Tipping is a common practice in
Cochin city of Kerala. While the natives here are more or less
acquainted with the guidelines or rules of tipping, you need to be
really savvy about these things if you are an outsider. From porters to
waiters and cabbies… you will meet a myriad of people once you set
foot in Kochi. While some of them genuinely deserve your open
appreciation for their service, there will be few who may unnecessarily
harass you for a tip despite the fact that they did nothing to help you.
Here are some ideas for you on whom to tip, how much to tip and so on
for a hassle-free journey of Kochi / Cochin:
Tipping is of two types. Sometimes, you tip a person after the work is
completed or you tip beforehand to ensure a good service. In hotels,
porters and room service attendants are mostly tipped at the end of the
stay. Decide how much you should tip on the basis of the type of
services rendered and the type of establishment.
In restaurants or any other formal food outlet, the tip to waiters is
normally about 10-15 per cent of the bill you incurred. In case of
high-class restaurants and hotels, generally a 10 per cent service
surcharge is added to the bill. Tipping at such places is discretionary.
At smaller places, the tip is not a percentage of the bill. Rather, a
small amount of money is given as tip, depending on the quality of
service rendered.
Whether you need to tip taxi drivers or not is up to your discretion.
In case, if you do want to give tip, then, 10 per cent of the fare or
leaving the change is sufficient. If you are hiring a car for the whole
day or stay, then tip the driver Rs 50-100 per day depending on the
distance you have traveled.
If you are putting up at somebody's house, then its advisable to take
your host's permission before giving tips to his / her domestic help.
At railway stations, you can pay porters around Rs 5-10 per bag.
Tipping in Cochin is a common
practice. Read about Cochin tipping guidelines & rules, along with
how much to tip in Kochi.