Tipping in Norway: Top 6 Tips and Everything You Need to Know

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How does tipping in Norway work? Here is everything you need to know to make the most out of your travel experience.

Although tipping in Norway is not standard practice, it’s often helpful both for the giver and the receiver to hand in a few Krone. As Norway continues to hit the mainstream tourism spotlight, it also becomes customary to meet tourism expectations.

But don’t worry. It’s not something that will dry out wallets. Just think about it as a form of kind gesture and gratitude for the beautiful experience the Norwegians offer.

Here is another thing. The Norwegians working in different industries earn a decent amount to meet their daily needs and wants. That means they don’t have to rely on tips for augmentation. Therefore, it’s up for the tourist to decide on the amount to give and remember. Tipping in Norway is entirely voluntary.

What tourists should look out for is the gratuity included in the cost of various services, so make sure to know about it before tipping. Yes, people will feel happy and thankful for the gesture, but it’s not mandatory.

Although tipping is not common in Norway, the authorities implemented guidelines to give tourists an experience of a lifetime. In this guide, we’ll show the essential things you need to know about tipping.

Tipping in Norway: Top 6 Tips and Everything You Need to Know

Restaurants and Bars

Alex Sushi Oslo norway
via Wikimedia Commons|Guy Kawasak

Offering tips in a restaurant is a friendly and kind gesture, but it’s not compulsory. Do note that the kitchen staff and floor staff will pool their tips when their shift ends. Therefore, it’s best to offer tips discreetly and in cash when planning to directly give tips to a specific server or staff.

Also, don’t wait for waiters to ask for a tip since there is already a service charge in the general bill. It’s common among restaurants, however, to round up the bill to the nearest amount. Guests can add a tip of about 10% if they feel that the service experienced is really of uniqueness and premium quality.

Visitors enjoying a coffee at a café or drinking in a bar don’t have to give extra, but when pleased with the service, they can offer tips. Exceptional service, after all, deserves recognition and rewards.

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Hotels

Solstrand Hotel Norway
via Flickr|M. King

Unlike in many other Western countries, it’s uncommon to see bellhops, concierges, tip housekeeping, doormen, or many other specialized crews working at the hotels. Many Norwegian hotels don’t also have porters since both locals and tourists are encouraged to bring their bags to the rooms themselves.

That’s part of their culture of promoting strength and resilience. It’s only when paying the nightly rate that gratuity applies. When provided with great service, guests can offer an extra for housekeeping or any other staff with unique approaches.

For example, when ordering room service, visitors should also note an extra service added on the bill. That means they don’t have to offer a tip. That’s except of course if one really enjoys the service of the staff.

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Spas and Salons

Most spas in Norway don’t require leaving tips since gratuity is more likely added in the price of the service a guest chooses. However, it’s still up to the guest if he/she wants to offer an extra to the staff for the exceptional service. That’s one way to show appreciation not only to the management but, more importantly, to the staff.

A guest can round up the final price to the nearest 10 or 100 NOK or leave about 10 percent for a tip. Since spas and salons are meant to offer relaxation and healing, visitors would more likely thank the assigned staff with added cash. Who would not feel great seeing the smile of staff when offered a tip, right?

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Tours and Tour Guides

Whether tourists take a day cruise on a Viking ship to see the famous fjords of Norway or take a cultural tour around Oslo, they will likely have a memorable time. Most of the tickets for these tours come with a gratuity.

That is why the tour guide will not expect a tip. But then again, it’s a helpful gesture to offer them tips, especially if they’ve done an excellent job showing you around and telling exciting stories about the places. Some guides would often shy from that. But once you’ve shown them the value of their work, they would be more than happy to receive your extra.

“Free walking tours,” however, is becoming more common in Norway. But these are earning the ire of the general public, especially that Norway prides itself as having some of the ideal employment laws that favor the employees’ welfare.

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Taxis or Cabs

Most Norwegians don’t tip their taxi drivers, although some do so out of appreciation and gratitude. Tourists can also do that, especially when the driver can escape the heavy traffic and get them on time.

Driving, especially during peak hours and when the passenger is rushing, is challenging. But once the driver gets through that successfully, it’s a joy to offer him a tip. The passenger can round up the fare to the nearest 10 or 100 NOK.

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Doorman

Although we’ve hinted earlier that most hotels don’t have a doorman, it’s a good practice for a guest to offer tips to those who work as such. The doorman, after all, gives a feel of royalty and eloquence to one’s stay.

It’s as if you’re being treated like a President or a King, so why not hand out some cash as a form of gratitude. But then again, the doorman doesn’t expect that. And it’s all totally up to you. That also applies to the housekeeping staff and the concierge.

Now those are just some of the typical services that may compel tourists or guests to offer tips as they are exceptional. Who would not pay an extra for that, right? It’s not a culture reflected among the Norwegians since they are already well compensated by the government and their employees.

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