Short answer: no. The longer answer explains what is expected instead, and the one situation where a tip is genuinely appreciated.
No. Tipping is not customary in mainland China and is not expected in restaurants, taxis, hotels or shops. Attempting to tip can even cause mild confusion, and in some cases a refusal, because it implies a service relationship that does not exist here.
This is genuinely different from Malaysia and Singapore, where tipping is more common in some contexts, and it is one of the things guests ask us about most.
Service staff in China are paid a wage rather than relying on gratuities, and restaurant bills include a service component where applicable. There is no social pressure to add anything, and no one will chase you down the street for it.
Hotel staff will not expect a note left on the pillow. Taxi drivers will simply give you your change.
If you are on a private trip with a guide and driver and you have had a genuinely exceptional experience, a discretionary gift at the end is warmly received — but it is optional, and nobody is standing there expecting it. Many of our guests choose not to, and that is completely normal.
If you do want to, the sensible approach is a modest amount given at the end of the trip rather than daily, and to the guide and driver together.
Our guides and drivers are paid properly by us. You should never feel that a tip is what makes their day, or that a smaller one will affect your service.
Paying the stated price. Prices in shops, restaurants and taxis are fixed and clearly marked. There is no haggling in normal retail.
Bargaining — but only where it belongs. Tourist markets and souvenir stalls expect negotiation; supermarkets, chain stores, restaurants and taxis do not. A polite opening counter-offer at around 60–70% of the asking price is reasonable at a market. Walking away is a legitimate tactic.
Paying via mobile. Being ready to pay by Alipay or WeChat Pay is more appreciated than any tip, because it makes the transaction instant. See our guide to setting those up.
In most destinations, travellers set aside 10–15% for tips across a two-week trip. In China you can drop that line entirely, which is a small but real saving — and it means there is no awkward moment at the end of every meal.
The only people you might consider are your guide and driver, at the end, if you want to.
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and roughly what you want to see. Within 24 hours a China-based planner sends you a day-by-day itinerary with everything itemised — free, and with nothing to pay until you approve it.
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