Tipping in China: not customary, with one Hong Kong twist.
Mainland China remains a non-tipping country in 2026. Hong Kong is the regional exception — 10% service charge is added automatically. International-brand hotels are the only place tipping anywhere in China feels normal.
Not customary in mainland China. Most servers and taxi drivers will refuse or return the money. Currency: Chinese yuan (CNY, ¥), also called renminbi. Tipping at international-brand hotels is fine; everywhere else, it is declined.
The one-line rule: Hong Kong adds 10% service charge to the bill. Mainland China does not, and you should not add one yourself.
Cultural context
Tipping has historically been considered improper in China — at various points associated with bribery, foreign condescension, or transactional flattery. The government discouraged the practice throughout the late 20th century, and the legacy is intact today. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism (formerly the China National Tourism Administration), 2024 notes that gratuities are not part of standard service-industry compensation; staff are paid a full wage by the employer.
Younger urban Chinese, particularly in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, have grown slightly more open to tipping private tour guides who specifically serve foreign visitors — but it is still not the norm, and a tour operator will usually build a "guide gratuity" line into the package price if one is appropriate.
By situation
| Service | Customary tip | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Local restaurant (mainland) | Not customary | Cash on the table will be declined or returned at the door. |
| Restaurant / bar (Hong Kong) | 10% on bill | Service charge added automatically. Round up the small change if you like. |
| Café | Not customary | No tip jar at chain or independent cafés. |
| Bar (mainland) | Not customary | International-brand hotel bars may accept ¥10–¥20 per round; locals don't. |
| Taxi | Round up only | Tell the driver "bù yòng zhǎo le" if you want to leave the change (¥1–¥5). |
| Hotel housekeeping | Not customary | International 5-star hotels: optional ¥20–¥40 per night. |
| Hotel porter | ¥10–¥20 | Only at international-brand hotels. Local hotels: not expected. |
| Tour guide (private, full day) | ¥100–¥200 | In CNY, in an envelope, at the end. Foreign currency: don't. |
| Hairdresser | Not customary | Pay the menu price. |
Money mechanics
China is overwhelmingly a mobile-payments country — WeChat Pay and Alipay dominate even small street vendors. Cash and physical credit cards are still accepted at most establishments, but increasingly feel like a fallback. Foreign visitors in 2026 can link international cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) to WeChat and Alipay, which is the smoothest way to pay almost anywhere.
Card terminals in mainland China do not prompt for a tip — there is no field and no preset. The total displayed is the total charged. If you want to tip a private tour guide, the correct vehicle is CNY cash in a clean envelope handed over at the end of the tour, not added to a card. In Hong Kong, the 10% service charge is printed as a line on the receipt; you do not need to add anything on the terminal.
The phrase to use
Mistakes visitors make
- Tipping waiters at local restaurants. Cash on the table will be picked up by a server, brought to the front register, and returned to you as forgotten change. Insisting causes embarrassment for the staff.
- Over-tipping tour guides in foreign currency. Twenty US dollars handed to a guide is roughly ¥140 — a significant amount — but the recipient cannot easily spend it. Bank exchange is required and involves paperwork. Use CNY if you tip at all.
- Tipping at hotels where service charge is already on the bill. Most international 5-star hotels in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou add a 10–15% service charge automatically. That is the tip — there is no second one expected.
FAQ
Is tipping in Hong Kong the same as mainland China?
No. Hong Kong restaurants and bars add a 10% service charge to the bill automatically. That is the tip. Adding more on top is uncommon, though leaving the small change for exceptional service is fine. Mainland China has no such service charge and tipping is generally declined.
Can I tip in US dollars in China?
Avoid it. Foreign currency cannot be spent locally and must be exchanged at a bank, which is a hassle for a small amount. If you must give something to a private tour guide who has provided exceptional service, use CNY in a clean envelope. Over-tipping in foreign currency is one of the most common tourist mistakes.
China's non-tipping baseline is shared by its East Asian neighbors. Tipping in Japan is even stricter (tips are physically returned), and tipping in South Korea follows the same logic with the same service-charge exception at high-end Western-style venues. The full set is on the country hub.
For travelers continuing south, tipping in Thailand is the regional contrast: small tips have become standard in tourist areas. The shift from "do not tip" to "round up the bill" happens at the Mekong, and it catches a lot of multi-country itineraries off guard.