Tipping, Brussels

Taxes and tips are always included in the price you need to pay in pubs, restaurants and even taxis.
However it is an unwritten rule that if you are satisfied about the service and your bill is not a round number (*), you can add up to make it round. How much, it depends a bit on the total of the bill.
You will not go tipping a lot if you only had one drink.

(*)Sometimes the etablisments will help you by adding very unround numbers on their pricelist.

Toilets

Even if you have paid a cover charge to go to a bar or club, you will more often than not have to pay for the beer to leave your body as well as enter it. Expect 20 cents to 50 cents a time.

Bouncers

On your way out from a venue bouncers in Brussels often expect a tip, even if the only service they have provided is giving you a disapproving look on the way in.

Sometimes they make the tip feel rather compulsory. I find it all a bit strange but 1 euro should be enough if you decide to pay it.

That is the question!
Tip is included in your bill in restaurants. I think that additional tipping (paid either in cash or credit/debit card) is not necessary unless you want to prize extremely good service.

Although if you are from "high tipping" country (like the USA) and you feel somewhat uncomortable without tipping, you are surely welcome :-))).


From my VT-friend bart_warreyn from Brussels:
We do add tips to the "prices with tip included" in Brussels but these are very low. Some guidebooks talk about 10% which is highy exaggerated. A very common way of tipping is rounding off to the higher EURO : example EUR 5,40 -> EUR 6,00 but also EUR 5,80 -> EUR 6,00.
Thank you very much for your explanations!

That is the question in Belgium!
The easiest way to figure is the following:
Start Point: NO TIP. 12% service charge is already included, and they mostly don't deserve it!
Exceptions:
a) You are a regular and you are treated accordingly -- 50c/person or couple
b) the place is small/family-owned and the serice is friendly - round to the nearest euro on a small bill; 1 euro/couple for more people.
c) You are a large group of people and you were treated nicely -- 10 or more -- 3-5 euro upwards
d) you are a British IT contractor -- you have way too much money and it's not healthy to drink it all -- 2 euro/person

A service charge is included in restaurant and hotel bills, and tips are also included in the amount shown on the meter in taxis. Additional tipping is unnecessary unless you wish to say thank you for very good service.

I was really surprised when I heard that boys are 'obliged' to tip the doorman when they are leaving a oub / disco / club
I mean, you can try to refuse, but knowing some of the Brussel's doormen I wouldn't want to get into trouble...
It's only for boys, girls don't have to bother!