Across the Middle East and Africa tipping is broadly customary and warmly appreciated — often known as baksheesh. A service charge is frequently added at hotels and restaurants, and small cash tips smooth countless everyday interactions.
This is a region where a little generosity goes a long way and small change is your best friend. Tipping — widely called baksheesh — extends well beyond restaurants to porters, drivers, guides and many people who lend a hand. At the same time, upscale hotels and restaurants often add a service charge, so you’ll want to check the bill before topping up. Guide and safari tipping, in particular, is an established and meaningful custom that travelers should budget for.
| Where | Typical norm | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| UAE & Gulf states | 10–15% extra | A service charge is often added; extra in hospitality is appreciated, and tourism roles are widely tipped. |
| Egypt | ~10% + baksheesh | Strong baksheesh culture — small tips expected for many services. Carry small notes. |
| Morocco & Tunisia | ~10% + baksheesh | Similar to Egypt; tip porters, guides, drivers and helpers a few small coins or notes. |
| Turkey | ~5–10% | Spans Europe and Asia; tips usually left in cash. |
| South Africa | 10–15% | Well established; also customary to tip petrol attendants and “car guards” a few rand. |
| Kenya & Tanzania (safari) | Established custom | Tip guides, drivers and lodge staff, often into a pooled box; day-tour guides too. |
| North & West Africa hotels | Often included | Service charge frequently in the bill; small tips still welcome. |
These are broad norms — always scan the bill for a service charge first, and see tipping for tours & guides for safari and excursion details.
Baksheesh is the everyday word for tipping and small gratuities across much of the Middle East and North Africa — and it covers far more ground than a restaurant tip. It is the few coins for the porter who carries your bag, the person who watches your car, the attendant at a restroom, the guide who shows you around, or someone who helps with directions. It is woven into daily life rather than reserved for formal service.
The practical takeaway is simple: keep a pocket of small-denomination notes and coins wherever you go. Trying to tip with only large notes leaves you stuck, while a ready supply of small change lets you thank people smoothly and appropriately.
In the UAE and across the Gulf states — Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait — a service charge is often added to hotel and restaurant bills. That charge doesn’t always reach staff directly, so an extra 10–15% in cash for good hospitality is appreciated. Tourism-facing roles such as drivers, hotel staff and guides are widely tipped, and in the polished hospitality scene of cities like Dubai a discreet cash tip is the norm for good service.
As ever, check the bill: if a service charge is present, treat your additional tip as a bonus rather than a duty.
Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia have an especially strong baksheesh culture. Small tips are expected across a wide range of everyday services, and roughly 10% is standard at restaurants where no service charge applies. Porters, guides, drivers and helpers all anticipate a modest thank-you, so the single best preparation is to carry plenty of small notes. Tipping here is less about a fixed percentage and more about a steady stream of small, gracious gestures.
In Kenya, Tanzania and the wider safari circuit, tipping guides, drivers and safari or lodge staff is an established and important custom — often pooled among the team, with day-tour guides tipped as well. Because guides work long, skilled days that make or break a trip, travelers should plan for it as a real line in the budget. South Africa has its own well-rooted culture: 10–15% at restaurants, plus a few rand for petrol attendants and the “car guards” who watch parked cars. When in doubt, ask your lodge or operator for their suggested guidance.
Norms differ by country, but one shift is global: guests carry less and less cash. ScanToTIP lets anyone tip in seconds by scanning a QR code and paying with Apple Pay, Google Pay or a card — no app, no hardware. See how it works or compare platforms.
Baksheesh is the common word for tipping and small gratuities across much of the Middle East and North Africa. It covers everyday help — porters, drivers, guides, attendants — not just restaurants, so carrying small notes and coins is the key to doing it smoothly.
A service charge is often already added to bills, but it may not reach staff, so an extra 10–15% in cash for good hospitality is appreciated. Drivers, hotel staff and guides are widely tipped — check the bill first, then top up discreetly.
Yes. Tipping guides, drivers and lodge staff is an established and important custom on safari in Kenya, Tanzania and beyond — often into a pooled fund. Ask your operator or lodge for suggested amounts and budget for it as part of the trip.
Yes — both have a strong baksheesh culture. Small tips are expected for a wide range of services and around 10% is standard at restaurants without a service charge. The best habit is to carry lots of small notes for porters, guides, drivers and helpers.
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