What does tipping mean?

  • Tipping in Egypt, Baksheesh, or Gratuity is very common and expected everywhere in a lot of countries like the United States of America, Turkey, Jordan, and in Egypt as well, so you will hear the word “tipping” a lot in Egypt as it’s a way the Egyptians use to thank anyone provides them a service that’s why while you organize your trip to Egypt, you need to put tipping fees over the cost of the trip.
  • It’s expected from you to give a tip in a restaurant, hotel, bar, Nile cruise, etc.., you should give the waiter, driver, housekeeping, and other workers money for a service that they provided you with as an appreciation for your side as they look after you during your tours and stay and you are the one who determines its value, and if you feel that the service was bad or doesn’t deserve money don’t give them tipping.
  • You should tip your tour guide, tour leader, housekeeping, bellman, and all the workers who provide you with excellent service.

Why should I am tipping in Egypt?

  • Tipping started ages when solo travelers traveled alone from one place to another place, solo travelers used to give anyone who seemed to need money or was poor a few dollars, so by the time people saw tourists they expected him to give them money as they used.
  • So nowadays, tipping has become so common and expected not only in Egypt but in a lot of countries.
  • Tipping is a serious business in Egypt because the salary of tourism employees or anyone who works in the hospitality industry is too low so they rely mainly on tips and without tipping they will not be able to afford their living.
  • Also, tipping encourages workers to give you the best service and to make you and your family satisfied all the time.

How much should I tip?

 Let’s guide you about how much you should tip as below:

  • The driver (Airport-Hotel): 10: 20 L.E.
  • The driver (full-day Cairo tour): 50 L.E
  • The driver (half-day Cairo tour): 25 L.E
  • Guide (full-day Cairo tour): 100 L.E
  • Guide (half-day Cairo tour): 50 L.E
  • Bellman at the hotel: 5 L.E. per person for all bags.
  • Housekeeping: 5-10 LE per night.
  • Waiter/waitress at the hotel: 5-10 LE.
  • Waiter/waitress at the restaurant: 10% on the invoice
  • Felucca man: 10 L.E
  • Groundskeeper in mosques: 5 L.E

When you use the bathroom at a restaurant, airport, mall, or bar you should tip the attendant who cleans this bathroom, and 5 L.E will be good, he will be more than satisfied and he will be careful to keep this bathroom clean all the time for you and others.

When you receive your bags at the hotel tip the bellman, but on the Nile cruise, you give them the tip before check out or on the last night.

If you are at a restaurant or hotel, check if a 10% service charge has already been added, and think about tipping a little extra for the wait staff who will likely not receive any of this charge. 

In the end, the exact amount will differ depending on the level and length of service.

What currency should I use in tipping in Egypt?                                    

  1. You can use both US dollars and Egyptian pounds, but 1 $ is equal to 16 EGP, so if you exchange some dollars for EGP to use in tipping, you will save a lot of money and at the same time the people will be satisfied.
  2. When you give them a tip, everyone around you will be very careful to keep you satisfied all the time.

And let me clarify another important point:

As per your feedback after the trip, we decide if the staff will continue working with our agency or not as our client satisfaction is our priority.

So if you have any comments, kindly tell us to avoid repeating them with another client.

Tipping isn’t obligatory but it’s really a source of living for a lot of people who work in the tourism field so if you have a good service you should tip as every citizen does.

When shouldn’t you tip in Egypt?

Tipping isn’t obligatory in Egypt but it is a kind of appreciation and a good way to say thank you to workers who help you during your trip to Egypt from the tour guide, tour leader, bellman, housekeeping, waiter/waitress, etc.

So you have to keep some change in your pocket all the time to give them a tip after receiving a service from them.

But when you feel that you didn’t receive good service and when someone doesn’t provide you any service ask you to tip.

How can I manage tipping in Egypt?

There are two ways to manage tipping:

Kitty tipping 

It’s when you give the tip for the full trip to the tour leader on the first day of the tour and your tour leader will use this amount for the driver, waiter, hotel staff, etc. on your behalf and we think it is the best way because in this case you will be stress-free and all you do is to enjoy your tours and your tour leader will manage all these little things for you from exchanging money to give tip after receiving every service.                 

Your tour leader will record all the spent money and at the end of the trip, the rest of the amount will be returned to you again.

Self-management tipping:

It’s to give everyone who provides you a service tipping as an appreciation from your side and in this case, you are the one who decides how much this one deserves to live according to the quality of the service you gave to you.  

So we want you to know that you have to tip as you feel this service deserves, and in Egypt, No one will force you to pay tipping it’s just appreciation from your side.

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