Does Norway have a tipping culture?
Norway's known for its high wages, so are you expected to tip, and what's the best way to put your best foot forward when receiving great service?
The short answer
Tipping in Norway is certainly not expected, but it's certainly appreciated. If you've received excellent service, you can round up your bill to the nearest 10 or 100 kroner or aim for 10 percent of your total, which is considered generous. Tips of up to 20 percent are considered extremely generous and aren't typically the norm.
Some restaurants may automatically add a service charge. However, this is still quite uncommon. Furthermore, tipping is rare in fast food places, cafes, and places selling light meals.
You also aren't expected to tip in some situations where leaving a gratuity would be normal in other countries. These include tipping a hairdresser or cab driver.
Porters aren't very common in Norwegian hotels, with guests generally expected to carry their own bags. Although leaving a small tip is appreciated if you stay in a hotel with a porter.
The reasons why and how tipping can be tricky in practice
One of the most significant contributors to why tipping isn't as standard in Norway as in other countries is that those working in the service industry are paid a living wage. Therefore, those working in the service and hospitality industry don't rely on tips as they do in other countries.
In practical terms, it can be hard to tip as it's become increasingly uncommon in Norway to carry cash. This applies to large notes and small changes. Most transactions are by card or the mobile payment service Vipps. It also isn't uncommon for some businesses to not even have a cash register any more.
An increasing trend in bars and some restaurants where you order at a counter is to allow the customer to enter the total amount they want to pay, allowing them to add a tip if they would like. However, in these scenarios, a tip isn't generally expected, so you shouldn't feel pressure to do so.
Some card readers or counter screens will also offer an opportunity to tip by percentage; in this scenario, a tip isn't generally expected. Sometimes, the person checking you out will select the no-tip option before you approve the charge.
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The short answer
Tipping in Norway is certainly not expected, but it's certainly appreciated. If you've received excellent service, you can round up your bill to the nearest 10 or 100 kroner or aim for 10 percent of your total, which is considered generous. Tips of up to 20 percent are considered extremely generous and aren't typically the norm.
Some restaurants may automatically add a service charge. However, this is still quite uncommon. Furthermore, tipping is rare in fast food places, cafes, and places selling light meals.
You also aren't expected to tip in some situations where leaving a gratuity would be normal in other countries. These include tipping a hairdresser or cab driver.
Porters aren't very common in Norwegian hotels, with guests generally expected to carry their own bags. Although leaving a small tip is appreciated if you stay in a hotel with a porter.
The reasons why and how tipping can be tricky in practice
One of the most significant contributors to why tipping isn't as standard in Norway as in other countries is that those working in the service industry are paid a living wage. Therefore, those working in the service and hospitality industry don't rely on tips as they do in other countries.
In practical terms, it can be hard to tip as it's become increasingly uncommon in Norway to carry cash. This applies to large notes and small changes. Most transactions are by card or the mobile payment service Vipps. It also isn't uncommon for some businesses to not even have a cash register any more.
An increasing trend in bars and some restaurants where you order at a counter is to allow the customer to enter the total amount they want to pay, allowing them to add a tip if they would like. However, in these scenarios, a tip isn't generally expected, so you shouldn't feel pressure to do so.
Some card readers or counter screens will also offer an opportunity to tip by percentage; in this scenario, a tip isn't generally expected. Sometimes, the person checking you out will select the no-tip option before you approve the charge.
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