The custom of tipping varies widely between countries, but it is usually the standard of service that determines tips. Nowadays, tipping is especially common in Vietnam, so the following advice will be helpful for the expats to understand this culture.
Restaurants
Many of the eateries include a service charge in the bills, and this could be from 5% to 10%. However, this amount rarely reaches the service staff. If the management does send some of it their way, it’s most likely to be a meagre amount. An extra tip of 100,000VND/person is customary when the service has been outstanding.
Sampling Vietnamese street food is something that all expats really enjoy during their stay. In fact, some of the most delicious food in the country can be found at street stalls. It is not customary to tip at street food stops, but you can still leave a tip if you receive excellent service. This would generally be a tip of about 20,000VND.
Hotels
As an expat, you may need to stay at hotels in Vietnam either during your initial days in the country or while traveling around it later. When it comes to tipping at hotels, the level of service is the determining factor. If you’re not particularly happy with the service, you are not obligated to leave a tip at all. But in other cases, leaving a couple of dollars for good housekeeping service is appropriate. You can also give the bellman a dollar for each bag he carries. If you have been satisfied with the overall service at the hotel, you can leave a small amount at the desk before you check out.
Taxis
You are not required to tip taxi drivers in Vietnam, and so your driver will not be offended if you don’t leave a tip. However, many foreigners do decide to round off the total amount and request the driver to keep the change, if they feel that the driver was very helpful or polite.
Spas
Spa services in Vietnam are not as expensive as they are in Western countries. This actually makes it confusing for foreigners who don’t know whether to tip or not in such situations. The common custom is to leave just a few dollars at the less expensive spas. The more upscale ones will most likely include the 5 to 10 percent service charge in their bills, which essentially covers your tip. If you feel your refreshing spa experience deserves a small reward, go ahead and leave an extra tip.
Hellovietnamese.com
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