I'm going to Europe this summer for the first time -- should I still tip service workers?

Depends on the country. Where are you going?

Don't tip. They don't need it. They'll appreciate it but they don't need it.

OP here I'm going to London Florence and Paris!

Of course we tip. Waiters, cab drivers, but not bar tenders behind the bar. You may tip floor staff if u order from them and they bring u ur drink to ur table. Restaurants is usually 12% but more if u were pleased with the server. Minimum wage means the likes of wait staff get paid ok; not dependent on tips but YES we tip.

YES, you fucking hick. Tip everyone. The "Europeans don't tip" thing is bullshit.

Keep small bills in your fanny pack.

Just make sure they're Euros and Pounds. American money does them little good.

Depends on the country, Germany yes, Spain no, as two examples.

Depends on what service.

If you are in a restaurant filled with tourists, it's likely many or most will be tipping.

If you have a tour guide, guides everywhere appreciate tips.

As stated above, 'Europe' is not a monolith - there are different customs regarding tipping - which services and how much - in different countries. In restaurants, some countries will include a service charge within the bill (and it will be displayed clearly).

I'd suggest just doing a bit of research on each place you're visiting before you go.

Every country expects tips. You can't escape it. They know you're American. Just tip the same way you do in the US. They all have the internet and know what the percentages are.

R9 is correct. They know that Americans tip, so they’ll be disappointed if you don’t.

Once in Germany I didn’t tip a bartender. He asked where I was from, and I told him. He then said, furiously, “you’re the first American I ever served who DIDN’T TIP.”

However, you can tip less than you might in the US.

What r5 said. The old-fashioned notion that Europeans don't tip has been consigned to the waste bin of history.

Also, many of the servers are on shitty contracts that don't guarantee them employment after a year.

They are underpaid.

So, yes. Tip. And be American about it. Tip well. You don't need to come across as a cheap Swede.

As R6 says. Don’t play the typical dumb American waving dollars around thinking the indigenes will be grateful for “real” money. Especially in the eurozone 🤣.

Americans are dumb, but they’re not that stupid.

Rules for France, Greece, and Switzerland (where I've recently stayed and traveled with natives for extended periods; can't speak for other countries): leave change, up to 2 euros. Don't approach the 20% that's now the minimum in the US, or even anything more than 10%.

Wrong

Speaking for the UK - meals in restaurants, cafes, pubs: 10-15% is usual, anything less than 10% is considered a bit stingy.

It's not customary to tip servers for drinks in pubs and bars, although the American practice has started to catch on. If you're paying for drinks by card, they'll now often be the option to add a 5/10/15% tip to the total on the card machine - but it is optional and not considered rude if you don't tip.

[quote]Of course we tip. Waiters, cab drivers,

Don't forget us!

just the tip

I think we can all agree that while tipping varies by European country, OP is not going to offend anyone by giving them too much money.

Just tip as you would in America, OP.

Check your restaurant bill. I”m currently in London and every restaurant I’ve been to adds a 12.5% service charge. I don’t tip when there’s a service charge.

Every country does not tip. American influence is not so wide as some would believe.

A service charge included in the bill is common is the UK an France. Germans are cheap and precise about many things but they tip a rather standard 5-10% at restaurants. In Rome at a restaurant that has been packed for two years by an influencer's tip that was many times copied by others, the waiters are accustomed to foreign habits and have come to expect tips of tourists (and the local clientele has mostly deserted for some place where they can eat in peace.) In Spain if a bill is 18€, the Spanish customer will often tell the waiter to keep the change from a 20 for himself, maybe suggesting "for a drink after."

Look up the customs by country.

A couple suggestions:

Those miserly Rick Steves and others often suggest "just leave a couple coins." I see tourists dutifully doing this but without thought to the value of the coins, leaving 2 five-cent coins, for example, and thinking they are throwing money about. Ridiculously small suns are generally not appreciated. Better not to tip.

Many Americans insist on adding a tip to their bill. In most places this is a nuisance and not likely to be any benefit to the waiter. Because tipping is not the custom, owners may make their own custom - of pocketing the waiter's tip in the form of a card charge.

Pay tips in cash and hand it you the waiter or leave it on the tray offering thanks for their service.

Waiters in countries where tips are not usual but extraordinary usually get some kind words as the diners leave. It's usually a (very) short dialogue on both parts. And it's not expected that you'll be a big tipper the next time; it's treated as a one-time thing where he made up a table for you where there were none, or make some great food suggestions.