes added at hotel/luxury restaurants
Cultural notes
Tipping at sit-down restaurants in mainland China is not customary and can be refused. Most mid-range restaurants pay staff a wage and add nothing to the bill; high-end hotel restaurants and a small number of foreign-owned venues in Shanghai/Beijing may include a 10% service charge ("服务费"), in which case nothing extra is needed. Mobile payments (Alipay/WeChat) make leaving cash on the table odd — servers may chase you down to return it.
Common mistakes
Leaving cash on the table after paying by phone — staff will assume you forgot it. Adding to the Alipay/WeChat total above the bill is also not possible.
Frequently asked questions
Will the waiter be offended if I tip?
Probably not offended, but confused. At chain restaurants, staff are often forbidden from accepting tips and will refund the money.
What about the 10% I see on my bill?
That is a fixed service charge (服务费) at hotel and luxury venues. No additional tip is needed.
Tipping other services in China
- Counter / takeaway¥0
- Café¥0
- Bar¥0 at local bars; ¥10–20 at high-end Western cocktail bars
- Housekeeping¥10–20 per day at international 5-star hotels; ¥0 elsewhere
- Porter¥5–10 per bag at international hotels; ¥0 elsewhere
- Concierge¥50–100 for substantial help; otherwise none
- Taxi¥0
- Rideshare¥0 — DiDi has no in-app tipping for standard rides
- Food deliveryOptional ¥1–5 via in-app "reward rider" (打赏骑手)
- Grocery delivery¥0
- Hairdresser¥0
- Spa¥20–50 at high-end hotel spas; ¥0 at local foot-massage shops
- Tour guide¥100–200 per day private English guide; ¥50–100 per day for drivers
- Tattoo artist¥0
- Valet¥10–20 at international 5-star hotels; ¥0 elsewhere
- Airport baggage¥5–10 per bag for skycap-style airport porters; no tip for hotel-shuttle drivers
- BuskerSmall change (¥1–10) if you stop to listen; payment via WeChat QR is more common
- Movers¥0; ¥20–50 per worker for stairs, heavy items, or long hours
- Tradesperson¥0 — the quoted price is the price
Tipping at a restaurant in nearby countries
Last verified: · Sources: wise.com, chinasurvivalkit.com, lonelyplanet.com