Tipping/Restaurant Charges, Venice

Well, having driven all over Italy I saw a variety of public restrooms. Most of them were acceptable. However, it is completely different from America. There is usually a woman sitting outside of the public restrooms. They are in charge of keeping maintenance of the restrooms, properly stocking them with toiletries, and cleaning up any messes. Therefore, make sure to have some coins with you to tip her. It is customary to tip around 20cents-1euro. Only coins, though, nothing more.

And, in Venice...you even have to put your change into a slot to get into the restroom since there is a bar that will lower when you do. It is one of those bars like when you enter a ride in an amusement park. Just make sure you have some coins at all time!

Until recently tipping was considered the exception rather than the rule; however, the influx of foreigners in Venice (not knowing any better; giving a normal tip as they would in there home) has raised expectations among many of the service providers. In Venice, unless the menu states that the service is included, a service tax of about 12% should appear as a separate item on your bill.

Higher-priced restaurants rarely charge for service, relying on diners' generosity to compensate their staff.

Tip checkroom attendants EUR.50 per person, restroom attendants EUR.20-EUR.30 (more in expensive hotels and restaurants).

What I'm saying now can be very unpopular among Venetian business holders, but I feel like I have to correct all other VT suggestions that have appeared so far on this topic: tipping in Venice is NOT a local custom (!)
The restaurant bills can include some surcharges (like the "coperto", which is the price you pay for the service handling), which should anyway by law be clearly written on the menu. But there's no tip, unlike the US or other parts of the world!
So, this is definitely a myth, and in fact you'll notice it's all non-local people who claim that there's this "local custom" to tip 10-15-20% whatever. The true local custom is, you don't tip, unless of course you feel so thoroughly satisfied you exceptionally want to, and in any case it's few euros, not a 10 or more percent (!). Hope this helps, fellow travelers.

When in Venice, if tip is included in the price (almost all places), I give it. I never give an additional tip. Food is expensive enough. Tip is already included. Why should I give any additional tip? No way! Even if people say it's a local custom. What can they do to us? We are tourist and we, probably won't come back in the few weeks to the same restaurant ;-) So, keep you money with you.

Tipping seems to be the norm I think. A 15% service charge is added to all restaurant bills, however it is customary to leave a small tip for good service. You are now required by law to obtain an official receipt when eating at restaurants A 15-18% service charge is added to hotel bills. When all-inclusive prices are quoted, the service charge is already included. It is customary to leave an additional tip even when the service charge is already included.
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Venice is a very special place, but most probably dying. I guess we cannot save it on our own, but bare in mind that just because you see some one throwing some thing into the channels, it is not okay for you to do so too;)
Tipping is around ten percent, nomatter how expensive your meal or cup of hot chocolate are... And of course, the more you like it, the more tips you pay!

One thing we took for granted was that what is on the table at restaurants (for example, bread) is complimentary. While waiting for our pizza to arrive, we absent-mindedly munched on the pretzels that were put out. When the bill came, we realized they kept track of how many pretzels we ate, and they cost us nearly as much as the meal! After that, we were wary about using any condiments, either.

We were having dinner and the waiter brought our salads and only a few minutes later we brought our dinners. We barely had time to start the salads so we keep eating them as our dinner sat there. Well the waiter came over and explained to us that in Italy you eat your salad until they bring the dinner then you eat your dinner and after that you finish the salad. Thats different than the US!!