Even though there's no rule carved in stone, you're expected to leave at least a symbolic amount.
Even though tips are not obligatory in Croatia, they are expected, so to ease your travels, on April 16, 2016, we've decided to talk to some of the waiters in Split and surrounding areas to find out their thoughts on the tipping culture in Croatia. Most of them agree that tipping is a part of the travel culture so the amounts vary from nationality to nationality.
-I think everyone knows that our wages are not high and every additional kuna from tips comes in handy so if guests are happy with the service, we appreciate that little sign of gratitude. Split is not like the US, we don't expect a 10% tip across the board, we leave it up to the guest to decide - one of the waiters said.
Unlike other tourist countries, most POS devices in Croatian restaurants don't have the additional tip option, so if you want to leave something "on the side", you can leave it in cash after you pay your bill with a credit card. Since most bars and cafes don't except credit cards, this is a problem you don't have to worry about but if you're feeling generous and are happy with your service, it's customary to just round off your bill or leave some small change. So, for instance, if your bill is 26 kuna, just round it off to 30, but if you don't leave anything, don't worry. No one will chase you down the street so there's no need to frantically search for coins (just don't make it a habit).
Restaurants are a different story. From just rounding off your bill to leaving a percentage, it all depends on your satisfaction and of course what type of establishment you are visiting. When it comes to cabs, hairdressers or similar services, again, it is arbitrary. Tips are not obligatory but they are much appreciated.
So, who are the best tippers and who is always trying to bargain their way around cafes and restaurants? According to waiters in Split and Trogir, guests from the US usually leave 10%, Scandinavian guests also always leave a tip while some gusts from our neighbouring Mediterranean country (especially the South of Italy) like to bargain and always try to round down instead of rounding up. They never succeed but the waiters we talked to don't mind the process, it's all part of the folklore.
- To be perfectly honest, in our experience Croatians living abroad are the biggest tippers. Germans are very precise, they know the amount they want to leave even before the bill arrives. Asian guests, especially in cafes are extremely precise. They always pay the amount written on the bill, down to the last lipa, but they're extremely courteous and great guests so we don't mind. Scottish people, for instance, are not stingy at all contrary to all the jokes we hear, they're great tippers - waiters added.
So, in short, tipping in Croatia is completely arbitrary, there's no need to whip out your calculator to calculate 10 , 15 or 20% of your bill. Show your appreciation for great service with an mount you're comfortable with and when in doubt, just round off the bill and don't forget to check your bill for table setting and cover charges (couvert) so you're not surprised by the total amount you have to pay.
