How much do people actually tip in Switzerland? A new study has answers

Ever wondered exactly how much you should tip when eating out in Switzerland? A new study by Bank Cler and the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) has shed some light on Swiss tipping culture.

40 percent of diners unsure about Swiss tipping etiquette

Tipping culture can be confusing when travelling, and in Switzerland, even residents often struggle: 40 percent of people are “occasionally or frequently unsure about tipping”, according to a study by Bank Cler and the ZHAW School of Management and Law.

The research found that, in general, a 5 to 10 percent tip is appropriate when eating out at a restaurant. Out of the 1.051 people surveyed, 73,7 percent said they leave a tip when dining out, and just 10 percent rarely or never do. As service charges have been included in bills since 1974, tipping in Switzerland remains entirely voluntary. 

Should you round up your bill?

While the study found that 5 to 10 percent is a good tipping guide, most people tend to simply round up their bill rather than calculate a specific amount. This can mean that tipping is “less governed by mathematical rules and more by psychological thresholds and everyday situations.”

For example, a coffee that costs 4,90 francs is usually rounded up to 5 francs, whereas if it costs 5,10 francs, then many would round the bill up to 5,50 or 6 francs. This tipping strategy often resulted in the survey respondents paying more than planned “to avoid appearing stingy”. 

In restaurants with table service, a bill of 64 francs is often rounded up to 68 francs (a 6 percent tip), whereas when the cost of a meal increased to 245 francs, the average tip went up to 13,30 francs, equating to a 5,4 percent tip. 

Swiss less likely to tip for takeaways

Tipping etiquette, however, gets a little more uncertain outside of a restaurant. Around half of survey respondents said they would leave a tip for a takeaway coffee or when picking up a takeaway. 

According to study co-author Marcel Stadelman, this difference may be because “The human element is missing - looking the person taking the payment at the table in the eye and showing gratitude for a pleasant evening,” reports SRF.

The survey also found that how you pay impacts how much you tip. Paying by cash often results in a larger tip compared to card payments. Furthermore, people aged 16 to 29 years are less likely to tip at all compared to older age groups.