Vietnam

Tipping

Overview

Tipping protocol in Vietnam largely depends on the region. In most parts of the country, tipping is not expected, but is greatly appreciated. In larger cities, and in places saturated with tourism, tipping is more expected, especially in luxury hotels. Simply rounding up to the nearest whole bill is significant. While the question of when and how much to tip can be murky, it is common practice to tip tour guides and drivers. However, saving face is a very important tradition in Vietnamese culture, and tipping exorbitantly can offend someone’s pride and honor, so do not overtip.

Tips are accepted in the national currency, the Vietnamese dong (D) (pronounced dom), or in the American dollar (US$).

Tipping Guide

Setting	Gratuities
Transportation	Rounding to the nearest whole dong when tipping taxi drivers is common.
Hotels	Leaving a small amount of money or small gifts for housekeepers is appreciated.
Restaurants, Bars, Cafés	Tipping protocol depends on your location and the type of establishment. One practice is to see whether service has been included in your bill: if not, leave a 5% to 10% tip.
Guides	Tip tour guides US$10 or D 200,000 per person per day. Tip tour drivers US$5 or D 100,000 per person per day.

Terms for Payment and Tipping

Vietnamese is spoken in Vietnam. Terms in Vietnamese that you might encounter and find useful for point-of-payment situations are below.

English	Vietnamese
tip (noun)	tiền thưởg
can I have the bill?	tính tiền
service included	dịch vụ bao gồm
how much does it cost?	bao nhiêu tiền? (bahw nyee-oh thee-uhn)
keep the change	giữ cho sự thay đổi
money	tiền
please	xin vui lòng (sin voo-ee lowng)
thank you	cám ơn (ka-am ern)
yes	có (GO)
no	không (KAWM)