Tipping in Việt Nam: when to tip, who to tip and how

Short answer: at a street stall, no. In tourism services, a small tip is appreciated. Tipping isn’t a traditional part of eating out in Việt Nam, but it has found a place wherever people look after visitors: guides, drivers, spas and hotels. Here is where it fits, and how to do it without any awkwardness.

Street stalls and local eateries

Not expected. The price on the wall, or the price you are told, is the price. Pay, say “cảm ơn” (thank you), and if it was good, “ngon quá!” (so good!). Cooks love hearing it, and it costs you nothing.

• Nobody will mind if you tell them to keep the change. Nobody is waiting for it either.
• The best tip at a family stall is coming back tomorrow, and bringing friends.
• For the words to use at the table, see our street food phrases.

Restaurants

Some restaurants, usually the more upmarket ones, add a service charge to the bill. Read the bill before you pay.

• If there is a service charge, you don’t need to add more.
• If there isn’t, and the staff looked after you well, leaving a little is a kind thank-you, not an obligation.
• If you leave something, give it to the person who served you, or leave it with the bill.

Where a tip is appreciated

In tourism services, a small tip is a normal way to say thanks for good service. Not compulsory, but appreciated.

• Guides. At the end of a tour you enjoyed, hand your guide a small amount with your thanks.
• Drivers. The same goes for a driver who has taken you around for a day or a long transfer.
• Spa staff. After a massage or treatment, a tip for the person who looked after you is welcome.
• Hotel porters. A small note for carrying your bags to your room.
• Ride-hailing drivers. Rounding up is common: pay the fare to the next convenient note and let them keep the change.

How to tip

• Cash, in đồng. It is what people can spend straight away. Foreign notes mean a trip to a money changer.
• Discreetly. Fold the notes and hand them over quietly at the end, with a smile and a “cảm ơn”. No speech, no show.
• With both hands, if you like, especially to someone older. It’s a small, polite touch.
• To the person. Give it directly to whoever helped you, so it reaches them.
• A small amount. A tip is a thank-you, not a second bill.

Small things that help

• Keep small notes in a separate pocket, so you aren’t pulling out a fat wallet to find one.
• Check the zeros. Some đồng notes look alike in dim light: the bluish 20,000 and 500,000 notes are the classic mix-up, and an expensive one.
• Not sure what things cost? Our guide to food costs gives you a feel for the money.
• If you forget, don’t worry. A warm thank-you, in Vietnamese if you can, is never wasted.

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