Tipping
Tipping habits and amounts are pretty much the same in Vienna as elsewhere in major western cities. Tip porters, taxi drivers, waiters and waitresses, hairdressers and anybody who fixes anything in your apartment.
There are no hard and fast rules, and it’s hard to offend. The only people you really must tip are taxi drivers and restaurant staff. If you don’t tip them, it’s considered a sign that you were very dissatisfied with the food, drink or journey.
When tipping, normally add 5% to 15% to the bill so it’s rounded up to a convenient number. So if the bill is €9, round up to €10. If it’s €25, round up to €27. It’s flexible.
In cafes, bars and restaurants, you pay the tip in the initial amount you hand over. Don’t pay the bill and then leave behind some change or give back a note. When you hand over your money state the amount you’re paying. So when the waiter says, “six euro eighty”, you hand him a €10 note and say, “seven fifty.”
The same principle applies to taxi drivers.
If you’re paying by credit card, you can ask to add a tip to the total, or pay the bill and hand over some coins or notes as the tip.