Tipping in Vietnam is appreciated but never required — a 5–10% tip at tourist-area restaurants, small dong notes for hotel staff, and 100,000–300,000 VND per day for tour guides are the norms.
Vietnam tip calculator
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Tip is calculated on the bill before tax and any service charge.
Tipping rates in Vietnam
| Service | What to tip |
|---|---|
| Bars Tipping at coffee shops and bars isn't usual, but it is appreciated — tip jars on the counter are common, and a small top-up or rounding up is a kind gesture (Traveloka). |
0% — round up / tip jar (optional) |
| Hotels Porters get 10,000–20,000 dong per bag; leave 20,000–50,000 dong per night for housekeeping on the bedside table. Tips aren't obligatory but are genuinely appreciated, especially outside the big hotel groups (Traveloka). |
10,000–20,000 VND/bag; 20,000–50,000 VND/day housekeeping |
| Restaurants Business Insider suggests tourists leave 5–10% of the restaurant bill (via Traveloka). At casual local eateries and street stalls tipping isn't expected; upscale places may already add a 5–10% service fee — check the bill, and tip the server directly in cash (Traveloka; GoGoGoVietnam). |
5–10% |
| Taxis No tip is expected — just round the fare up to a convenient note (10,000–50,000 dong depending on distance). Grab rides can be tipped in-app, which is appreciated but not required (Traveloka; GoGoGoVietnam). |
round up to nearest 10,000 VND |
| Tour guides Guides expect a tip: roughly 10–15% of the tour price, or 100,000–300,000 dong per person for a full day, handed over in cash at the end of the tour. Drivers get a bit less (Traveloka). |
100,000–300,000 VND/person/day |
Tipping at restaurants in the USA? Use the main tipping calculator.
Example
A ₫450,000 dinner in Hanoi's Old Quarter: a 10% tip adds ₫50,000 for a tidy total of ₫500,000, handed to your server in cash. At a street phở stall, though, no tip is expected — just pay the bill and say cám ơn.
Why tipping works this way in Vietnam
Vietnam never had a tipping tradition — Traveloka describes it as 'neither required nor usual,' and away from tourist areas staff may even refuse a tip. The custom grew with international tourism, and today small tips carry real weight because prices are low and service wages modest. It is treated as a bonus for good service, not a duty: travellers are under no obligation, and bad service simply gets nothing (Traveloka; GoGoGoVietnam).
Tipping mistakes tourists make in Vietnam
- Tipping in US dollars or with coins — always tip in dong notes. Foreign currency costs staff to exchange, and coins 'may be interpreted as an insult' (Traveloka).
- Tipping on top of a service charge — upscale restaurants and major hotels often add a 5–10% service fee already; check the bill first (GoGoGoVietnam).
- Insisting on a tip at a street-food stall or in a rural area — vendors may be offended or embarrassed; a sincere cám ơn is the respectful move (GoGoGoVietnam; Traveloka).
- Skipping the tip for your tour guide — this is the one Vietnamese service where tipping is genuinely expected (Traveloka).
Vietnam tipping FAQs
tipping in Vietnam
Tipping in Vietnam is appreciated but never required. The norms: 5–10% at tourist-area restaurants, small dong notes for porters and housekeeping, rounding up taxis, and 100,000–300,000 dong per day for tour guides (Traveloka; Business Insider).
do you tip in Vietnam
It is not part of local tradition, but tourists tipping for good service is welcome and increasingly common in cities and tourist areas. In rural areas staff may decline a tip — a cám ơn (thank you) is always appropriate (Traveloka; GoGoGoVietnam).
Is 5% a good tip in Vietnam?
Yes — 5–10% is the accepted restaurant range, with 10% considered generous. At local eateries and street stalls, no tip is expected at all (Traveloka).
Do you tip taxi drivers in Vietnam?
No — tipping taxi drivers is not usual. Just round the fare up to the nearest 10,000 dong, or a bit more for a long trip with helpful service (Traveloka).
Should I tip tour guides in Vietnam?
Yes — this is the one service where tipping is genuinely expected. Plan on 100,000–300,000 dong per person per day (roughly 10–15% of the tour price), handed over in cash at the end of the tour (Traveloka).
Can I tip in US dollars in Vietnam?
Don't — always tip in Vietnamese dong. USD tips force staff to exchange the money at their own cost, and tipping with coins can be taken as an insult (Traveloka).
Sources
See all tipping guides for Asia
Tipping customs verified September 2026.
